TUNES

Here are some tune suggestions and tips for using a bagpiper.

WEDDINGS

Rarely do I play during the ceremony, unless it's in a church and I play Amazing Grace in honor of family members who could not make it. Sometimes I play as guests arrive, welcoming and piping them in. Sometimes I begin during the ceremony to pipe in the bridal party and/or bride. Most commonly, I pipe the Bride and Groom out after the ceremony, either leading or following them out, and keep playing as the guests file out. I then frequently play the cocktail hour, but not if I have already played people in; that would be too much bagpipes.

A fun thing to do is to have me lead the wedding party and guests from the church to the reception area, especially when we are walking through the city; it's a real traffic stopper. Sometimes I also play the bride and groom into the reception.

FUNERALS

I can play as guests arrive. At churches I usually pipe the procession in at the beginning with Going Home and pipe them out at the end with Amazing Grace. If Irish, it's often Danny Boy. If no procession, I just play the tunes in front and maybe march out on the refrain.

OTHER EVENTS

Other events I play are birthday parties, anniversaries, family reunions, retirements, parades, graduations, etc. Depending on the event, I generally play a medley of up-beat tunes, sometimes leading processions, marching in piping unannounced as a surprise, or standing in place and entertaining.

A word of caution: bagpipes are loud, with little ability to control the volume. As such, playing in small confines such as a living room is entertaining, but not conducive to conversation. Carpeted flooring absorbs sound, while hard tile, wood or cement floors and walls reflect and almost amplify it. I frequently play inside churches which is usually not a problem, unless it is a small chapel with hard floors. Then, it is best for me to play in the foyer or just outside the entrance.

Tune Suggestions

  • Funerals
  • Amazing Grace
  • Danny Boy
  • The Battle's Ore
  • Flowers of the Forest
  • Going Home
  • The Ballad of Glencoe
  • Skye Boat Song
  • Irish Eyes
  • The Dark Isle
  • Greensleeves
  • Wedding Tunes (Processional)
  • Here Comes the Bride
  • Highland Cathedral
  • Flower of Scotland
  • My Home
  • Ode to Joy
  • Lord of the Dance
  • Here I am Lord
  • A Man's a Man for a' that and a' that
  • Wedding Tunes (Recessional)
  • Scotland the Brave
  • Highland Laddie
  • Mari's Wedding
  • Bonnie Dundee
  • Garry Owen
  • Reel's - various (for a really peppy march out)
  • The Black Bear

Full Tune List

  • Marches
  • 79th Farewell to Gibralter 2/4
  • All the Blue Bonnet’s are O’re the Border 6/8
  • Angus McKinnon 6/8
  • Athol Highlanders 6/8
  • Balmoral Highlanders 2/4
  • Barren Rocks of Aden 2/4
  • Battle of the Somme 9/8
  • Black Bear 2/4
  • Bonawe Highlanders 6/8
  • Bonny Ann 2/4
  • Bonney Dundee 6/8
  • Caber Feigh
  • Campbells Farewell to Redcastle 2/4
  • Cock of the North 6/8
  • Corriechoillie’s Welcome to the Northern Meeting 2/4
  • Colonel Robertson 6/8
  • Cullen Bay 5/4
  • Dovecoat Park
  • Dr. Ross’s 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering 6/8
  • Marches (cont.)
  • Duncan McInnes 2/4
  • Farewell to Nigg 6/4
  • Farewell to the Creeks 6/8
  • Glendural Highlanders 6/8
  • High Road to Gairloch 2/4
  • Highland Laddie 2/4
  • Hills of Perth 2/4
  • Jenny’s Bawbee 2/4
  • Kenmures Up and awa Willy 6/8
  • Lord Lovat’s Lament 4/4
  • March of the Cameron Men 6/8
  • Mairi’s Wedding 2/4
  • Minstrel Boy
  • Mucking of Geordie’s Byre 6/8
  • Murdos Wedding 4/4
  • My Love She’s but a Lassie Yet 2/4
  • Old Rustic Bridge 4/4
  • P. M. J. K. Kairns
  • Rabs Wedding 6/8
  • Redford Cottage 6/8
  • Road to the Isles 2/4
  • Rowan Tree 4/4
  • Scotland the Brave 4/4
  • Shoals of Herring
  • Sweet Maid of Glendaruel 2/4
  • Irish Tunes
  • An Dro
  • Cork Hill
  • Danny Boy
  • Dawning of the Day
  • Garry Owen
  • Kesh Jig, and The Irish Jig
  • Mairi’s Wedding
  • Maid of Fivie
  • Minstrel Boy
  • Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shores
  • Paddy’s Leather breeches
  • Paddy McGinty’s Goat
  • Paddy Whack
  • Saint Patrick’s day
  • She moved through the fair
  • Wearing of the Green
  • When Irish Eyes are smiling
  • Slow Airs / Funeral Marches
  • Amazing Grace
  • Auld Lang Syne
  • Balad of Glencoe
  • Danny Boy
  • Dark Island
  • Flower of Scotland
  • Flower’s of the Forrest
  • Going Home
  • Loch Rannock
  • Mist Covered Mountains
  • Mull of Kintyre
  • My Home
  • Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shores
  • Skye Boat Song
  • Westering Home
  • Retreats
  • Battle of the Somme
  • Bloody Fields of Flanders 3/4
  • Castle Dangerous 3/4
  • Dream Valley of Glendaruel 3/4
  • Green Hills of Tyroll 3/4
  • Hawk that Swoops on High ¾
  • Heights of Dargai 9/8
  • Killworth Hills 3/4
  • Lochanside 3/4
  • Meeting of the Waters 4/4
  • When the Battle’s Ore 3/4
  • Strathspeys
  • Braes of Mar
  • Caber Feigh
  • Captain Colin Campbell
  • Captain Horne
  • Devil in the Kitchen-Highland Fling
  • Dorator Bridge
  • Ghillie Callum-Sword Dance
  • Highland Harry
  • Highland Whiskey
  • Keel Row
  • Lady Loudon
  • Marquis of Huntly’s Highland Fling
  • Orange and Blue
  • Rose Among the Heather
  • Stirling Castle
  • Strathspey King
  • Susan Macleod
  • Reels
  • De’il Amoung the Tailers
  • Fairy Dance
  • High Road to Linton
  • Jock Wilson’s Ball
  • Kate Dalrymple
  • Kilt is my Delight
  • Lexy McAskill
  • Mrs. McCleod of Raasey
  • Piper of Drummond
  • Sound of Sleat
  • Tail Toddle
  • Thompson’s Dirk
  • Hornpipes
  • Boys of Blue Hill
  • Burn’s Hornpipe
  • Carryon Regardless
  • Clumsy Lover
  • Duncan Johnstone
  • George Allan
  • Jolly Beggerman
  • Lucy Cassidy
  • Man from Skye
  • Paddy McGinty’s Goat
  • Rakes of Mallow
  • Tam Bain’s Lum
  • The Beggerman
  • Wexford Hornpipe
  • Hymns
  • Abide With Him
  • Amazing Grace
  • Faith of our Fathers
  • Here I am Lord
  • Ode to Joy (Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee)
  • Lord of the Dance
  • Jigs
  • Banjo Breakdown
  • Barbara's Jig
  • Cork Hill
  • Cutting Bracken
  • Foxhunter
  • Glasgow City Police Pipers
  • Haste to the Wedding
  • Irish Jig
  • Irish Washerwoman
  • Jig of Slurs
  • Kesh Jig
  • Paddy' Leather Breeches
  • Rakes of Kildare