I blame Disney. Alright, I blame Disney for a lot of stuff… the whole princess girl thing, being overpriced, making my kids think I’m a loser because I can’t afford to bring them to Florida. But this time there is a precise moment at which the tragic happened and Disney was directly implicated.
I took the kids to see Brave. For the record: best Disney movie ever. As we left the theatre, my eight-year old was humming. Then the words no parent ever wants to hear… “Mom! I want to play the bagpipes!”
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Let’s forget about the fact, for a moment, that bagpipes are notoriously hard to learn and this boy doesn’t handle frustration well. And let’s forget how expensive they are. And let’s forget how hard it is to find someone to teach them. THE NOISE!!!! Let’s think for a moment about the noise. It’s bad enough his younger sister is learning the fiddle and his younger brother the accordion…
I put my foot down and insisted on guitar. And felt horrible guilt. Until I found Bagpipe. No instrument needed, just your Android device. No expense, it’s free. Instruction included (though I doubt it would teach you how to play real bagpipes). But best of all… you can turn down the volume or make your child wear headphones while they learn how to play Scotland the Brave or Oh Tannebaum (among other included songs) bouncing ball style. And for the horribly uncoordinated and easily frustrated, like someone I know, the app lets you select whether you want it to blow for you or you control the air while you concentrate on the fingering.
Bagpipe totally does not blow! Unless you ask it to.
It's free and after being intially set up there's no reading ability needed, so children of all ages can use it independently. Preferably in their rooms with the volume down.
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DESCRIPTION
Amaze your friends and relatives by playing scottish melodies, blown into your Android and touch the right keys to dip your house and everything else in a magical atmosphere. Approach this wonderful but little known musical instrument and discover the scot that's inside you!
• Blow to play!
The app simulates a real scottish bagpipe! Blow into microphone. The virtual air bag will fill up and you will start playing.
• Play magical melodies
You can immediately start playing! The tutorial is always update with new songs. It helps, guides and teaches to you how to play some melodies. Play, and become a master like Hevia!
• Jam Session
join guitars, pianos and other classic musical instruments to create definitely new music tracks!
• Simple but realistic, suitable for everybody!
the virtual Bagpipe is easier to play than the real one, everybody can play it just touching one key at a time! Anyway we still preserve a great realism, if you don't blow the bagpipe will not play. So pump up your lungs, you will need them!
• Free worldwide!
You don't have to spend money thank's to the Ad support!
• High Res Graphic
The graphic is optimized for devices equipped with Retina Display.
• Tips…
For more informations and "how to" read the help section on the back view of the app.
Connect your device to an external speaker for a better sound.
• More info
The most famous bagpipe is the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe, but there are many kinds of it from many countries, like the French Musette de cour, the Italians zampogna, piva, müsa and baghèt, the Spanish gaita, …
It is essentially made by the reeds (drones) that play a base bass sound, a bag that the player inflates by blowing air into it (and which is the "lung" of the instrument) and by a "Chanter" upon which the player creates the melody.
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Quick Help
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To play:
1. gently blow into the microphone, the drones will start playing the typical background sound of the bagpipe;
2. touch one hole at a time to hear the notes;
3. don't lose sight of the air indicator, when the air is about to finish you will need to blow into the microphone again or the bagpipe will stop playing!
4. to stop the sound simply press the STOP button.