Battlefield Band in concert at Piping Live! 2010.Every pipe tune has a key which indicates which scale of notes it uses, and these different keys give a different feel to each tune.There are seven keys available on the pipe chanter and each key has its own scale of notes which begin at different places on the chanter.

If there are no G notes in the melody, or G is just a passing note, then the standard major chords may be an appropriate accompaniment.

So in practice, if a tune has strong G notes in the melody then the standard major chords may clash with the tune, so alternative chords may need to be played to suit the modal feel of the tune.

Tunes based on the B-flat mixolydian scale are technically in the key of B-flat major, but depending on the prominence of the G note (as written) in the melody, an accompanying musician would need to be careful which chords they used to accompany the tune.

The arrangement of tones and semitones from low A to high A, coincides exactly with that needed to be in the mixolydian mode.

Mixolydian is the name of a mode, and the name is applied to B-flat because ‘the scale’ has a flattened 7th note (the high G).

‘The scale’ that all pipers first learn from low A to high A, sounds as a B-flat mixolydian scale.

Your low A sounds a B-flat note at 466 Hertz (Hz).

If you have followed part one and part two of this series you should now understand the importance of playing a concert pitch B-flat chanter, and the following points summarise the other important aspects covered in the previous features.

B flat instrument e minor scale