Fundamentals of Tuning

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Fundamentals of tuning

I have from time to time heard of Northumbrian pipers tuning their drones in unorthodox ways, as for instance using an A drone when playing in G, or a G drone when playing in D or A minor. These dubious practices prompt me to define the reasons for selecting the drone notes.

The choice of drone is neither a matter of whim nor of tradition, but is fundamental to the nature and structure of music itself. The most natural note on which to drone is the key-note — G when playing in G major or minor, D when in D maj/min and A when in A maj/min. Against this drone the melody makes an ever-changing pattern of discord and concord, tension and relaxation, and the piece normally comes to rest on the key-note. The degrees of the scale which form a concord with the key-note G are the 3rd (B), 4th (C), 5th (D) and the 6th (E), while the 2nd (A) and 7th (F) are discordant. If you play G and A together you must agree that the sound is not a restful one.

Now the normal tendency is for a melody to pull towards its key-note and this note is implied the whole time even if not actually present. So to play a drone on A (2nd degree of the scale) is to imply a dissonance throughout the piece, which is not even allowed to resolve peacefully at the end. Conversely, playing in A minor while droning on G gives a similar effect. Even the wild music of Bosnia, which enjoys long-held clashing 2nds, ends with consonant harmonies, and this rule holds throughout the world of music.

Neither are the notes of a melody selected at random. They are carefully chosen for their relationship with the underlying harmonic structure of the piece. In the case of drone instruments it is the drone itself which dictates the melodic movement. Dissonances are used by composers when they wish to express heightened emotion or tension, while consonances suggest peace, restfulness, or well-being.

In a major scale all the notes are consonant with the key-note except the 2nd and 7th degrees. If when playing in G major a drone on the 5th (D) is added, it forms dissonances with the 4th (C) and the 6th (E) and this lends richness to the melody, but both notes (G and D) still have the same relationship as before with the key-note.

In Example 1 consonants are marked O and dissonances X.

Example 1 Example 2

                                                                                     Harmonic series

 G drone                                A drone

Chanter 13

Example 2 shows that when a drone on A is played the pattern of consonance and dissonance is reversed. Consequently the whole meaning of the melody is contradicted because points of rest become discordant and points of tension lose their strength. It is also obvious that the major third (B), instead of being a warm sound is now dissonant and since G and A when played together clash, it becomes impossible to resolve to the key-note at the end of a piece. The musical world is turned upside-down.

The note emitted by the drone of the bagpipe is rich in harmonics. In addition to the fundamental note (G), the 2nd harmonic, a 12th higher is heard very strongly. Thus when the fundamental is G one hears D also. This is why the second drone is very often on the fifth degree of the scale which is the same note as the 12th. But a second D drone in its turn produces a strong 12th harmonic, (A) which clashes slightly with the fundamental. This A is acceptable because it is more than two octaves above the fundamental G, and is weaker.

There are few sounds more satisfying than that of a perfectly tuned 4th (D/g) or 5th (G/d) purring away, and a sustained drone makes a fitting prelude to the piece to come. The presence of the 2nd degree of the scale dispels this inherent feeling of warmth at once. In some piping traditions the drone is on the 4th only, allowing the instrument to be played in G or in C and this is quite acceptable since C is not dissonant with G; or one may use the 5th only and play in G or D.

It is of interest to observe that the notes of the common chord, on which so much music is based, are derived from the naturally occurring harmonic series.

It is quite common for pieces in G to modulate for a few bars to the dominant (D), and this is acceptable, but a whole piece in D lies uncomfortably with G drones. Furthermore, a piece in D will (in its turn) modulate to the dominant (A), which does not fit with G drones at all.

The solution is to use D drones only. If one wishes to follow the movement of the harmony further than this, then it would be best either to shut off the drones altogether or play a different type of instrument.

Since the sixteenth century composers have been emphasising the underlying chordal structures of a tune and have therefore had to sacrifice the melodic variety and interest of the many different modes in favour of only two, major and minor. Our instrument, the bagpipe, dates from the time when musicians had six or even seven different modes to choose from (hence our word ‘moods’).

Let us not be brow-beaten by the chord-mongers into making unsuitable compromises which prevent us from fully exploiting the wonderful characteristics of our ancient and honourable instrument.

Michael Muskett