What makes the bagpipe such a loud instrument?
Reposted from @sdgpipesanddrums What makes the bagpipe such a loud instrument? Indoor measurements have reported volumes as high as 116dB! Pictured below is the pipe chanter reed which is responsible for the melody production. The reed is made from two opposed blades of cane wrapped around a metal tube. When air is forced between the blades they vibrate to create the sound. The thicker the blades are or the further apart they are the more force is needed to create this vibration and the louder the sound. The bag on a bagpipe acts as a reservoir and funnels high pressure air through the reed allowing harder and louder reeds to be played than with the mouth alone!