SmallPipesKeys - Scottish Smallpipes Piano icon

App Detail » SmallPipesKeys - Scottish Smallpipes Piano

Published by: Michael Eskin

iPhone App - Designed for iPhone, compatible with iPad

Price: $0.99
Current Version: 2.0
Released: July 02, 2010

What's New

Completely new version 2.0 adds a reverb option for a huge, full sound! (iOS 5.0 or later required for reverb features).

App Description

Introducing SmallPipesKeys, an authentic sounding set of Scottish Smallpipes presented as an easy-to-play piano keyboard with the same range as the real instrument.

Completely new version 2.0 adds a reverb option for a huge, full sound! (iOS 5.0 or later required for reverb features).

Compared to the big Scottish Highland pipes, the Smallpipes have a rounder sound and are pitched a half-step lower, in the key of A.

The drone and chanter sounds are provided by ePipes in Glasgow, Scotland, and are based on an extremely high quality per-note studio recording of one of the finest sets available.

These are the exact same audio samples used in my popular "Small Pipes" app for the iPad. With this app you can carry those same sounds in your pocket.

Operating Instructions:

Touch any key to start the chanter playing. Once started, the chanter plays continuously just like a real Scottish Smallpipes chanter.

Play a melody on the chanter by touching the keys.

Touch the drone puck image to switch the drones on and off. Stopping the drones also stops the chanter sound.

The balance between the drones and chanter volume may be adjusted on the settings page.

The "Easy Mode" switch on the settings page lets you play the main Smallpipes chanter notes using just the white keys and is turned on by default.

Playing Tip: To make your playing sound more authentic and for repeated notes, quickly slide from an adjacent black key to the note you are playing to simulate a piping "cut" ornament.

You may also play along with the music on your iPhone/iPod Touch by starting a music track playing using the iPod app on your device, then launching SmallPipesKeys. Double click the home button to bring up the iPod music controls while the app is running.

For more fun and to experience the full quality of the samples used for the app, try playing the app through an external amplified speaker connected to the headphone jack on your device.