The complete instrument
Lindsay System smallpipes
Bellows-blown Scottish smallpipes, with an extended-range chanter and four selectable drones.
From £2,410.00 GBP · Made to order
Hear, choose & price a set →Designed, made & played in Scotland
Extended range Scottish smallpipesby Donald WG Lindsay
I’m a piper, singer and instrument maker. The Lindsay System Scottish smallpipes provide over two octaves of range, without requiring keys. They grew from tunes I wanted to play on smallpipes, and can also provide a wider range for accompanying singing.
Smallpipes & separate chanters
Soprano & Low D whistles · Make your own
Complete instrument
Explore Lindsay System Scottish Smallpipes →Music: ‘Old Post Office House’
Composed by Donald WG Lindsay.
Finished instruments
Choose what you need
A complete set, a chanter for suitable pipes you already own, or a whistle.
For a suitable existing set
Lindsay System chanter
The melody pipe, supplied with its matched reed and chanter-side fittings. Check compatibility before ordering.
Sold separately
Choose a chanter & see prices
Finished Qwistle whistles
Soprano & Low D
Soprano whistles in seven pitches, and the separate Low D Qwistle. Hear the Low D and check each instrument’s ordering information below.
Seven soprano pitches · See current prices
Hear & explore the whistles ↓The smallpipes in music
Playing with Roo Geddes
Smallpipes and fiddle, played together.
Jigs is an introduction to our playing together. On Honeymoon Bridge, the music also brings in piano and song.
Smallpipes & fiddle
Jigs
Donald WG Lindsay & Roo Geddes
Load the YouTube player, then press Play.
The Qwistle family
Soprano and Low D whistles
Choose a soprano Qwistle in B♭, B, C, C♯, D, E♭ or E. Each finished whistle is made and individually set up by Donald.
Soprano Qwistle · made to order
Made to order. The published estimate is at least three months; an instrument explicitly offered ready to dispatch may be available sooner.
Choose a soprano QwistleLow D Qwistle
Hear the Low D in the session here. Check its separate waiting-list and availability information before planning an order.
Low D availability & waiting listLindstruments Sessions #1 · 2017
Low D Qwistle
Donald WG Lindsay & Friends
Load the YouTube player, then press Play.
Watch Low D Qwistle on YouTube ↗ (new tab)
With Konrad Wiszniewski, Rachel Hair & Roo Geddes.
Film: Martin Forry · Sound: Neil McDermott
This 2017 session features the Low D Qwistle. It is a different instrument from the soprano whistles pictured above.
Playing, designing, making
How a musical question became an instrument
The Lindsay System began with tunes and songs I wanted to play. Prototypes led to more music; other players, composers and makers found their own uses for the work.
Donald, the music & the making →Try the fingerings
Explore a tune for yourself
The Virtual Chanter lets you explore fingerings and tunes online. Use it while considering an instrument, and return to it as a learning resource.
Open the Virtual ChanterAn interactive playing tool; physical instruments are sold separately.
Home-printable files
Make an instrument yourself
Each project has its own files, instructions and licence. These are downloads for makers.
#3DDronesHome-printable Highland bagpipe drones #3DSmallpipesPrintable smallpipes kit: D chanter, three drones, patterns and guide ↗#QwistlePrint your own whistle #3DChanterA printable pocket practice chanter
For the separate home-printable Lindsay System chanter developed with Zexuan Qiao, see Print & Play →
Choosing for your own playing
The smallpipes page explains the configurations, full price, deposit and included support. For compatibility with an existing instrument or a particular musical need, you can contact me directly.