The Great Highland bagpipe traditionally has three drones.
Its three drones are mounted in the stock connected to the bag. Two are tenor drones, tuned an octave apart, and the larger bass drone sounds an octave below the tenor-drone pitch. Together they provide the instrument’s continuous harmonic background.
The chanter is the pipe with finger holes used to play the melody. Unlike the drones, it is not normally stopped between notes, so the bagpipe’s sound combines a sustained drone with the ornamented line played on the chanter.
The instrument is strongly associated with Scottish Highland music, military bands, ceremonies, and dance traditions. It is commonly played while the bag is supplied with air through a blowpipe, although modern examples may use an electronic or mechanical air supply. The Great Highland bagpipe should not be confused with other bagpipes, whose numbers and arrangements of drones can differ.