Swedish bagpipes, also known as säckpipa, svensk säckpipa, dråmba, koppe, posu, or bälgpipa, are a type of bagpipes from Sweden. The word säckpipa is a general term for bagpipes in Swedish, but in English, it refers specifically to the bagpipes from the Dalarna region of Sweden.

History

Medieval paintings in churches show that the instrument was used in many parts of Sweden. By the middle of the 20th century, the instrument had almost disappeared. The version of the instrument now called Swedish bagpipes was designed using instruments from the western part of an area known as Dalarna. This was the only region in Sweden where the bagpipe tradition lasted until the 20th century.

Revival

In the late 1930s, a researcher named Mats Rehnberg discovered some bagpipes in the collection of the Nordiska museet museum. He wrote a paper about them. Rehnberg found the last person who knew how to play the Swedish bagpipe tradition, named Gudmunds Nils Larsson, in the village of Dala-Järna. Rehnberg visited Larsson with a music teacher, Ture Gudmundsson, who built a new bagpipe. Ture later played and recorded two songs for Sveriges Radio, the national radio broadcaster.

For many years after that, only a few bagpipes were made. In 1981, a woodworker named Leif Eriksson (a bagpipe maker) began creating a new type of bagpipe that he designed. A folk fiddler named Per Gudmundson learned to play it. Eriksson’s bagpipes combined features from about ten different bagpipes kept in museums. He made small changes to make them easier to play with other instruments like the fiddle.

Today, several Swedish folk music groups include bagpipes in their performances. These groups include Hedningarna, Svanevit, and Dråm (the last two involving Erik Ask-Upmark and Anna Rynefors). People who play the Swedish bagpipes can now compete in traditional music contests before a jury to earn the title of riksspelman.

Construction

The bag is much smaller than those of many other bagpipes. This is not a problem because the pipes do not need much air. The chanter has one cane reed and a round shape inside, allowing it to play one octave of notes. It is mostly diatonic, meaning it can play a specific set of notes (an A minor scale that becomes A major with a flat third, starting on E). Cross-fingering has little effect on the notes it can play.

• A double hole can be made for the C note. One hole can be covered with beeswax to play C, and the other can be left open to play C#. This allows the instrument to play in the key of A major.
• The "tuning hole," usually placed on the bottom of the chanter and used to adjust the lowest note (by covering it with beeswax), can be moved to the top. This change lets the player use it as a fingerhole, adding a low D to the scale.
• A key can be added above the usual fingerholes to allow the player to produce a high F#.

The chanter’s round shape and single reed make it less affected by cross-fingering. The drone is tuned to the same note and octave as the lowest note on the chanter. This allows the player to use a closed or partially closed technique, making it easy to play the lowest note between other notes. Since this note blends with the drone’s sound, it creates the illusion of silence and allows for staccato playing.

The instrument’s tone is soft, similar to that of a harmonica or accordion.

Today, there are few professional or part-time professionals who design bagpipes. Leif Eriksson (pipemaker) represents traditional designs, while Alban Faust, Börs Anders Öhman, Max Persson, and Seth Hamon focus on creating modern versions.