Hi MudWeasel,

They are similar in some respects but sound different because:

* the Border Pipes, like the Great Highland Bagpipe have a chanter that is conical in section (like an oboe) and do not sound as mellow as say a clarinet or flute. These latter are cylindrical in section like the Northumbrian Small Pipes.

* the other principal difference is that all the chanter holes are closed by the fingers before progressing from one note in the melody to the next. This gives a characteristic punchy, stoccato feel to the tunes played (similar to a fairground steam organ) because the bottom end is "stopped" (sealed).

* the drones are tuned so that the upper and lower ones play an octave apart, whilst the middle one is tuned a fifth up. Thus a harmony is usually played to back the reels, jigs & hornpipes played. They can be adjusted for a few other keys using a tuning bead to raise the pitch by one interval also.

There are other technical points to note as well in that the pitch of the purchased set may be tuned to concert F (music written in the key of G), or F and a bit (which was the norm in the days when the sets first appeared.

You can PM if I can be of any further help Daisy.

Bob vG

"Blow the wind Southerly ......."