What's the chance of getting some bagpipe real tracks? I've been creating some irish inspired music lately and the Celtic realtracks are amazing but some bagpipes would add some real Irish fealing. I've tried using VST instruments but they just don't cut it.

If it's for Irish music the Uilleann pipes would be more appropriate.
Bagpipes are usually associated with Sottish music.

Some years ago I made a reasonable version of bagpipes using MIDI and the Coyote Forte Dxi Bassoon sound.
The trick is to have the drones continuously in the background (in the key of D
the drone notes will be D and A - experiment to get the correct octave) then in the melody or lead line add occasional trills or lead-ins to some notes.
This worked as a background in a mix but wouldn't bear much scrutiny as a solo.

Regards
Vintage

+1 o the O/P's suggestion.

+1

To create the drone track you use a UserTrack and in the Options.txt
Drums=True
this will play the drone without transposing it.

Thanks for the advice. You seem to be knowledgeable in this. Because of the tuning are there specific keys that pipe music id usually written in?

Can we have an auction and I’ll bid for no bagpipes?

- kidding

+1

And I like VintageGibson’s comment about what would be needed to be authentic.

As I recall, there are a couple of sizes of bagpipes. They are not chromatic so they like songs in D or maybe A. Further, they are often a transposing instrument, where for example the drone low A actually sounds as a Bb. So you have to know more before you can choose a key to have other instruments accompany a specific bagpipe. I think.

I don't know anything about Irish bagpipes (Uillean Pipes). If I recall correctly from a few decades ago, the Scottish bagpipes are diatonic, not chromatic, and only play 9 notes.

These are from G above middle C to A one octave and one note above the starting G.

The key is mixolydian G (i.e. G A B C D E F G) where the F is natural and not sharpened like in the major key.

Here's a bit more about them...

http://www.bagpipejourney.com/articles/finger_positions.shtml

Regards,
Noel

I think Bagpipe RealTracks could open up a whole hornet's nest of problems.
Because of their "unusual" tuning they are notoriously difficult to accompany.
Matt Finley is correct re it being a diatonic transposing instrument but, to complicate things further, I believe the Bb is more like Bb+ ie slightly sharp, as are some of the other 9 available notes!
I believe the drones are normally A in different octaves (1 Bass, 2 Tenor), I used D and A as being the 1st and 5th of the key used because I found it sounded better.

Some background on the MIDI simulation mentioned in my previous post;
Myself and my musical partner were producing a community hall variety concert which included a Scottish themed segment. One of our numbers was a medley sung as we played acoustic guitars, towards the end of which, a group of Highland dancers came on and began their routine. I made a Bass and Percussion backing track using BIAB and Powertracks (this was before RealBand). About 2/3 through the medley I progammed the pipes to come in quietly then gradually build up to volume. this was the cue for the dancers to take positions then start their routine on the last song. The dance then continued to backing track and guitars for several verses after the vocals finished.
As I said previously the pipes wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny, but in this sonic and visual mix they sounded OK.

Regards
Vintage

There are also VSTi solutions, but that won't be a RealTrack and will require MIDI input. For example, here's one (said the guy that knows pretty much nothing about bagpipes):

http://www.universal-piper.com/en/the-virtual-bagpipe-lab/

OK, Vintage; you've convinced me not to hire one for my jazz group.

Definition of a gentleman;

Someone who knows how to play bagpipes but doesn't.

Vintage

That's supposed to say harmonica, not bagpipes.