Swedish Bagpipe Reeds

It's no secret - the hardest part of being a Swedish bagpipe player is making and tuning the reeds. There are no shortcuts, if you want to play with traditional reed; you must learn how to make and adjust them yourself.

The reeds are traditionally made of Swedish cane reed, but most players nowadays use the Mediterranean reed Arundo Donax. This reed is more resistant to moist, and are therefore more stable.

If you decide to use Swedish reed, harvest canes with a diameter of 6mm or slightly more. Cut the reed just under water level, and store it for several years before use.

You can buy Arundo Donax directly from suppliers in Spain or France.

I do no longer sell traditional reeds, but I can recommend Medir s.l.

Composite / plastic reed for Swedish Bagpipes

To meet the wish from many bagpipe players, I am currently developing a plastic or composite reed for the Swedish bagpipe. The reed consists of a plastic body and a Arundo Donax tounge. This reed will be easier to tune than the traditional, and it will me much more stable.