Do you have a favorite musical style you enjoy playing on the pipes? Do you have several?Īrchy: So this was one of many other reasons I was so excited to start on the bagpipes. Q: Me, I love musicians who adapt historic instruments, such as bagpipes, to modern music. I made many friends including Pereg, Peter and a few more people who would always answer my silly questions and be very welcoming. Of course, Pereg ar Bagol introduced me to you and I was wondering if you still keep in close contact with other Metalhead pipers.Īrchy: My quest for bagpipes was why I joined the Metalhead Bagpipers group and some more bagpipe related Facebook groups, and without a blink I can say, the sweetest people were on Metalhead Pipers. Q: I saw your Final Countdown collaboration with Celtica Nova and Skiltron. India had its own type of bagpipes before the British Invasion, called Mashak, Pungi and Titti, but those faded away after the British Invasion and what was left was an adaptation of the GHB, (Great Highland Bagpipe) in our army and in some CRPF bands where people still do play bagpipes. Having said that, there are some small parts of northern India like Uttarakhand where people use an Indian version of bagpipes called Mashak. There is a whisky here called Bagpiper and that’s way more popular than the instrument itself, lol. In fact, there are less people who know about this instrument here. Is that correct, and if so are bagpipes popular in India?Īrchy: Bagpipes aren’t really a part of our culture. I was told that they were a hold-over from the British occupation. Q: Are bagpipes part of Indian culture? All cultures have some type of reed instrument in their musical history, but bagpipes are not native to India. Since then, I have experimented with almost every genre of music on my instrument and I love the non-traditional part of playing the bagpipes that I get to display to people every day on my YouTube channel – The Snake Charmer. With a lot of consultations with many bagpipers, and considering the music path I wanted to take and also considering the harsh weather conditions here, I made the decision to take up the semi electronic bagpipes. I went there to learn more, or rather nervously to find out if what I had learnt on my own was even right.Īfter coming back from a very interesting course, I could not put my mind to work on anything BUT to become good at playing. Then, when I had no more sources to learn from, in 2014 I took up a week-long course in Scotland’s National School of Piping. The first 2 years I learned on my own with the help of pen pals, a book, few videos (cuz on YT back then there were very few videos tutorials to follow). I began researching a lot on how to start, what to learn on etc., and I made nice friends online who really helped me with my vague questions.Ģ012 is when I got my practice chanter and began learning. I actually became obsessed on learning the bagpipes!!! I kept looking up information on the internet, and the more I learned the more I got confused because this instrument is so complex with so many elements factoring into its functionality. I later realised that this was not just a “fan moment”. The only form of bagpipes I had seen in my life was in yearly national parades, lol. I’d never even known about Celtic music until then, so you can imagine. That was so new for me on so many different levels. I came across Eluveitie in 2011 and instantly became a fan, but what totally absorbed me was the use of bagpipes in a metal band. It was my newfound interest towards Metal that probably gave hand to me eventually discovering the bagpipes. I even had an Alt-Metal band back in 2010. While growing up, I wanted to become a professional vocalist someday, cuz I began singing from the age of 6 – or earlier. I also never imagined myself playing an instrument. What is your story? How did you discover piping, and how did you come to love it?Īrchy: This surprised you, right? I surprise a lot of people with my nationality and choice of instrument. But you come from India, and I would love to know the connection. Q: So Archy, when I see a dynamic woman playing the bagpipes, I assume that she comes from the US or Europe, basically some place that has a history of pipes. Her style is one of the most unique I’ve ever seen, and her presence is powerful and moving.Īrchy has kindly granted us an interview, and I am longing to know more about this amazing artist. She is based in New Delhi, India, and her bagpipe videos are watched by millions. In this issue of Celtic Nations Magazine, we explore worldwide Celtic diaspora, which is why I found our featured musician both fascinating and apropos.Īrchy J is The Snake Charmer.
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