Triple pipes

Triple pipes are reedpipes used in Europe, played in a set of three (two chanters with fingerholes and one drone).

Once played in the medieval era in Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Spain (as evidenced in artwork), they survive mainly today in the traditions of Sardinia as the launeddas.

The instruments fit into a wide family of single-reed reedpipes, which includes the ancient Greek aulos and ancient Egyptian memet,[1] and today includes the Egyptian arghul, Sardinian launeddas, Balkan diplica, Greek/Turkish zummara, Iranian dozaleh, Iraqi mijwiz, Basque/Spanish alboka/albogue, and Berber zamar.

[2][3] Musicians have begun to revive the instrument, borrowing from the launeddas playing traditions in Sardinia, which did not go extinct.

[4][6][7] Besides the sculptures, the instrument was also portrayed in a miniature painting in the Hunterian Psalter, York, England (circa 12th century A.D.), the Cantigas de Santa Maria Codex of the Musicians (circa 1280), and the English Bestiary at the Oxford, Bodleian Library (12th century).

Triple pipes, circa 1170 A.D. in the Hunterian Psalter, Glasgow University Library.
Single-reed tips of a launeddas. Reeds are split in the sidewall to create a tongue that vibrates when the player blows through it.
Barnaby Brown playing launeddas at Gavoi, Sardinia, 2007. Brown explored using the instrument for pibroch music.