Having friends who are musicians has enlightened me about the persona of many musical instruments. It didn’t take me long to realize the banjo is a joke to many. I never knew that and, frankly, don’t ...

The musical instrument and uniform, devised as instruments of war centuries ago, are today considered the epitome of cool. Jonathan Vigliotti reports: Every spring, when Scotland thaws and roars back ...

No offense to those of you trying to make a buck, but bagpipes really do sound incredible if they’re not being played by that guy on the street corner downtown. And the place where you’ll find ...

A few years back, when a friend asked me to play the bagpipes in a concert marking the 15th anniversary of Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, I was thrilled. In my experience, most ...

The bagpipe occupies the strangest rung on the musical ladder, shaped like an octopus in plaid pants, sounding to some like a goose with its foot caught in an escalator and played during history’s ...

They are louder than the noise of a chainsaw. More piercing than than a jet plane taking off. They can cause you permanent ear damage and even ruin your marriage. They are Scotland's national musical ...