Case study: Supporting the development of the One-Handed ChanterThe story of Casey Buchanan-Smith
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Whilst it may seem obscure to some, one of OHMI’s most popular musical instruments is the One-handed Bagpipe Chanter! With an ever-growing waiting list, we have been looking at ways in which we can satisfy demand at a much quicker pace. Bagpipe player Casey Buchanan-Smith has been supporting us with that ambition.
Casey
It may be 3,500 miles from the country most associated with bagpipes but Scottish heritage and traditions are very much alive in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They include Casey Buchanan-Smith, who has played the great highland bagpipes since the age of twelve.
“I was a fairly quiet child” Casey explains, “but the bagpipes helped give me a voice and a community during a complex time in my life that I am incredibly grateful for.”
Now 35, Casey is finding that living with and managing Cerebral Palsy is becoming more difficult with age – creating more pain and increased spasticity in her affected side. As someone who has worked in digital accessibility roles, Casey has experienced just how adaptations and assistive technology can keep people doing what they love and enjoy for much longer. With that in mind, she’s planning ahead!
As she describes: “Playing the great highland bagpipes is very physically demanding. Control of the instrument is key in many of the most common aspects of piping such as competition in band and in individual solo contests. I’m currently a Grade 3 solo competitive piper (for those new to piping levels: at least in the US, beginners often begin at grade 5 and work their way up to grade 1 and open). This means that the music and tempos are more technically challenging and often involve faster and more intricate finger work. I can manage it now but who knows how long that will be the case! I really love the instrument and the community it inhabits – it has been a part of my identity for over twenty years – but I don’t want to be in a position where my disability prevents me from participating.”
Over the years, Casey has tried to adapt to her changing needs by sitting on a stool, experimenting with switching the bag to her stronger side, using a harness and even asking a bagpipe maker on the other side of the States to create the lightest possible instrument. She knew, however, that if a one-handed chanter existed it could be a game changer for herself and others in the piping community.
Acoustic versus electronic Bagpipe chanters
OHMI had previously commissioned work to develop a one-handed Bagpipe chanter which was undertaken by OHMI Competition Award winner Duncan Menzies of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) (learn more about Duncan's P-bROCK Digital Bagpipe Chanter). However, as an electronic chanter, its application and use require technical knowledge to build and extra equipment such as speakers. Especially in competition, where tone, tuning, and control of the chanter are adjudicated, its use would need to be approved for competition by the association Music Board.
It was clear to Casey that an acoustic version adapted to a choice of chanter could be an ideal solution and also, as she points out, might be more suitable to play in weather most associated with bagpipe playing – that of driving rain!
Developing an acoustic One-Handed Bagpipe Chanter
Casey was first introduced to the work of OHMI by Sarah Jeffery, one of the world’s foremost promoters of the recorder instrument (watch Sarah’s demonstration of the one-handed recorder).
If a one-handed recorder were possible, could the same be said for a bagpipe chanter?
Casey contacted OHMI in 2023 with a simple opener: “You guys seem like the perfect people to create a one-handed chanter!” Recognising that some of the principles used to create his one-handed recorder might also apply to the chanter, Rachel reached out to the highly knowledgeable instrument maker Peter Worrell who confirmed he was up for giving it a go. Two years later, he had developed a prototype and, earlier this year, was crowned winner in the Concept category of the OHMI Competition (learn more about the OHMI Competition).
At present, Casey recommends the prototype for musicians who already have some experience playing the bagpipe (at least a bag and chanter) as it is a full bagpipe chanter rather than a practice chanter which new and experienced pipers alike typically use to learn music and work on their technique. Casey notes that adjusting to the keys is quite tricky but she’s excited to see future iterations for both the pipe chanter and a practice chanter!
“Holding the prototype for the first time was the coolest thing!” describes Casey. “I was so excited to have the opportunity to give my input on it. It’s very much a work in progress – in fact, I recently had a session with OHMI’s new Instrument Development Manager Hazel Boyd to feed back on amendments that might make it easier to play the bagpipes many embellishments.”
Having travelled over in August for the World Pipe Band Championships 2025 in Glasgow, Casey (whose band came 5th in their grade level (there were 25 bands in total)), had the opportunity to meet with OHMI General Manager Rachel Wolffsohn to introduce her to the Bagpipes community and to show her why the waiting list for a one-handed chanter is so long!
Adapting to playing with one hand
Realising her condition is becoming harder to manage, Casey sees this early action of acquiring the chanter as getting one step ahead. “I wanted to reach out to OHMI now to help develop the chanter and then, by the time I really need to use it, both the chanter and I will be ready – and hopefully accomplished!”
Despite her long-held love for the great highland Bagpipes, Casey acknowledges that they can be, well, a little loud! The one-handed recorder is next on her list.
“Disability is a big deciding factor in my life and can be very frustrating, and I know others will find themselves in the same position. It’s wonderful that people like me who were born with a disability – as well as people who may have acquired a disability – have this wonderful representation through the work of OHMI and its community. To be a part of that and to help test out the Chanter to make it the best it can be, really is very exciting.”
“I was a fairly quiet child” Casey explains, “but the bagpipes helped give me a voice and a community during a complex time in my life that I am incredibly grateful for.”
Now 35, Casey is finding that living with and managing Cerebral Palsy is becoming more difficult with age – creating more pain and increased spasticity in her affected side. As someone who has worked in digital accessibility roles, Casey has experienced just how adaptations and assistive technology can keep people doing what they love and enjoy for much longer. With that in mind, she’s planning ahead!
As she describes: “Playing the great highland bagpipes is very physically demanding. Control of the instrument is key in many of the most common aspects of piping such as competition in band and in individual solo contests. I’m currently a Grade 3 solo competitive piper (for those new to piping levels: at least in the US, beginners often begin at grade 5 and work their way up to grade 1 and open). This means that the music and tempos are more technically challenging and often involve faster and more intricate finger work. I can manage it now but who knows how long that will be the case! I really love the instrument and the community it inhabits – it has been a part of my identity for over twenty years – but I don’t want to be in a position where my disability prevents me from participating.”
Over the years, Casey has tried to adapt to her changing needs by sitting on a stool, experimenting with switching the bag to her stronger side, using a harness and even asking a bagpipe maker on the other side of the States to create the lightest possible instrument. She knew, however, that if a one-handed chanter existed it could be a game changer for herself and others in the piping community.
Acoustic versus electronic Bagpipe chanters
OHMI had previously commissioned work to develop a one-handed Bagpipe chanter which was undertaken by OHMI Competition Award winner Duncan Menzies of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) (learn more about Duncan's P-bROCK Digital Bagpipe Chanter). However, as an electronic chanter, its application and use require technical knowledge to build and extra equipment such as speakers. Especially in competition, where tone, tuning, and control of the chanter are adjudicated, its use would need to be approved for competition by the association Music Board.
It was clear to Casey that an acoustic version adapted to a choice of chanter could be an ideal solution and also, as she points out, might be more suitable to play in weather most associated with bagpipe playing – that of driving rain!
Developing an acoustic One-Handed Bagpipe Chanter
Casey was first introduced to the work of OHMI by Sarah Jeffery, one of the world’s foremost promoters of the recorder instrument (watch Sarah’s demonstration of the one-handed recorder).
If a one-handed recorder were possible, could the same be said for a bagpipe chanter?
Casey contacted OHMI in 2023 with a simple opener: “You guys seem like the perfect people to create a one-handed chanter!” Recognising that some of the principles used to create his one-handed recorder might also apply to the chanter, Rachel reached out to the highly knowledgeable instrument maker Peter Worrell who confirmed he was up for giving it a go. Two years later, he had developed a prototype and, earlier this year, was crowned winner in the Concept category of the OHMI Competition (learn more about the OHMI Competition).
At present, Casey recommends the prototype for musicians who already have some experience playing the bagpipe (at least a bag and chanter) as it is a full bagpipe chanter rather than a practice chanter which new and experienced pipers alike typically use to learn music and work on their technique. Casey notes that adjusting to the keys is quite tricky but she’s excited to see future iterations for both the pipe chanter and a practice chanter!
“Holding the prototype for the first time was the coolest thing!” describes Casey. “I was so excited to have the opportunity to give my input on it. It’s very much a work in progress – in fact, I recently had a session with OHMI’s new Instrument Development Manager Hazel Boyd to feed back on amendments that might make it easier to play the bagpipes many embellishments.”
Having travelled over in August for the World Pipe Band Championships 2025 in Glasgow, Casey (whose band came 5th in their grade level (there were 25 bands in total)), had the opportunity to meet with OHMI General Manager Rachel Wolffsohn to introduce her to the Bagpipes community and to show her why the waiting list for a one-handed chanter is so long!
Adapting to playing with one hand
Realising her condition is becoming harder to manage, Casey sees this early action of acquiring the chanter as getting one step ahead. “I wanted to reach out to OHMI now to help develop the chanter and then, by the time I really need to use it, both the chanter and I will be ready – and hopefully accomplished!”
Despite her long-held love for the great highland Bagpipes, Casey acknowledges that they can be, well, a little loud! The one-handed recorder is next on her list.
“Disability is a big deciding factor in my life and can be very frustrating, and I know others will find themselves in the same position. It’s wonderful that people like me who were born with a disability – as well as people who may have acquired a disability – have this wonderful representation through the work of OHMI and its community. To be a part of that and to help test out the Chanter to make it the best it can be, really is very exciting.”
"Disability is a big deciding factor in my life and can be very frustrating, and I know others will find themselves in the same position. It's wonderful that people like me who were born with a disability - as well as people who may have acquired a disability - have this wonderful representation through the work of OHMI and its community. To be a part of that and to help test out the chanter to make it the best it can be, really is very exciting."
Donate to OHMIThere are so many disabled people who are desperate to play music with their peers. We can help to make that happen – but we can only do that with the wonderful support of our funders and donors.
As our instruments have to be hand-made by experts, they can only be produced in small numbers and are therefore expensive. Every little really does help.
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The OHMI Trust is a registered charity (Registered in England and Wales Charity No. 1143623, Scotland Charity No. SC052047).
Registered office: 29 Woodbourne Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 8BY
All content © OHMI - Enabling Music-Making for Physically Disabled People
The OHMI Trust is a registered charity (Registered in England and Wales Charity No. 1143623, Scotland Charity No. SC052047).
Registered office: 29 Woodbourne Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 8BY