Is Moisture Good or Bad for Your Bagpipes?

Ever had your pipes sound perfect one day and all over the place the next?

It could be the weather messing with you. More specifically—humidity. It’s one of those things that can quietly sabotage your sound... or help it shine.

So, what’s really going on?

Why Should Pipers Care About Humidity?

When you’re playing bagpipes, moisture in the air can either help your reeds behave—or make them rebel.

Seriously—your reeds (especially cane ones) need some moisture to vibrate properly. Without it, they dry out, get stiff, and either squeak, shut off, or sound thin and harsh. Nobody wants that.

Dry air? Your reeds can stiffen up like old toast. They might choke, crack, or just sound... off.
Super humid? Reeds can swell, your tuning drifts, and your pipes feel sluggish. It's not fun.

So what's the ideal range? You should aim to store your pipes somewhere with 40–60% humidity. Enough to keep things stable, but not so much you grow a mushroom farm in your case. Where you live and how you store your pipes will affect how easy that is to do...

Humid or Dry: Which Is Better For Your Bagpipes?

Let’s say you’re at a summer competition. It’s sticky-hot, and the air feels like soup. It may surprise you to hear this, but your pipes are actually likely to behave better in this warm, muggy weather. I call it the "Glasgowlands Effect", because it's the exact phenomenon I observed over years of attending the Glasgowlands Highland Games in these exact conditions and noticing how much easier it was to tune and keep everyone's pipes stable in the heat and humidity. 

Because the moisture in the air is similar to what’s inside your bag, your pipes are in similar conditions both inside and outside the bag. Less shock = less condensation = more stability.

Now picture the opposite: a midwinter gig, freezing cold, dry air. Your warm breath hits those cold pipes and... bam! Condensation city. It’s like when your car fogs up when you heat it up on the inside while it's snowing outside. The difference in temperature creates condensation, pulling that moisture out of the air and onto that surface... and that moisture can build up and mess with your tuning big time.

The Perks of a Hygrometer

A hygrometer is a nifty little gadget. If you've been reading my emails for a while, you'll likely know that I'm not always a fan of gadgets, especially when they're a crutch that prevents you developing a skill. But in this case, these little devices are excellent for an objective reason—they can tell you how humid (or dry) the air is around you.

Imagine stepping into your practice room and the hygrometer says the room has 25% humidity. That’s a red flag. Your drone reeds could get finicky, and you might spend half your session chasing sound instead of making music.

Pro tip: Keep a hygrometer in your practice space and your pipe case. They’re cheap and give you a heads-up before things go sideways. You might think it's just for carrying your pipes. But it’s also where your reeds live when you're not playing. That means if it’s too dry in there, your reeds slowly dry out between sessions, but if it’s too damp, mold and mildew become real risks.

Pop a hygrometer in your case and you’ll know whether to add a moisture pack, let it air out, or leave it alone.

Tips to Keep Humidity on Your Side

• Store smart. Use airtight containers or zip-up bags for your pipes. Add a small humidifier or moisture pack if it’s super dry.

• Don’t overdo it. Too much moisture = mold. Yuck. Try to keep your pipes in that sweet spot between 40-60% humidity at all times to keep your reeds happy and your pipes singing. 

•  Let them breathe. After playing, don’t just zip your pipes into a sealed bag. Let them air out to avoid trapped moisture.

Can You Ever Really Control the Weather?

Nope. And honestly, maybe that’s part of the magic.

Some pipers want every condition to be perfect—controlled temperature, ideal humidity, zero wind. Others roll with it. They see the weather as just another layer of performance. And honestly, there’s something kind of epic about playing on a cliffside with the wind in your face, even if your drones are a bit wild.

Learn to read your environment. Adapt your playing. That’s what makes you not just a good piper, but a resilient one.

Humidity isn’t your enemy. It’s part of the instrument, just like reeds and drones. Understanding how it affects your pipes—and being ready to respond—will save you headaches and help you sound better, more often.

Check out this episode of the Dojo Conversations podcast as we explore the wet and wild world of bagpipe moisture, humidity and condensation.