Structure and Function
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Bellows
The bellows are small bellows strapped to the right elbow of the player. (left elbow if left-handed) They are connected to the bag by means of a tube, or blowpipe, and are pumped while playing to keep the bag inflated.
Bag
The bag is the "lungs" of the uilleann pipes. Squeezing the bag forces air through the stock (and thus the drones and regulators) and the chanter. The bag is held tucked under the left arm.
Stock
The stock (or more properly, the "mainstock") is a cylinder inserted into the mainstock cup, which is tied into the bag. The drone pipes and regulators are mounted in the mainstock. As the bag is squeezed, air is forced through the mainstock and thus into the drones and regulators. The drone reeds are seated in the base of the drones and housed inside the stock.
Many stocks have ingenious levers or switches for enabling and disabling individual drones and/or regulators.
Chanter
The chanter is a pipe with seven holes on the front and one on the back. It resembles a recorder or tinwhistle and is the part of the uilleann pipes that plays the melody. Along with the bag and bellows, a chanter can be used without drones or regulators as part of a "practice set". Chanters are either keyless, or can be fitted with "keys", similar to flute keys, rendering the chanter fully chromatic. Keyless chanters play naturally in the keys of D or G.
Chanters are fitted with a double reed that is prepared specially to allow it to play two octaves unlike most other varieties of reed instrument (including the oboe, bassoon and other forms of bagpipes). An increase in the volume of air from the bag causes the reed to "jump the octave" allowing the piper to play the higher range of notes. In contrast to the regulator reeds, chanter reeds are usually thicker and shorter to permit this "jump". Chanter reeds are also known as "the piper's despair." They are cranky, they are completely dependent on the weather, and when you have a good reed, nothing else in the world matters.
The bottom of the chanter (also known as the "bell") is rested on the right knee or thigh while the top is plugged into a "reed cap" - a cylinder that houses the chanter reed and connects to the bag. Lifting the chanter off the knee allows the piper to modify the sound of the note being played, as well as the tonic note of the chanter (its lowest note). Commonly chanters are pitched in D (called "concert pitch"), but traditionally were pitched as far down as B or even B-flat. Chanters pitched lower than D (known as "flat-pitch pipes") typically have a narrower bore and are thus typically quieter -- and to many players provide more emotional coloring than concert-pitch pipes.
Drones
The drones are a set of three pipes: a tenor, a baritone and a bass. Each sounds a constant D tone and is one octave lower than the one before it. They are made in two or more pieces that fit together and can be tuned by pulling or pushing the two pieces to lengthen or shorten the drone. The shorter the drone, the higher the pitch of the sound it makes.
Unlike the chanter and the regulators, drones are fitted with a "single reed": a tube of cane specially cut to create a vibrating "tongue" that gives the drone its distinct humming sound.
While playing, the drones fit into the stock and lie across the pipers lap.
Regulators
The regulators are three pipes with a series of keys that block their tone holes and are the final element that makes up a "full set" of uilleann pipes. They, like the drones, plug into the stock and also lie across the piper's lap. Regulators fit into holes on the "top" of the stock in such a way that they end up lying on top of the drones so that their keys can be pressed while playing without needing to reach around the drones. They are used to play accompanying chords with the heel of the hand or (if the piper is very good) with the right hand while the left plays the chanter.
Regulators, like the chanter, are fitted with a double reed. Regulator reeds however tend to be thinner and longer than chanter reeds. This prevents the regulators from jumping the octave with the chanter when the volume of air from the bag is increased. Because of this, regulators play the same set of notes regardless of the octave in which the chanter is playing.
