A piper is someone who plays the pipes, a family of wind instruments that make sound when air flows through tubes. The most famous type is the bagpipes, which you might have heard at parades or celebrations, especially those connected to Scottish or Irish traditions. A bagpiper squeezes an air-filled bag tucked under their arm while playing a melody on finger holes, creating that distinctive, powerful sound that can carry across hills and battlefields.

The word appears in the old saying “he who pays the piper calls the tune,” which means the person providing the money gets to make the decisions. This comes from times when musicians were hired to play at parties and celebrations: whoever paid the piper could request which songs to play. Today, if someone says “you'll have to pay the piper,” they mean you'll eventually face the consequences of your choices, especially if you've been putting off something unpleasant.

Not all pipers play bagpipes. Some play simpler pipe instruments like tin whistles or recorders. The Pied Piper of Hamelin, from the famous legend, used his magical pipe-playing to lead rats (and later, children) out of town. Whether playing for celebrations, ceremonies, or concerts, pipers have been making music with tubes and air for thousands of years.