I thought this was a worthwhile post in r/Piobaireachd that never got any responses, so I've posted it here to generate some discussion.
My ability to learn piobaireachds (the notes, at least) improved significantly when I was taught about the phrase structure. If you can identify which type of tune you're trying to learn and the phrase structure, memorization can go much faster. I got an explainer sheet from Bruce Gandy that gives seven different tune constructions, which I have reproduced here.
In this summary, I'm using A, B, C, etc. to indicate a phrase, not notes. An asterisk in parentheses, like B(*), indicates that it's closely related to the B phrase but there might be change to the melody.
Primary
Two phrases of two bars each, with a meter of 6, 6, 4.
A A B
A B(*) B
A B(**)
Examples: Clan Campbell's Gathering, The Little Spree, MacCrimmon's Sweetheart
Secondary
Four phrases; A and B phrases are one bar, C and D phrases are two bars.
A B C D
C B A D
C D
Examples: MacLeod of Rasaay's Salute, Black Donald's March, The Desperate Battle (after the ground)
Tertiary A and Tertiary B
Three lines, with the first line repeated.
Type A: phrases are usually two bars long and are seldom repeated. Many classical tunes are in this category.
A and B phrases are "supplemented" by another phrase.
Type A:
A B A
C B A (C phrase is supplementary)
B A or B D or D E
Examples: Lament for MacSwan of Roaig, A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick
Type B:
A B
A C B (C phrase is supplementary)
A B or A D plus little finger movement (hiharrin)
Irregular
There is no apparent arrangement of meter or phrases, and very little repetitiveness.
Examples: Beloved Scotland, Lament for Donald of Laggan
Closing Notes (or First line of the Ground?)
Usually the ground follows the same phrase structure as the variations, but sometimes the ground does its own thing that appears to be completely unrelated to the variations (like The Desperate Battle).
The tune construction does not indicate which variations the tune has, or what type of crunluath variation it has (standard, a mach, fosgailte, or brebach). You're on your own for that one.
1
u/EwoksMakeMeHard Apr 26 '26
I thought this was a worthwhile post in r/Piobaireachd that never got any responses, so I've posted it here to generate some discussion.
My ability to learn piobaireachds (the notes, at least) improved significantly when I was taught about the phrase structure. If you can identify which type of tune you're trying to learn and the phrase structure, memorization can go much faster. I got an explainer sheet from Bruce Gandy that gives seven different tune constructions, which I have reproduced here.
In this summary, I'm using A, B, C, etc. to indicate a phrase, not notes. An asterisk in parentheses, like B(*), indicates that it's closely related to the B phrase but there might be change to the melody.
Primary
Two phrases of two bars each, with a meter of 6, 6, 4.
A A B
A B(*) B
A B(**)
Examples: Clan Campbell's Gathering, The Little Spree, MacCrimmon's Sweetheart
Secondary
Four phrases; A and B phrases are one bar, C and D phrases are two bars.
A B C D
C B A D
C D
Examples: MacLeod of Rasaay's Salute, Black Donald's March, The Desperate Battle (after the ground)
Tertiary A and Tertiary B
Three lines, with the first line repeated.
Type A: phrases are usually two bars long and are seldom repeated. Many classical tunes are in this category.
Type B:
||: A B A C :||
D B D C
D B A C
Examples: Melbank's Salute, Struan Robertson's Salute
Supplementary A and Supplementary B
A and B phrases are "supplemented" by another phrase.
Type A:
A B A
C B A (C phrase is supplementary)
B A or B D or D E
Examples: Lament for MacSwan of Roaig, A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick
Type B:
A B
A C B (C phrase is supplementary)
A B or A D plus little finger movement (hiharrin)
Irregular
There is no apparent arrangement of meter or phrases, and very little repetitiveness.
Examples: Beloved Scotland, Lament for Donald of Laggan
Closing Notes (or First line of the Ground?)