What do we mean by “lack of understanding”? How does one go obtaining that deeper knowledge and understanding of the instrument and the music? This series is moving along slowly with the hope that questions will be asked and we can drill down on specific areas that you find of greatest value.

When I hear poorly executed embellishments or distorted melodies or an out-of-tune bagpipe I often think “Can’t you hear that?” When I was learning, I sat down with my music and studied it. So many questions went through my mind as I compared what I was reading to what I heard pipers playing. Doublings where the gracenotes were overlapping or in the wrong order. Tempos that changed according to the complexity and difficulty of the measure, etc. etc. I came to one very simple realization. Staff notation is a visual guide where individual notes are played separately, distinctly, and sequentially. This sounds so simple yet many pipers blow through embellishments with total disregard or they distort timing to suit their ability to execute the note sequences.

Let’s take the first measure of Scotland the Brave. This is arguably the most widely recognized tune (by the general public) and perhaps the most poorly played tune as well. The first measure is anything but easy. It’s not unusual to hear both execution and timing totally destroyed by pipers who don’t understand what the staff notation is trying to tell them.

Our first priority is to present an instrument that is properly pitched and tuned. The second priority is to present a melody with consistent timing across each measure and across the entire tune. This is where a metronome is critical.

In this case, we have a tune set in 4/4 timing. Each quarter note, or collection of notes equaling one quarter, receives one beat. There are four beats within each measure. I have used arrows to indicate precisely where each beat lands. Let’s set up the metronome at 60 beats per minute.

The G gracenote on Low A is your first beat. Not ahead of the beat. Not behind the beat. Exactly in the middle of the beat. Practice this. Now move onto the taorluath. The first three notes borrow their timing from the preceding melody note; Low A. The E gracenote of the taorluath lands exactly on the 2nd beat of the measure. Each of these gracenotes are played separately, distinctly, and sequentially. The duration of these gracenotes are all equal. Now play these two beats back-to-back over and over until muscle memory sets in. Remember, first G gracenote is your first beat and the E gracenote in the taorluath is your second beat. Accuracy is your goal here. Adjust the tempo of your metronome (faster and slower) to challenge execution and timing.

Now let’s move forward. The value of the Low A is a dotted eighth-note, increasing the note value to 3/16ths. So you’re holding the Low A and playing a shorter B, which is 1/16th in value, and then landing on your next beat. The G gracenote on the C doubling lands on the third beat. The C melody note is coupled with a Low A, both being eighth notes and both being the same duration. Your next beat is the G gracenote on the C doubling. Again, the C melody note is coupled with an E melody note, both being eighth notes and played for the same duration.

Every note and gracenote is played separately, distinctly, and sequentially. Those notes that fall on the beat must be precisely on the beat.

If you’re going to improve your playing, you need to understand staff notation to this degree and you need to practice precisely. Otherwise you’ll tumble through the tune, obliviously making a mess of things. Tough words, I know, but good medicine if you’ll take it!

Tomorrow we’re going to break this measure down further and I’ll show you how to be precise with every note, whether it’s a “beat-note” or falls within (between) the beats.