Download National 4 Scottish Music

N4
A sustained (held on) note or repeated
note/pitch in the bass.
The low-pitched drones of a bagpipe which
accompany a melody.
Drone
Snare Drum
This instrument belongs
to the percussion family
and is played with sticks
or brushes.
It can act as two different
instruments – a side
drum and a snare drum.
This image shows a set of curled, metal
wires stretched across the bottom skin
of the drum. These are called the
snares.
Using the lever on the side, the snares can
either be right up against the bottom skin of
the drum – which makes it a snare drum and
has a 'rattly' sound – or moved away from
the bottom skin – which makes it a side
drum with a 'dry' sound where no rattles can
be heard.
Pentatonic
Any five-note scale (Pentatonic/pentagon)
In practice, the most common one is that
on which much folk music is based,
particularly Scottish and Celtic. The five
notes could be
C D E G A.
Vamp
A rhythmic accompaniment with a
bass note played on the beat and a
chord off the beat. Usually played on
piano, accordion or guitar.
Chord (off the beat)
Bass note (on the beat)
Scottish Dances
Strathspey
A Scottish dance with 4 beats in a bar in
simple time. Rhythms are dotted and a
Scotch Snap is usually featured.
Scotch Snap
Jig
A fast dance in compound time.
Usually 2 beats in a bar, with each
beat dividing into 3 quavers.
Nursery Rhyme
To market, to market to buy a fat pig;
Home again, home again, jigg-et-y- jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;
Home again, home again, jigg-et-y- jog.
Scottish Songs
Mouth Music
Mouth Music or in Gaelic “Puirt à beul” has sometimes been used for
dancing when no instruments were available.
Rumour has it that Mouth Music came about when the bagpipes were
banned in 1746. Unfortunately there is no evidence to prove that
musical instruments were banned by the Act of Proscription 1746.
More likely, people didn’t have access to musical instruments so sang
popular Scottish melodies as a means of entertainment and
accompaniment to dancing. It does however make a
good story!
What to listen for:
•Very rhythmic singing with a strong
beat/pulse
•Gaelic words
Scottish Songs
A Scots ballad is a song which tells a story. The story is usually about
historical events, romance or lost love. It can also talk about historical
characters, e.g. 'The Baron of Brackley', 'Johnnie Armstrong', 'The
Bonny Earl of Moray'.
What to listen for:
•Language – Doric dialect (Aberdeenshire)
•Short verses
•Repeated tune/melody but words change (strophic structure)
Scots Ballad
Three gypsies cam tae oor hall door
And oh, but they sang bonny oh
They sang so sweet and too complete
That they stole the heart of our lady oh.
For she cam tripping down the stairs,
Her maidens too before her oh,
And when they saw her weel faured face
They throwed their spell oot owre her oh.
When her good lord came home that night
He was askin for his lady oh,
But the answer the servants gave tae him,
"She’s awa wi the gypsy laddies oh”.
Reminder of N3 Scottish Concepts
Styles
March
Reel
Waltz
Groups
Scottish Dance Band
Folk Group
Instruments
Accordion
Acoustic guitar
Bagpipe
Fiddle
N4 Scottish Concepts
Styles
Jig
Mouth Music
Pentatonic
Scotch snap
Scots ballad
Strathspey
Vamp
Instruments
Drone
Snare Drum