Scottish Music

N3

Instruments of Scotland

Chanter

Tenor drones

Bass drone

Blowpipe

Bag

Bagpipes

An instrument with a keyboard played with the right hand and buttons (which play chords) pressed by the left hand. The player pushes and pulls the two sides to operate the bellows. It is also known as a squeeze box.

Accordion

Fiddle

Fiddle is another word for the violin.

It can be played by bowing or plucking.

Lots of fiddles playing together in a fiddle orchestra

Acoustic Guitar

The acoustic guitar is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking or strumming the strings with the fingers, or using a plectrum. It has six strings and the hollow body amplifies the sound of the vibrating strings.

An acoustic guitar does not need electricity to produce the sound.

Groups

A band which plays Scottish music for people to dance to.

Instruments might include fiddle, accordion, piano and drums.

Scottish Dance Band

A group of singers and instrumentalists who perform traditional music from a particular country, e.g. Scotland and Ireland.

Scottish folk music instruments might include fiddle, whistle, guitar, accordion and pipes.

Folk Group

Dances March

Music with a strong steady beat in simple time.

2 or 4 beats in a bar.

The speed is suitable to march/walk to.

Dances Reel

A Scottish dance written in simple time with 2 or 4 beats in a bar.

It is usually in a major key and is played at a fairly fast tempo.

Each beat can be heard dividing equally into groups of 2 or 4.

Quavers are even and run mainly in steps ascending and descending.

DancesWaltz

A dance with 3 beats in a bar in simple time. The first beat is accented

N3 Scottish Concepts

Styles InstrumentsMarch AccordionReel Acoustic guitarWaltz Bagpipe

Fiddle

GroupsScottish Dance BandFolk Group Fiddle Orchestra