More grace notes


© Ted Garvin

This time, we finish "Scots Wha Hae" and discuss the easier grace notes. The last two lines introduce new piping movements.

Echo beats. Gracenotes between two similar notes (echo beats), as between two E's or F's, can be produced by briefly covering the hole(s) with one or more of the raised fingers. An E tap is produced by sounding E, then quickly tapping the chanter hole with the E finger. F tap occurs in similar fashion.

Double high G. This doubling is trivial. Make a high G gracenote on F, then raise the high G finger. Practice doing this as a rising scale (i.e. low G, double high G, low A, double high G, ..., high A, double high G) and falling scale (start high and end low). When you can do this smoothly (not necessarily rapidly) and at a reasonably steady tempo, you'll know you're ready to move on.

In the College of Piping Bagpipe Tutor, the second part of Scot's Wha Hae" occurs after double high G. Again, practice any tune slowly until you know it, scouting out the notes before they're played. In each bar, practice the notes, doublings, etc. "silently" until you can do them smoothly.

Half double F. The finger movements here are similiar to the doubling above. Usually performed after high A. Play high A, then F, then a G grace note on F.

Slur on D. Also known as a D strike. I have heard that there is both a heavy and light version. In the light version, it's essentially just a G, D doubling. To play the heavy (and more techincally correct) version, make a G gracenote on D, then strike the chanter holes smartly with the three raised fingers (B, C, D). If you have your right pinky correctly placed, you'll hear a low G between the two D's.

Double F. Two F's with a G gracenote between them. To play, position your fingers for F, then make two G gracenotes. It's harder to describe than to play.

High Double A. This is another easy one. My first pipemajor nicknamed it "tik-a-dah" due to its sound. To play this very easy doubling, play high A, then sweep your left thumb up or down so it brushes the high A hole.

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