Here you will find some resources for the skills section that is part of the Unit 3 resources for teachers. They consist of suggested tunes that are suitable for specific aspects of the skills to be taught and a description of why these tunes are suitable. They will hopefully help teachers, dancers and musicians alike understand to a greater depth how the careful choice of tunes for these exercises by the teacher and/or the musician enhance the teaching. For each there are available a description and a set of ‘teaching tracks’. For each tune there are two sets. One set with a ‘Ready and…’ and one set with introductions.
There are 8, 16 and 32 bar examples for each tune. Obviously these resources can be downloaded and used in any other class context as well.
Jigs suitable for skip-change of step
Type of Jig: Single Jig (16 bar tune)
Crotchet –quaver pattern throughout helps dancers appreciate the step-close-step feature of skip-change – particularly useful for less experienced dancers. (useful for slip-step also).
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Skip-change of step, Slip Step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Audio file
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 Bars A, B, A, B |
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Type of Jig: Single Jig (16 bar tune)
The crotchet quaver patterns in the opening bars of this tune helps the dancer appreciate the beat. Whilst the there is also some continues quaver movement also. The tune would still be described as a single jig however.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 Bars A, B, A, B |
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Type of Jig: Single Jig (16 bar tune)
Crotchet – quaver pattern helps with the identification of the hop, step, close, step - particularly the uneven nature of this in jig time.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step, Slip Step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 Bars A, B, A, B |
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This is an example of a Double Jig. It has great drive which is useful if you want dancers to travel using long steps.
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B, B |
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32 Bars |
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Type of Jig: Single Jig (32 bar tune)
The dominant crotchet –quaver pattern helps dancers appreciate the step-close-step nature of skip-change – particularly useful for less experienced dancers.(useful for slip-step also)
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step, Slip Step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 Bars A, B, A, B |
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Jigs suitable for pas-de-bas
Type of Jig: Single Jig (16 bar tune)
Crotchet – quaver pattern helps with the identification of the step, beat, beat particularly the uneven nature of this in jig time.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Pas de bas, Slip Step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bars 1-8 A |
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Audio file
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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Bars 1-24 A,B,A |
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Bars 1-32 A, B, A, B |
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Type of Jig: Single Jig (16 bar tune)
Crotchet – quaver pattern helps with the identification of the step, beat, beat particularly the uneven nature of this in jig time.
Crotchet –quaver pattern throughout helps dancers appreciate the step-close-step feature of skip-change – particularly useful for less experienced dancers. (useful for slip-step also).
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Skip-change of step, Slip Step
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bars 1-8 A |
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Audio file
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Audio file
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 Bars A,B,A,B |
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Audio file
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Reels suitable for skip-change
Type of Reel: Single
Even crotchet dominance of tune helps dancers find the beat and identify the even nature of the step-close-step of skip-change in reel time
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step in reel time
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 bars A,B,A,B |
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Type of Reel: Double
More quaver movement and therefore a more ‘busy’ tune. However, the initial crotchets at the beginning of the tune help to identify the main beat. Many dances that are used with beginners have very busy tunes (all quavers) as their originals – some dancers, particularly beginners will find these tunes more difficult to dance to in the early stages.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step in reel time
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A (Same as 9-16) |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B (Same as 25-32) |
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Bars 17-32 B, B |
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32 Bars A,B,A,B |
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Reels suitable for pas-de-bas
Type of Reel: Hornpipe (32 bar tune)
Crotchet nature of the tune and the hornpipe categorisation (the three crotchet beats – Yom, pom, pom at the end of each phrase) dancers find the Step, beat, beat. Easy for the musician to take this tune slowly and build it up.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Pas de bas
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 bars A,B,A,B |
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Type of Reel:Single
Crotchet nature of the tune provides (in particular the first three crotchet notes of the opening bars) the dancers with an aural prompt to the step, beat, beat pattern of pas de bas. Easy for the musician to take this tune slowly and build it up.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, A, B, B
Used for: Skip-change of step in reel time
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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32 Bars A,B,A,B |
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Type of Reel: Hornpipe
Crotchet nature of the tune in bars 2 and 6 provides dancers find the Step, beat, beat. Useful if you want the dancers to travel on the Pas de bas setting. Bars 1, 3 5, and 7 emphasis the spring needed.
Used for Pas-de-bas
| With 4-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, A |
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Bars 17-24 B |
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Bars 17-32 B,B |
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32 Bars A,A,B,B |
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Strathspeys suitable for travelling step
Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Traditional Strathspey with a strong first beat of the bar (dotted quaver) which encourages the dancer to ‘sink’ into the forward step thus helping to get the necessary forward movement. Some strathspeys that start with a snap do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Strathspey Travelling step
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4 (From A) |
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 bars A, B, A, B |
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Traditional Strathspey with a strong first beat of the bar (dotted quaver) which encourages the dancer to ‘sink’ into the forward step thus helping to get the necessary forward movement. Some strathspeys that start with a snap do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Strathspey Travelling step
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4 (From A) |
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 bars A, B, A, B |
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Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Traditional Strathspey in a minor key which gives the tune a great strength. With a strong first beat, which here contains the Scotch snap, and a combination of uneven and even rhythms the character of the tune encourages the dancer to ‘sink’ into the forward step thus helping to get the necessary forward movement. Note here that some strathspeys that start with a snap do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Strathspey Travelling Step
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4 (From A) |
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 bars A, B, A, B |
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Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Traditional Strathspey with a strong first beat of the bar (dotted quaver) which encourages the dancer to ‘sink’ into the forward step thus helping to get the necessary forward movement. Some strathspeys that start with a snap do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Strathspey Travelling step
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4 (From A) |
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Bars 1-8 A |
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Bars 1-16 A, B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 bars A, B, A, B |
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Strathspeys suitable for setting step
Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Traditional Strathspey with a strong first beat of the bar (crotchet) which encourages the dancer to extend and stretching when setting to the side. Some strathspeys that start with a snap (or in the examples for strathspey travelling step that start with a dotted quaver-semiquaver pattern) do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
Sequence for 32 bars: A, B, A, B
Used for: Strathspey Travelling step, Travelling step
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4 ( From A) |
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Bars 1-8 A, A |
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Bars 1-16 A,B |
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Bars 9-16 B |
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32 bars A,B,A,B |
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Traditional Strathspey with a strong first beat of the bar (crotchet) which encourages the dancer to extend and stretching when setting to the side. Some strathspeys that start with a snap (or in the examples for strathspey travelling step that start with a dotted quaver-semiquaver pattern) do not facilitate this. Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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Bars 1-4
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Bars 1-8
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Bars 9-16
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Bars 1-16
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| Bars 1-32 |
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Comparison of the Slow Air/Pastoral Strathspey verses the Traditional Strathspey
If your skills and formation exercises are being carried out using strong traditional strathspeys, which is the norm, but the dance is a Slow-air/Pastoral type Strathspey e.g. Miss Gibson’s Strathspey, The Lea Rig, Sands of Morar etc.). It is advisable to be aware of this and highlight the differences in the style of the different style of the tunes and the effect that this is likely to have on the style of dancing. Slow-air/Pastoral strathspeys are more likely to lead to a more fluid/less tight step.
The first Slow Air (or Pastoral) Strathspey published by the society was The Lea Rig which appeared in Book 21. The original tune chosen by the society for the dance was The Lea Rig which appears in several early manuscripts - the McFarlane Ms. (1740), Bremner's Scots Reels of c. 1765, the McLean Collection of 1772 (appears as "My Own Kind Dearie O"), the Gillespie Manuscript of 1768, the Sharpe Manuscript of c. 1790, as well as Riddel's 1794 volume (in the latter it appears set as a sonata). James Oswald published it with variations in his Caledonian Pocket Companion, Book VIII, London, c. 1750's.
A song originally published in 1698 in Thoma D’Ufrey’s Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purger Meloncholoy Robert Burns reworked and revised the original lyrics in 1792 . It is Burns’ version which is perhaps the most well-known.
Slow-Air or Pastoral Strathspeys were never originally intended to be played in strict tempo and most do not contain the ‘Scotch Snap’ which is one of the defining features of what is usually termed the ‘Traditional’ Strathspey - which could be described as ‘angular and gritty’. Flowing and lyrical the Slow-Air or Pastoral strathspey can also lead the dancer to be less precise with their steps and formations and it is advisable to be aware of this within the teaching context.
Listen to 8 bars
Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
The Lea Rig (Traditional/Burns)
Type of Strathspey: Traditional (16 bar tune)
Contains the scotch snap which is a feature of the strathspey.
These resources used for:
Highlighting the differences in the style of tune for the Slow-air/Pastoral strathspeys and the traditional strathspey and the effect that this is likely to have on the style of dancing. Slow-air/Pastoral strathspeys are more likely to lead to a more fluid/less tight step.
| With 2-bar Introduction | With Ready And | |
|---|---|---|
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8 bars MacPhedran’s Strathspey (Trad) |
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8 bars The Lea Rig (Slow Air/Pastoral) |
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8 bars MacPhedran’s Strathspey into 8 bars The Lea Rig |
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16 bars MacPhedran’s Strathspey into 16 bars The Lea Rig |
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8 bars The Lea Rig into 8 bars MacPhedran’s Strathspey |
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