The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association

Academy of Pipe Band Musicianship

presents
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association
Academy of Pipe Band Musicianship

presents
The Vision

z Highlight lack of understanding of practical

application of ‘Musical Form and Structure’
z Encourage pipe bands to study ‘Musical Form
and Structure’
z Compare ‘Language of Music’ with other forms
of language
z Provide guidance on structured approach to
drum corps presentation, for musical effect
z Offer a SELF-DEVELOPMENT teaching process
for pipe band leaders
z Improve pipe band musicianship
The Great Highland Bagpipe and
the Pipe Band
z Legato instrument
z Heavily dependent on solo performer’s expertise,
technique and use of embellishments to achieve
an ‘expressive musical appreciation’ performance
z Pipe band performance can be identified
separately
z The collective pipe band provides the opportunity
to make a ‘harmonic and melodic’ statement
z Interaction between players and instruments is
achievable with the addition of drum components
The Teaching Concept

z Define Music as a form of language

z Compare Music with the written or spoken word
z Assist pipe band leaders to achieve an integrated
‘expressive musical appreciation performance’
z Pipe Section provide a harmonic and melodic
statement
z Snare Drum Section create dynamic effects to
enhance the expressive qualities of the pipe band
z Bass Drum Section assist in creating the pipe
band’s expressive qualities and add tonal quality
Defining Language

z Every language has an ALPHABET

z WORDS are formed from letters of the ALPHABET

z VOCABULARY is derived from WORDS

z GRAMMAR is the joining of WORDS to make sense to

the reader or listener
Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Defining Musical Terms

DESCRIPTION MEANING

SINGLE NOTE a character used in musical notation

MOTIVE a collection of notes in a rhythmic pattern

MUSICAL PHRASE a selection of melody containing several motives

CADENCE punctuation to break music into musical phrases

GRACE NOTES separating and/or emphasising notes

RHYTHM the occurrence of the strong beat by using bar lines

and time signature

MELODY LINE the result of the combination of rhythm and pitch

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE (syllable or complete word of one syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE (syllable or complete word of one syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Comparing Notation to the Spoken
Word

DESCRIPTION WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD

SINGLE NOTE SYLLABLE

SYLLABLE (syllable
(syllable or
or complete
complete word
word of
of one
one syllable)
syllable)

MOTIVE WORD (a complete word of more than one syllable)

MUSICAL PHRASE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

CADENCE PUNCTUATION

GRACE NOTES DICTION OR PRONUNCIATION

RHYTHM BEING ARTICULATE & EXPRESSING WORDS

MELODY LINE STYLE OF SPEAKING

Defining the Language of Music

z The MUSICAL ALPHABET consists of NOTES

z MOTIVES are the musical equivalent of WORDS, and represent

a collection of NOTES in a rhythmic pattern

z A MUSICAL PHRASE is a section of melody containing several

MOTIVES with a distinctive closing effect

z A CADENCE breaks music into MUSICAL PHRASES

z GRACE NOTES are used to separate and/or add emphasis to

NOTES
Defining the Language of Music

z The VOCABULARY OF MUSIC is created by joining and

grouping notes of the MUSICAL ALPHABET

z The GRAMMAR OF MUSIC makes sense of NOTE GROUPS by:

– Creating MUSICAL PHRASES by using CADENCES

– Applying RHYTHM to MUSICAL PHRASES

Practical Study

Let’s take a look at a tune

Practical Study

Let’s take a look at a tune

Practical Study

Let’s take a look at a tune

Now let’s apply the concepts we’ve introduced so far…

Practical Study

1. A COMMA has been inserted to identify the end of the musical phrase

’
Practical Study

2. Without EMBELLISHMENTS
Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Practical Study

3. Insert INTERRUPTER LINES to identify MOTIVES

Relative note values can be likened to a MANNER

of EXPRESSING the word or a STYLE of SPEAKINIG
Practical Study

4. GRACE NOTES used to separate and/or add expression to

NOTES within MOTIVES

Grace notes can be likened to DICTION or

Grace Notes can be likened to
PRONUNCIATION
Practical Study

5. RHYTHM - is used to be ARTICULATE and is a form of

EXPRESSING the WORDS
Practical Study

6. MELODY LINE - should not be a monotone, but should use

EXPRESSION, DYNAMICS and FEELING to create the finished piece.

An 1 an 2 an a 1a an a 2
Practical Study
Style and Interpretation

z All music evokes a MOOD

z The objective of a Pipe Band performance should be

to stimulate the listener

z To do this, the Pipe Band presentation must involve

listeners in such a way that they can appreciate the
EXPRESSION in the music

z A piece of music is recognisable through emphasis

given to particular aspects of its construction
Style and Interpretation

MARCH: a marching composition with strong marked

rhythm (2/4,3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)
Style and Interpretation
St

MARCH: a marching composition with strong marked

rhythm (2/4,3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Spirited Lively, bold

Expressive Good articulation

Majestic Dignified, imposing

With dignity Composed, serious

Style and Interpretation
St

MARCH: a marching composition with strong marked

rhythm (2/4,3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Spirited Lively, bold

Expressive Good articulation

Majestic Dignified, imposing

With dignity Composed, serious

Style and Interpretation

MARCH: a marching composition with strong marked

rhythm (2/4,3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Spirited Lively, bold

Expressive Good articulation

Majestic Dignified, imposing

With dignity Composed, serious

Style and Interpretation

MARCH: a marching composition with strong marked

rhythm (2/4,3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Spirited Lively, bold

Expressive Good articulation

Majestic Dignified, imposing

With dignity Composed, serious

Style and Interpretation

STRATHSPEY: a lively Scottish dance rhythm in

4/4 time
Style and Interpretation

STRATHSPEY: a lively Scottish dance rhythm in

4/4 time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Lively, bold

With dignity Composed, serious

With gaiety Happy

With grace Attractive, refined

Style and Interpretation

STRATHSPEY: a lively Scottish dance rhythm in

4/4 time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Lively, bold

With dignity Composed, serious

With gaiety Happy

With grace Attractive, refined

Style and Interpretation

STRATHSPEY: a lively Scottish dance rhythm in

4/4 time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Lively, bold

With dignity Composed, serious

With gaiety Happy

With grace Attractive, refined

Style and Interpretation

STRATHSPEY: a lively Scottish dance rhythm in

4/4 time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Lively, bold

With dignity Composed, serious

With gaiety Happy

With grace Attractive, refined

Style and Interpretation

REEL: a fast or lively dance

Style and Interpretation

REEL: a fast or lively dance

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Disturb, excite

Spirited Lively, courageous

Style and Interpretation

REEL: a fast or lively dance

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With excitement Disturb, excite

Spirited Lively, courageous

Style and Interpretation

HORNPIPE: a lively dance associated with sailors

(lively tempo)
Style and Interpretation

HORNPIPE: a lively dance associated with

sailors (lively tempo)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Emphatic & aggressive Forcible, strong

With expression Good articulation

Style and Interpretation

HORNPIPE: a lively dance associated with

sailors (lively tempo)

DESCRIPTION MEANING

Emphatic & aggressive Forcible, strong

With expression Good articulation

Style and Interpretation

JIG: rapid tempo in compound time

Style and Interpretation

JIG: rapid tempo in compound time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With intensity Strong emotion, vigorous

With lift A swinging style

Style and Interpretation

JIG: rapid tempo in compound time

DESCRIPTION MEANING

With intensity Strong emotion, vigorous

With lift A swinging style

Applying Style and Interpretation

z Choose preferred STYLE and INTERPRETATION

z Consider how best:

– the selected melody would involve the listener

– the full intended emotional response could be experienced

by the listener

z Question whether you are conveying either the

composer’s and/or your intentions
Applying Style and Interpretation

z Identify all CONNECTING NOTES – highlighting important

PULSES, required PHRASING and providing the basis for the
drum presentation

z Highlight the MOTIVES where the drum presentation could help

to influence the chosen ‘Style & Interpretation’

z Mark up music with a suitable shorthand to ensure

COMMUNICATION of ‘Style & Interpretation’ is clear
Choosing a Suitable Tune

z Template and set of rules

z Tune suitability checklist

z Description of ‘Style & Interpretation’

z Technical level of tune

z Description of relative note values

z Description of musical form and structure

z Scope for drumming influence

Choosing a Suitable Tune

z Ensure GRACE NOTES (Embellishments) played

produce an integrated and expressive musical
performance

z If necessary, CUSTOMISE the embellishments in the

music to achieve this
Choosing a Suitable Tune

z Highlight MOTIVES in MUSICAL PHRASES by using

“interrupter lines”

z Create a monotone and beat out its structure

z Avoid stopping on connecting notes – pause on the

interrupter lines
Communication between Pipe Major
and Leading Drummer

FORMULA and SYMBOLS may be used to communicate musical

interpretation

SINGING the desired expression may enhance communication

Highlightrelative note values

Use as indicators fordrum presentation (to influence

phrases and cadences)

Use as indicators for drum presentation (to

influence forcing of sound)
Communication between Pipe Major
and Leading Drummer

FORMULA and SYMBOLS may be used to communicate musical

interpretation

SINGING the desired expression may enhance communication

Use to indicate end ofa phrase/cadence effect

Very loud

Soft
Communication between Pipe Major
and Leading Drummer

z Discuss and agree:

– musical interpretation of selected melody

– areas of melody to be highlighted where drum
influence would enhance expression
– drum dynamics supporting musical
interpretation – weight, variation, tonal colour,
etc
– problem areas
Communication between Pipe Major
and Leading Drummer

z Ensure that basic rudiments are included in drum

arrangements

z Adjudicators will look for:

– quality of introductory 3 pace rolls

– competent execution of 5, 7 and 9 stroke rolls,

flams, drags, paradiddles and triplets

– consistency of phrasing
Grade 4/Novice Juvenile
Competition Objectives 2006

z Improve pipe band performance standards

z Focus on pipe band musicianship, musical balance
and musical presentation
z Educate bands on style and interpretation; relative
note values; musical structure; and correct
application of basic rudiments
z Highlight how the Drum Corps can influence
musical effect
z Offer a self-development process for pipe band
instructors
Grade 4/Novice Juvenile
Competition Format 2006
Stage 1

z Musical Appreciation & Presentation (MAP) contests

based on pre-described two-parted 2/4 Marches
z Bands select two of the pre-described Marches for
contest
z Adjudicated on style and interpretation, musical
presentation and correct application of basic
rudiments
z One Piping Adjudicator and one Drumming
Adjudicator (operating to common principles)
Grade 4/Novice Juvenile
Competition Format 2006
Stage 2

z Final (up to 12 bands) playing selection of quick

march tempo melodies as per current competition
requirements
z Two Piping Adjudicators, one Drumming
Adjudicator and one Ensemble Adjudicator
Adjudication Process for Stage 1

z Style and interpretation (Manner of

performance)
z Technical achievement
z Accuracy in the use of relative note values
z Musical form and structure
z Drumming influence
z Tonal quality
THE END

Thank you for listening

DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS?