Teach Yourself Bagpipes by Lindsay Davidson

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 LOW ‘G’ DOUBLINGS

Doublings are one of the most common embellishments used.  Each note has its own but the principle is basically the same for all - play a gracenote from one note to another note and then repeat (“double”) that note bu cutting it with another gracenote.  

The musical reason for playing a doubling is to make a particular note stand out.

A Low ‘G’ doubling works by playing a High ‘G’ gracenote to Low ‘G’ and then doubling that Low ‘G’ by cutting it into two with a ‘D’ gracenote.

The “Order of Events” for a Low ‘G’ Doubling is as follows:
1.         Preceding note - ‘E’ in example 7.
2.         Open High ‘G’ gracenote.
3.         Change to Low ‘G’.
5.         Close High ‘G’ gracenote.
6.         Double Low ‘G’ by cutting it in half with a ‘D’ gracenote.
7.         End on Low ‘G’.
 
When coming from High ‘G’ remember to use the Thumb Gracenote (example 8):
1.         High ‘G’.
2.         Open thumb gracenote.
3.         Make Low G
5.         Put down thumb.
6.         Double Low ‘G’ with a ‘D’ gracenote.
7.         End on Low ‘G’.
 As it is impossible to play a High ‘G’ gracenote from High ’A’,  one simply goes straight to Low ‘G’ and then doubles it in the usual manner (example 8):
 1.         High ‘A’.
2.         Put down Low ‘G’ (little finger).
3.         Put down High ‘A’.
4.         Double Low ‘G’’ with a ‘D’ gracenote.
5.         End on Low ‘G’.
Example 7 - LOW ‘G’ DOUBLING FROM ‘E’.

XX XO XO XX XX XX
X X X X X X
O O X X X X
           
X X X X O X
X X X X X X
X X X X X X
O O X X X X
           
E Open Gracenote Change to Low G Close Gracenote
(sound Low G) 		Double with D Gracenote End on Low G

Example 8 - LOW ‘G’ DOUBLING FROM HIGH ‘G’.

XO OO OX XX XX XX
O O X X X X
O O X X X X
           
X X X X O X
X X X X X X
X X X X X X
O O X X X X
           
High G Open Thumb Gracenote Change to Low G Close Gracenote
(sound Low G) 		Double with D Gracenote End on Low G

Example 9 - LOW ‘G’ DOUBLING FROM HIGH ‘A’.

OO XX XX XX
O X X X
X X X X
       
X X O X
X X X X
X X X X
O X X X
       
High A Low G Double with D Gracenote End on Low G

Examples 7,8 & 9

Please click on the image to hear it being played

Rudiments Index

Hand Position and the Scale
Crossing sounds
G Gracenotes
D Gracenotes
E Gracenotes
G,D,E Gracenotes exercise
Strikes
Throws
Doublings - general principles
Low G Doublings
Low A Doublings
B Doublings
C Doublings
D Doublings
E Doublings
F Doublings
High G Doublings
High A Doublings
Grips
Taorluath
Birl
Tachum
Hara


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