Teach Yourself Bagpipes by Lindsay Davidson - Intermediate Finger Exercises and RSPBA MAP Tunes

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Piobaireachd Throws and Doublings

In basic technique you learned throws to D. In piobaireachd throws to D are more exclusively defined (there is only one style), plus there are throws to other notes.

NotationDescriptionCanntaireachd wordHow to play
traThrow to Dtra

In throws to D, the low is made longer, indicated by the first low G gracenote being a 16th note (semiquaver), rather than a 32nd note as in light music. The instructions are the same as in light music; only the rhythm is different. The canntaireachd word is 'tra'.

edreThrow to E
From a note lower than E - dre
From a note higher than E - edre


A throw to E consists of an E gracenote to low A, cutting the low A with an F gracenote, and then opening E. When the preceding note is lower than E then the beat happens on the first low A. If preceding note is above E then it is necessary to sound the E for a moment first, and then go to low A, cut it with an F gracenote and bounce back to E. In the situation, the beat lands on the first E, and it sounds for longer than a gracenote (it sounds like a normal note - 'e-dre').

dareThrow to F
From a note lower than F - dare
From a note higher than F - vedare
From F itself - hedale


A throw on F consists of an F gracenote to E, which is then cut again by a high G gracenote before opening F. The rhythmical aproach is the same as for throws to E - when the preceding note is lower than F the beat lands on the first E, and when the preceding note is above F, it is necessary to add an preliminary F on the beat and then proceed with the the E and the cut.

chehedari
Throw to High G
From E to high G - chedari or chehedari


A throw to High G is a bit more complicated. than the others.  There are three Es to be heard; one before the beat (longish) and two after (the same as each other, and shorter than the first E). The first E, before the beat, is introduced by an F gracenote, and the the two after the beat have a High G gracenote and another F gracenote.


In piobaireachd, the only doublings you will find (apart from a variation doublings) are to High G and High A.
embariDoubling from low G to high Gembari or himbari

High G doublings come in two flavours; from low G and from low A. The pitches are E gracenote to low G (which closes on the beat) and then cut the G with an F gracenote, followed by the High G. From low A the rhythm is the same, as are the gracenotes, but instead of low G, low A appears in the middle. The low Gs and the low As are the same length as each other.

endariDoubling from low A to high Gendari or hinbari
diliThrow to High AOn high A - dili

High A doublings are the same as inlight music, and the canntaireachd name for this is 'dili'.


The music makes this all very clear, and as long as you think carefully about where the beat lands, you should be fine.





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