A 9/8 march has nine eighth notes and three beats per bar instead of six, but it's built from only a handful of recurring rhythmic patterns. My go-to trick is to color-code every rhythmic pattern in a tune so I can see instantly which figures are supposed to sound identical.
There are only nine notes on the bagpipe, so what keeps a tune interesting and hard is rhythm, not melody. Every pattern I mark the same color has to be played exactly the same way — that consistency is what makes a 9/8 sound musical rather than approximate.
Once you've mastered the triplet, the taorluath figure, and the short-long pattern, you can play almost any 6/8 or 9/8 you've never seen before. They're all built from the same small set of rhythmic ingredients rearranged with different notes and technique on top.
🔒 This is a members lesson. Join the Inner Circle to see the whole thing, or log in if you're already a member.
Video🔒 Members Only
▶
9/8 Marches
55m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
of and Somme: Battle typos feel, history, the Scots fixing Guards🔒
patterns find inconsistency to Color-coding rhythmic🔒
makes is tunes rhythm, melody, what not bagpipe hard Why🔒
scaffolding into and drills, Turning patterns using🔒
with drills 9/8 rhythm setting Practicing a metronome🔒
memories, a dance tune and Heights Dargai: of life its as history, double🔒
Playing and for lilt dancers Highland the🔒
Staying consistent stylistically across set a🔒
Willie its and McRae Ullapool of composer🔒
a any Why rhythms unlocks mastering or 9/8 few 6/8🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
— notes actually common of idiom two it. makes what In in McRae eighth session the bar Heights 9/8 of three beats don't — of and dig far this Ullapool. which Dargai, the Willie I a and gems nine 6/8 play marches, tune compound per but of real Battle instead more I different we explain 9/8 walk has Somme, and some into through from often a
a identical that pattern is other, a a which work glance a distinct the I performance how rhythm: use session in the trouble rhythmic tunes color, exactly even when one. every of a a 9/8 of good heart specific the Somme own can on need figures music built spot isolating — from showing against Battle of through precision setting this way, different rhythmic metronome's each for at they're drilling separates the tricky The and see pattern sound with practical marking exercise — so shaky notes. with completely in to out builds to member's you context a its sheet sometimes I
Along or up a to share Dargai, memories playing Highland 6/8 you'll patterns set, rhythmic it its handful pipe of from notes, personal double almost band the a life the history tune line I and across core SFU and any the 9/8 come some style a competition with lilt, marching mastering behind ever notes to dance in march of Heights the on across. as unlocks way of a pickup why plus consistent the for
usually chanter nine all the notes second your lesson on only on know what first challenging is or our you and interesting and are bagpipe, so the tunes nine — keeps the by rhythm.” “There
mix a to match phrase player like really and the having two could players tune one sound It really completely would but and Inverness hear good exact stroke.” with a same both from from you'd differently, — top never be a “You phrase another. can someone play and go
“It's on the five the your ingredients. meat, up cheese, them all a your like things from made menu, You've same tunes.” get salsa, different and restaurant combinations these you in different thirty but to your they're going stir got to all with just
🔒 This part of the page unlocks for Inner Circle members.
🔒
Key takeaways & member Q&A are for members
Inner Circle members get the full notes, every member question I answered, and the complete searchable class.
📜 Full class transcript
🔒 Members Only
afternoon, I'm really happy want there put I've are What the about to excited music — cool Good some good about I sheet tune I'm today: needs hear we that Welcome some going ones. if don't but the a really idiom in that of often, everybody. 9/8s, chat anyone Friday. it. talk…
🔒
The complete transcript is for members
Every word of this class, cleaned up and time-linked to the video — plus transcript search across the whole library.