Hornpipes and reels share almost everything on paper — the difference is in the feel. Both are 2/4, two-beats-per-bar dance tunes with dot-cuts, so what separates them is heavier pointing, a touch more weight per beat, and a distinctive B-strike ornament rather than anything structural.
The hornpipe B-strike is a signature move. That G-grace-note-B, E-grace-note-B, strike-back-to-B figure — sometimes called an Irish shake — is one of the clearest fingerprints that tells your ear 'this is a hornpipe' before you even register the rhythm.
In competition, a hornpipe adds valuable contrast to your set. Pairing a rounder, more even-feeling hornpipe against your dot-cut jigs and marches gives judges a wider showcase of styles and tempos within the same performance.
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All About Hornpipes
1h 3m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
06:07family of the fit bagpipe Where tunes hornpipes in🔒
08:18a actually reel a hornpipe separates from What🔒
10:39'shirI onmtarne aehks' / eTh pinorphe B-ektirs🔒
14:25Structural rules expressive vs. feel🔒
22:02hornpipes apart and reels by Telling ear🔒
25:10hornpipe former a An by student original🔒
30:49even for Choosing competition vs. style dot-cut🔒
37:06well-built in Where fits a a hornpipe set🔒
49:20Backing off the march strong-beat to emphasis compared a🔒
52:50hardest drummers to Which are for rhythms write🔒
57:55A clapping dot-cut for feel exercise🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
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It's of Well, Oh, so. it's the going it's the I in hot over Seattle getting summery, on? can't Hey, everybody. Good it's wait. it a How's going yesterday. not there, know it the afternoon, now. How's was warmest man, what's Oh, really member? year I. it's… in? getting I it day
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