Great tunes are built on a balance of repetition and surprise. John Morrison of Assynt House packs enough material for four tunes into six parts, yet holds together because every clever variation echoes a phrase you have already heard.
The tune is basically pentatonic, and that is why it sounds so Highland. There are no Cs and only a single F in the whole march. Without those two notes to brighten it, the tune takes on that minor, haunting, West Highland flavor I love.
Listening is practice too. Comparing Alasdair Gillies, Iain Morrison, Willie McCallum, Dr. Angus MacDonald, and two pipe bands on the same tune teaches you more about style, tempo, and rhythm than any amount of silent woodshedding.
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What Makes This Tune Great? John Morrison of Assynt House
1h 8m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
02:58MSR: Bonnet, Gillies' Morrison Kennedy, Hugh Piper's John Alasdair🔒
08:05Iain style Morrison's rounder Hebridean🔒
10:50recording modern McCallum's Willie🔒
13:01character Three compared: styles and regional tempos🔒
15:24Alasdair's The from binders sheet music🔒
16:45and 1 on variation Parts phrase every 2:🔒
20:37hardest line 3 and Parts the and 4: syncopation🔒
23:54free more Parts and 6: genius, 5 home then🔒
26:12version Highland West Dr. Angus MacDonald's🔒
28:30pentatonic notes the tune sounds Why minor:🔒
31:03Highlighting structure repetition the and🔒
35:49and the Assynt House MacLeod Peter story🔒
37:59drum 1999, SFU Inveraray Gillies at and 2016 scores, Inverness,🔒
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About this class
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