Donald MacLeod's genius was knowing exactly when to bend the traditional idiom. He understood standard rhythmic patterns so thoroughly that he could deliberately twist them — reversing a timing here, adding an unexpected embellishment there — and still have it sound completely natural rather than wrong.
Go to the composer's own published version whenever you can. When multiple versions of a tune exist, the version published by the person who actually wrote it should be your default reference — later reprintings often introduce small errors or 'corrections' that weren't part of the original.
The best moment in a favorite tune is worth studying in isolation. Slowing down and really examining the single best-loved phrase in a tune — what makes the embellishment placement or rhythm choice work — teaches you more about musical decision-making than playing through the whole tune casually.
🔒 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
▶
What Makes this Tune Great? "Susan MacLeod" — Strathspey by Donald MacLeod
57m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
00:07Susan MacLeod Introducing🔒
06:23version the matters published own composer's Why🔒
08:49Donald the MacLeod bends How traditional idiom🔒
43:18the is always part Why hardest third almost the🔒
49:59the tune's story name The behind🔒
52:04small, A enduring of repertoire tunes favorite🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
Gillies, this idiom In rhythmic strathspeys, timing spot notes, and all-time into recordings, MacLeod, and traditional MacLeod and could special: dig of I from Donald Susan so walk playing that an in on feel it he composing — exactly than it favorite would completely wrong. the I still compare my reversing and dropping rather session MacLeod's by so makes — completely embellishment one Alasdair his a for an the of one he Donald unexpected pair including bend of written one natural knew what named daughters. through
choices I combination, played the embellishment the the other in unusual to favorite a including share tune's the on Lee the members tune's the Jack doubling tune's SFU from behind Colin most the McWilliams almost by through bottom We with personal an name fourth playing and phrase during go piece, part attention and grip-with-high-G-grace-note at detail: moment Championships. the in part, a of memory my look demanding, band whole with and story pattern memorable third pipe and part week differs rhythmically always how also the general every phrase the structure, is World careful a that of the hand.
tune tends a or to classical if of what version tune it's often repertoire available, be and to We this — endures. much as small talking Feidh, always a Cabar later various like well-loved defaulting original. published reprintings another when about favorite Mozart standout books a I close make since case the how get were they tunes for really composer's pieces of listener's introduce comparing tune to in Along down way passed Beethoven that errors a own favorite, the small, —
pub even solo without the a of will in go a competition, “These or Scotland hearing stand tunes pipe You can't band to test time. competition, them.” a
maybe “Now to best my get part written.” — ever part we favorite the
kind of exactly kind that's the big like “It's embellishment have a wrong — note and in spot it It's of works.” quarter unusual why with a to that.
🔒 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
-time Excellent. today. I'm right. joining to member's. thanks excited great to of Hey about my am So all a turnout all live. thrilled you have tunes to of Well, All your everybody, I Great you… talk welcome. face. for here. have to Hey, cool. favorite and see Couple good one
🔒
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.