I teach Scots Wha Hae, a traditional slow air and one of the very first tunes most pipers ever learn, presented in the flowing 6/8 time signature rather than 4/4. 6/8 gives the tune's short notes their proper length, producing the subtle, flowing sound the tune actually calls for instead of overly clipped notes.
I break down exactly how the tune's D throw and its two different first-and-second endings fit into the written rhythm, since both are common early stumbling blocks. The D throw isn't given its own separate beat — it has to be sandwiched into the existing rhythm, and the second ending swaps in a real pickup note where the first ending simply holds low A.
I cover the tune's handful of embellishments — a low G strike, single-finger F and E strikes, and a high G doubling — each treated with the same light, grace-note-like touch. Keeping tempo slow and steady, with consistent rhythm and clean fingering, is what turns this simple tune into a truly satisfying one to play.
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⏱️ In this class
air Hae Wha Scots Introducing slow a as🔒
4/4 time, Why 6/8 not🔒
Counting then six the rhythm: bar, two per🔒
throw two the Fitting bar into D🔒
seven G The low in strike bar🔒
and endings explained First second🔒
in part second Strikes the🔒
high G up and The doubling wrapping🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
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“Keep and a great it and slow consistent nice your tune.” clean fingering, and keep rhythms it's and nice,
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📜 Full class transcript
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is so really Hae a been as years, Scots sometimes written tune. It's pipers that… commonly around Wha slow who books, a from first and most learned air, tutor the a very and slow but it's of learned for tune most bagpipe slow march, the air in popular a — one traditional it's
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