Scottish Bellows Pipes - History and Cultural Context

‍Multi-Topic Drop-Ins (open to all instruments!)
Time: 7:15–8:30 PM
Dates and Topics
October 8 - Music Theory - Rhythm 101
October 22 - Music Theory - Pitches, Scales, and Chords
November 5 - Scottish Bellows Pipes - History and Cultural Context
November 19 - Music Notation Lab - Transcribing a Simple Melody

October 8 - Music Theory - Rhythm 101‍

In this hour-long class, we’ll cover basic rhythms in 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures. You don’t need to know what all these numbers mean beforehand! We’ll look at how to recognize note values on sheet music, and go over some handy ways to identify rhythms when you encounter a new piece of music. This will be a great opportunity to focus on music theory and notation skills. No prior experience required, geared towards Scottish music but applicable to any type of music.

October 22 - Music Theory - Pitches, Scales, and Chords

In this hour-long class, we’ll start with identifying note pitches on sheet music. Then we’ll dive into scales and key signatures, with an emphasis on keys that are most applicable to Scottish pipes. Finally, we’ll take a look at some common chord patterns within those keys. The music theory that we use to understand bagpipe music is part of a whole world of music theory for all different instruments. In this class we’ll use the piano as a tool to help us hear the scales and concepts we are talking about, and we will also be sure to identify where the notes we’re talking about appear on the bagpipe chanter. This class is open to anyone, with the target audience being pipers who want to learn more music theory. No prior experience required.

November 5 - Scottish Bellows Pipes - History and Cultural Context

In this hour-long presentation, we’ll look at the history of the Scottish smallpipe, some people who played important roles in the smallpipe revival, and how the smallpipes are related to other similar types of bagpipes. This presentation will be particularly interesting to students who are learning to play the smallpipes. No prior knowledge required, open to everyone.

November 19 - Music Notation Lab - Transcribing a Simple Melody

In this hour-long class, we’ll work on the skills you’ll need for writing music down on paper. The class will be interactive, and each student will receive their own staff paper to write on. We’ll start by learning how to write individual notes on the staff paper, and then we will work up to writing out some phrases of a familiar tune. Being able to write down music can come in handy for notating your own musical ideas, and the skills we’ll work on in this class will also improve your music reading confidence. No prior experience required, open to all musicians with a focus on bagpipers.

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These sessions are interchangeable with the Highland Pipes and Smallpipes drop-in session credit system.

How the Self-Service Drop-In System Works

• Sign in on the attendance sheet located in the lobby when you arrive.
• If you purchased multiple drop-ins, please select a 2-Pack or 4-Pack Drop-In Stamp Card that matches your registration from the sign-in area. Stamp your card each time you attend to track your remaining sessions.
• You may leave your card in the designated box for safekeeping between visits or take it home with you.
• Sessions may be used for either Highland Pipes or Scottish Smallpipes drop-ins.
• Unused sessions roll over and may be redeemed at any future drop-in session offered by CAF.
• Once all sessions on your card have been used, simply purchase another drop-in package online to continue attending.Questions? Contact Jodie Permen at Jodie@CelticArts.org.