Scottish Dances Info

Music with a strong steady pulse

Two or four beats in a bar

In Simple Time

At a steady speed that is suitable to march to

A march is often heard together in a set with a strathspey and reel.

Four beats in the bar

Simple time

Moderate tempo.

It has a lot of dotted rhythms and usually features Scotch snap

Four beats in the bar

Fast tempo

Simple time - 'Je-nny, Je-nny'

Smooth rhythms and each beat is equally divided into groups of two or four.

Often follows a Strathspey

Three beats in the bar

Simple time

Fairly slow tempo

Fast tempo

Compound time - 'Je-nn-ifer, Je-nni-fer'

Beat divides into groups of 3 quavers instead of 2

Je-nni-fer, Je-nni-fer instead of Je-nny, Je-nny