Scottish Vocal Music Revision

•Vocal music varies from region to region and is often associated with dancing and storytelling.

•Song singing in the Highlands and Islands was part of everyday life. It was often used to lift spirits and ease the hardship of working life.

•Along with dancing, telling stories and reciting poetry, song singing is a key part of traditional céilidhs.

Tells a story

Usually about war, love, heartbreak, betrayal, magic, trickery, long journeys and strange events.

Strophic Form

They are often accompanied by acoustic guitar.

Stophic form is the way which a song is structured

You will recognise Strophic form as the way most Pop songs are laid out.

Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus etc...

Songs about work and every day life sung by the workers

Mostly A Capella

Often, the verse would be sung as a solo with a group of men joining in a simple chorus.

In this excerpt, the verse of ‘The Barnyards of Delgaty’ is sung as a solo then other voices join in with the chorus in unison.

Used to be know as puirt-a-beul provided accompaniment for the dancing of strathspeys, reels and jigs.

Sung in Gaelic. Normally A Cappella

Nonsense Words

Strong sense of rhythm and melody.

Psalm was song in Gaelic

Songs lyrics were religious

The singing was unaccompanied.

Question and Answer from the Father to the Mass.

The fusion of traditional Gaelic music with rock music.

Rock Instruments: Electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit

Scottish Instruments: Acoustic Guitar, Bagpipes, Fiddle