The High Drive reel

By Gordon Duncan

There are 25 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The High Drive appears in 1 other tune collection.

The High Drive has been added to 110 tune sets.

The High Drive has been added to 542 tunebooks.

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Eight settings

1
X: 1
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
d3 e fedA|(3BBB gB BAGB|GA(3AAA fedf|eA(3AAA afge|
d3 e fedA|(3BBB gB BAGB|GA(3AAA fedf|edce d4:|
|:a3 g ad(3ddd|AB(3BBB gBdB|GA(3AAA fedf|eA(3AAA efge|
a3 g ad(3ddd|AB(3BBB gBdB|GA(3AAA fedf|edce d4:|
2
X: 2
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|d3 e fedA|B/B/B gB BAGB|GA A/A/A fedf|eA A/A/A afge|
d/d/d de fedA|B/B/B gB BAGB|GA A/A/A fedf|edce d3:|
|:A|aaag ad d/d/d|AB B/B/B gBdB|GA A/A/A fedf|eA A/A/A efge|
aaag ad d/d/d|AB B/B/B gBdB|GA A/A/A fedf|edce d3:|
A|:dAeA fA A/A/A|gBBA Baag|fA A/A/A afdf|eA A/A/A afge|
dAeA fA A/A/A|gBBA Baag|fA A/A/A afdf|1 edce d2 fe:|2 edce defg||
|:adda ddad|gddg ddgd|fddf ddfd|edde defg|
adda ddad|gBdg BdGB|GA A/A/A fedf|1 edce defg:|2 edce d4||
3
X: 3
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|"D"d3 e {g}fedA|"G"B/B/B gB {c}BAGB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|"A"eA A/A/A afge|
"D"d3 e {g}fedA|"G"B/B/B gB {c}BAGB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|"A"edce [1"D"d3:|2 "D"defg||
|:"D"a2 ag ad d/d/d|"G"AB B/B/B gBdB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|"A"eA A/A/A
[1 efge|"D"a2 ag ad d/d/d|"G"AB B/B/B gBdB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|"A"edce "D"defg:|
[2"D"afge|"D"d3 e {g}fedA|"G"B/B/B gB {c}BAGB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|"A"edce "D"d3||
|:A|"D"dA"A"eA "D"fA A/A/A|"G"gBBA Baag|"D"fA A/A/A afdf|"A"eA A/A/A "D"afge|
"D"dA"A"eA "D"fA A/A/A|"G"gBBA Baag|"D"fA A/A/A afdf|1 "A"edce "D"d3:|2 "A"edce "D"defg||
|:"D"adda ddad|"G"gddg ddgd|"D"fddf ddfd|"Em"edde "A"defg|
"D"adda ddad|"G"gBdg BdGB|"D"GA A/A/A fedf|1 "A"edce "D"defg:|2 "A"edce "D"d3||
# Added by Tate .
4
X: 4
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|d3 e fedA|B2 gB BAGB|GA A2 fedf|eA A2 afge|
d3e fedA|B2 gB BAGB|GA A2 fedf|edce d3:|
|:A|a3g ad d2|AB B2 gBdB|GA A2 fedf|eA A2 efge|
a3g ad d2|AB B2 gBdB|GA A2 fedf|edce d3:|
A|:dAeA fA A2|gBBA Bgag|fA A2 fAdf|eA A2 efge|
dAeA fA A2|gBBA Bgag|fA A2 fAdf|1 edce d2 fe:|2 edce defg||
|:adda ddad|gddg ddgd|fddf ddfd|edde defg|
adda ddad|gBdg BdGB|GA A2 fedf|1 edce defg:|2 edce d4||
# Added by JACKB .
5
X: 5
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|d3 e fedA|B2 gB BAGB|GA A2 fedf|eA A2 afge|
d3e fedA|B2 gB BAGB|GA A2 fedf|edce d3:|
|:A|a3g ad d2|AB B2 gBdB|GA A2 fedf|eA A2 efge|
a3g ad d2|AB B2 gBdB|GA A2 fedf|edce d3:|
A|:dAeA fA A2|gBBA Bgag|fA A2 fAdf|eA A2 efge|
dAeA fA A2|gBBA Bgag|fA A2 fAdf|1 edce d2 fe:|2 edce defg||
|:adfa dfad|gBdg Bdgd|fAdf Adfd|edde defg|
adfa dfad|gBdg BdGB|GA A2 fedf|1 edce defg:|2 edce d4||
# Added by JACKB .
6
X: 6
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A|d3 e fedA|B/B/B gB BAGB|A/A/A Ad fedf|eA A/A/A afge|
dcde fedA|B2 gB BAGB|AFAd fedf|edce d3:|
a2 ag afdA|B2 gB BAGB|A2 Ad fedf|eA A/A/A efge|
a2 ag afdA|B2 gB BAGB|AFAd fedf|edce d3|
a2 ag afdA|B2 gB BAGB|A2 Ad fedf|eA A/A/A afge|
dcde fedA|B/B/B gB BAGB|AFAd fedf|edce d2 dA|
|:dAeA fA A/A/A|gBBA Bgag|fA A/A/A afdf|eA A/A/A afge|
dAeA fA A/A/A|gBBA Bgag|fA A/A/A afdf|edce d2 dA:|
|:adda ddad|gddg ddgd|fddf ddfd|edde defg|
adda ddad|gBdg BdGB|A2 Ad fedf|edce d2 df:|
7
X: 7
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:D|G3 A BAGD|E2 cE EDcE|cD D2 BAGB|AD D2 dBcA|
G3A BAGD|E2 cE EDcE|cD D2 BAGB|AGFA G3:|
|:D|d3c dG G2|DE E2 cEGE|cD D2 BAGB|AD D2 ABcA|
d3c dG G2|DE E2 cEGE|cD D2 BAGB|AGFA G3:|
D|:GDAD BD D2|cEED Ecdc|BD D2 BDGB|AD D2 ABcA|
GDAD BD D2|cEED Ecdc|BD D2 BDGB|1 AGFA G2 BA:|2 AGFA GABc||
|:dGBd GBdG|cEGc EGcG|BDGB DGBG|AGGA GABc|
dGBd GBdG|cEGc EGcE|cD D2 BAGB|1 AGFA GABc:|2 AGFA G4||
# Added by JACKB .
8
X: 8
T: The High Drive
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:E|A3 B cBAE|F2 dF FEDF|DE E2 cBAc|BE E2 ecdB|
A3B cBAE|F2 dF FEDF|DE E2 cBAc|BAGB A3:|
|:E|e3d eA A2|EF F2 dFAF|DE E2 cBAc|BE E2 BcdB|
e3d eA A2|EF F2 dFAF|DE E2 cBAc|BAGB A3:|
E|:AEBE cE E2|dFFE Fded|cE E2 cEAc|BE E2 BcdB|
AEBE cE E2|dFFE Fded|cE E2 cEAc|1 BAGB A2 cB:|2 BAGB ABcd||
|:eAce AceA|dFAd FAdA|cEAc EAcA|BAAB ABcd|
eAce AceA|dFAd FADF|DE E2 cBAc|1 BAGB ABcd:|2 BAGB A4||
# Added by JACKB .

Thirteen comments

4th phrase in each part

It is another great tune of Gordan Duncans but I never know which ending to play in each part.

I was taught it by ear playing AFGE in the first and EFGE in the second. Will this affect me when I am playing it with other musicians?

The High Drive by Gordon Duncan

This tune is described as a reel but is it reely? (pardon the pun) I`ve also heard it described as a hornpipe
Alec

“The High Drive” ~ a rescued duplication

Submitted on November 3rd 2008 by pipingtool ~ & “Poof!”
https://thesession.org/members/38010/details

Sorry, all the details went before I could catch them… Basically pipingtool (cake decoration?) mentioned that later Gordon Duncan had added two more parts to his composition…

X: 1
T: High Drive, The
C: Gordon Duncan
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
|: A | d3 e fedA | B/B/B gB BAGB | GA A/A/A fedf | eA A/A/A afge |
d/d/d de fedA | B/B/B gB BAGB | GA A/2A/2A fedf | edce d3 :|
|: A | aaag ad d/d/d | AB B/B/B gBdB | GA A/A/A fedf | eA A/A/A efge |
aaag ad d/d/d | AB B/B/B gBdB | GA A/A/A fedf | edce d3 :|
A |: dAeA fA A/A/A | gBBA Baag | fA A/A/A afdf | eA A/A/A afge |
dAeA fA A/A/A | gBBA Baag | fA A/A/A afdf |[1 edce d2 fe :|[2 edce defg |]
|: adda ddad | gddg ddgd | fddf ddfd | edde defg |
adda ddad | gBdg BdGB | GA A/A/A fedf |[1 edce defg :|[2 edce d4 |]

The High Drive

I had an interesting conversation with Calum MacCrimmon recently about this tune. It was his opinion that the third and fourth parts were taken down from a live performance and that Duncan, being a master improviser, was simply flexing his musical muscles. I’m not sure one way or another, but I don’t believe he ever wrote down any but the first two parts. (After that conversation we played ‘The High Drive’ on stage - just the two part version!)

The High Drive

On Circular Breath Gordon only recorded it as a two part tune but the music book produced later on has it in four parts. However, it is possible that the augmented version became so entrenched in sessions that it seemed churlish not to put it into the subsequent book of his tunes. I guess we’ll never know……… sadly. Two parts or four, it’s a cracking tune.

The High Drive

I quite agree, Crieftain.

Speaking of the book - “Gordon Duncan’s Tunes” (2007), I think it’s a terrible shame and a disservice to Gordon’s memory that there are so many mistakes, stupid obvious ones at that. The proof readers should be ashamed, in my humble opinion.

Re: The High Drive

Wonderful tune by a wonderful composer. I first heard this tune in a bag piping competition and it was love at first listing. Always great to learn a tune you like! 🙂

Re: The High Drive

Tha mo iPad glè dona agus laggy. Not bag piping, bagpiping! And not listing, listen!

Re: The High Drive

First heard this tune in Edmonton with a band called the McDades.
They just posted it to their instagram. I’m wondering if their version closely matches one of the versions above?

Thanks!

Re: The High Drive

Regarding Gordon Duncan’s playing: on Just for Gordon, he plays all 4 parts, but not every time, in contrast to The Circular Breath, where he plays it as AABB. (2 A parts, 2 B parts, repeated several times).
On Just for Gordon, he plays it as AABB AABBCCDD AABB. Harmonically, the C and D parts are similar to the A and B parts, so he may just think of C as a variant of the A and D as a variant of the B.