Father John MacMillan Of Barra march

A great pipe march; I couldn’t it list it as such on the site as there is no category for 2/4 tunes other than polkas. Written by Norman MacDonald.

How is this not already in the database? Weird.

For those that can ‘mis’-read music well, try it in steady 6/8 instead, for this more flowy flow feel. .

Watch Hamish Moore play this march on the pipes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnE0CpdZmDk

play video

With no Gs anywhere in the tune, I hear this more in A-Major, rather than -Mixolydian. I think anyone chording it will probably gravitate that way, too.

Great tune!

Can the admin not add some more Scottish categories like 2/4 march or 6/8 march?

The key they’re playing in the Video… I think:

X:2
T:Father John MacMillan Of Barra
L:1/8
M:4/4
I:linebreak $
K:G
D>E | F2 E<D D2 F<A | B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D D2 B>A | F2 E<D E2 D>E | F2 E<D D2 F<A |$ B2 A<F A3 B |
A2 F<D E2 F>E | D4 D2 :| F<A | B2 A<A A2 B<d | B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D D2 B>A |1$ F2 E<D E2 F<A |
B2 A<A A2 B<d | B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D E2 F>E | D4 D2 :|2 F2 E<D E2 D>E |$ F2 E<D F<AF<D |
B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D E2 F>E | D4 D2 || D>E | F<DF<A F2 D>F | B2 A<F A3 B |$ d>BA<B F2 B>A |
F2 E<D E2 D>E | F<DF<A F2 D>F | B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D E2 F>E | D4 D2 :|$ F<A | B2 A>B d>BA<B |
B2 D>F A3 B | B2 A>B d>BA<B | F2 E<D E2 F<A | B2 A>B d>BA<B |$ B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D E2 F>E |
D4 D2 F<A | B2 A>B d>BA<B | B2 D>F A3 B | B2 A>B A>Bd>A |$ F>GA>F E2 D>E | F2 E<D F<AF<D |
B2 A<F A3 B | A2 F<D E2 F>E | D4 D2 |]

Nice catchy tune - It is nice in 2/4. A great resource, the session is. Played it now on then whistle but will try it later on the banjo and the guitar, just to see how it fits.

“ It is nice in 2/4”. You would expect that, as it’s a 2/4 march.

As in the second setting, X:2.

A standard for Canadian Barn Dance for many ceilidh bands. Fiddlers and pickers seem to have more trouble playing it, than other intruments, because of all the “snaps”.

I can’t see any more difficulty playing the tune on the fiddle or mandolin (picking)?
There is a technique in playing “snaps” but there are different approaches and styles. I don’t see that it’s any more difficult on the fiddle. After all, this instrument is very much associated with Strath spey, marches, and the like.

The biggest issue is when you don’t quite learn these tunes and either put the snaps in the wrong place or inadvertently reverse the dotted and short notes. Easily done and you don’t always realise it until you play with others.

Johnny Jay, I am sure you play them fine, but some of my other pals who play said string instruments do have trouble with them. You wouldn’t believe how many hours we have laboured over them: some just don’t put them in at all! If playing from a score then highlighter pen works wonders for getting all the snaps in the right places, but not many people take up on this idea.