March, Strathspey and Reel Guide Tempo Calculator [Update: January, 2008]
The march, strathspey and reel is a cornerstone of pipe band competition the world over - it is something of a common denominator. Observation would indicate that, aside from execution and expression, an area where an MSR performance can be dramatically affected is tempo, and more specifically, changes in tempo between tunes.
A problem that often exists for bands with less experience, is achieving a complementary progression in playing tempos between each of the tunes. A tempo change that is too fast or too slow when compared with the preceding tune, can spoil the entire performance. More often than not the playing tempos will be limited by the combined ability of the band - pipers and drummers - to execute the tune clearly and with good expression.
What is the purpose of this calculator?This calculator is intended to provide a guide to playing tempos for a march, strathspey or reel based on a desired benchmark tempo. The calculator will provide an ideal complementary tempo and also a statistically determined upper and lower tempo range, based on a single input tempo benchmark.
What this calculator does not do, is specify any particular tempo. This is for each band or soloist to decide. It would be foolhardy for bands of lesser ability and experience to aim for the average tempos set by the top bands in the world. What the calculator does do, is ensure that, if a march is played relatively quickly, then the strathspey and reel are also played relatively quickly, and vice versa. Most importantly, the tune tempos will be in proportion with one another. Hopefully, this would avoid the problem of excessive and incongruous tempo changes between tunes, and lead to a more pleasing performance overall. That the playing tempo of each individual tune should to be kept as steady as possible goes without saying.
So, if a band is comfortable and satisfied playing a particular tune in the MSR set at a given tempo, then it can use that tune's tempo as the basis for identifying tempos in the two remaining tunes, safe in the knowledge that the tempo relationships are sympathetic. In a competition situation, minimising risk, or at least giving the adjudicator fewer areas for obvious adverse criticism should be an aim. Removing tempo change problems would be one less thing for a band to worry about on the day.
How does it work?
Based on a sample of 443 Grade 1 standard MSRs representing the work of 53 bands - past and present - and top soloists (piper(s) with snare drum) recorded between 1987-2007 - largely from World Pipe Band Championships and other maror contests - a series of ratios have been statistically determined that govern the relationships between each type of tune in the MSR set. Based on any one tune in the MSR set, this statistical relationship is then used to calculate appropriate tempos for the remaining two tunes.
Digitally recorded performances from the world's top bands and soloists have been used because they represent the pinnacle of quality in our form of music and the audio reproduction is accurate. Even though there is a vast range of tempos that may be heard across the three tune types from band to band, and tempo fashions have also shifted over the years, the ratios between each of the MSR tunes has remained relatively constant.
As an offshoot to the data collection process, the observed tempos for each tune in the MSR set was also recorded and averaged year-by-year. A graph of the annual tempo trends is provided with the trends themselves shown as dotted lines. It reveals that strathspey tempos have fallen significantly since 1987 and reels much less so. Marches have remained fairly constant. What is noticeable, is the fact that reels have been moving much closer to the march tempo, something which many bands aim for today. It should be kept in mind that these tempo trends are derived from Grade 1 performances, and that these tempos may not suit bands with less experience (or even particular tunes), and therefore, should not be seen as 'ideal' for all. It is the ratios which do retain their relevance, regardless of a band's grading, experience or ability.
Note: For those who wish to delve further into the figures, including case studies of top individual bands, here is some further tempo data. Here, overall averages and tempo ranges are shown, as well as some long term trends for selected top bands.
The links below will take you to tables that allow you to calculate the ideal complementary tempo with an appropriate tempo range based on your:
Simply enter the desired tempo (in blue, accurate to 1 decimal place) in the input box, and click the 'Recalculate' button or click somewhere in the window.
The ideal complementary tempo will be provided in the middle column in red - for the remaining two tunes in the set - with the lower and upper limits in the columns either side in orange. Results are rounded to the nearest full beat, making it easier to set using a metronome. It should be noted that the ranges provided do allow for considerable scope, and that the range either above or below the ideal tempo, is not necessarily uniform.
If your current playing tempo(s), based on one tune, fall outside the nominated range(s), then there is a case for making the necessary adjustments in playing tempo(s) to achieve more harmonious results. Certainly any MSR performance where any tempos fall outside the ranges given here would give rise to a situation where tempos would sound mismatched to an astute listener, that is, the adjudicator! Caution should also be exercised when altering the tempo of one tune in the MSR set without monitoring, and perhaps changing the other tunes, within certain tolerances
A note on playing to a metronome. Once tempos are decided upon a metronome is a useful tool to set a steady tempo, especially for the march at the start of the set. Following the metronome exactly, especially as a band, is extremely difficult to achieve. The fact is that even the best bands in the world have a degree of minor tempo fluctuation across tunes and even with parts or phrases. This is the human element, and also desired expression, at work. To play exactly to a metronome could lead to a rather lifeless, mechanical performance. So just remember, even fractions of a beat per second in variation will put you out from the metronone, but these types of variations will not be discernable to the listener (and most adjudicators). Do avoid the more obvious tempo fluctuations, that is, one or more beats per minute. Although this should be an aim, even top bands occasionally suffer from noticeable tempo change in major contests, so no-one's perfect!
What about the medley?
During a presentation on ensemble given in Melbourne on 5 March 2006, Bob Worrall, noted piper, composer and adjudicator, made a specific mention of the 'balance' of tempo between a strathspey and a reel, but in the context of a medley, rather than a MSR. Could the 'balance' to which he referred be the same tempo ratio seen between the middle and last tunes in the competition MSR?
It is very common in many musical selections, or medleys, to hear strathspeys followed by reels. It is a fairly standard and totally logical construction. Often though, these are two-parted, rather than the 'big' strathspeys and reels of the competition set; although some bands do play selected parts of the big tunes within their musical selections and often modern reels are more creatively, rather than traditionally phrased. Worrall also noted the pitfall of playing two successive tunes of the same 'family' at different tempos, ie, one strathspey or reel after another but at a different tempo. So, we should assume – and this is confirmed by what we actually hear in top performances – that two or more small strathspeys or reels played in succession will invariably be of a consistent tempo within that type of tune.
This then begs the question: Might the guide tempo calculator be used to assist with the setting of strathspey and reel tempos in a musical selection? It would seem to be logical that the calculator might be of use here too. Give it a try. Use either the Strathspey or Reel Guide Tempo Calculators and simply ignore the figures relating to the march. Just remember to keep successive strathspeys or reels at a consistent tempo.
Dedication:
With his kind permission, this page is dedicated to the legendary Alexander
McCormick. Alex, an acknowledged pioneer of this drumming
idiom, was leading drummer of the World Champion City of Glasgow Police
Pipe Band of the early 1950s and the RSPBA Drumming Principal (1949-1952) responsible
for the first College drumming syllabus. Without Alex's contribution, the global
pipe band community would be very much the poorer in ways too numerous to list.
At the RSPBA's 75th Anniversary Dinner held in Glasgow (2005), Alex was presented with
Honorary Life Membership of the RSPBA - a very fitting tribute indeed. In March 2006, at the Victorian Pipe Band Championships in Geelong, Alex was presented with an RSPBA Life Membership medal -one of only a handful in existence - by visiting Scottish adjudicator Joe Noble. He is pictured below proudly wearing the medal, and back in 1951 holding the World Drumming Championship trophy. Alex passed away on 18 August 2007, at peace and surrounded by family and the music he loved and to which he gave so much. A tribute was published by Pipes|Drums.
About the author: Stephen Matthews is an educator and author from Victoria, Australia who has over twenty-five years' experience in pipe band drumming initially as a bass drummer, then a corps and lead side drummer, a drumming tutor and more recently, a drumming adjudicator. He is currently a competitive player with the University of Ballarat Pipe Band - pictured at the top if this page - and a member of the Australian Pipe Band College drumming panel in Victoria. He was appointed College Administrator (Victoria) in June 2005. From 2004-2006 he was Vice President of the Pipe Bands Victoria and Vice Chairman of the Australian Pipe Band Association (Victoria Branch).
© Stephen R Matthews, 2004-2006. This calculator is based on data originally collected for an article in Piper & Drummer magazine (June 2004, pp 20-25) and updated using subsequently available recordings. It is provided solely as a guide, free for use by members of the international pipe band community. Comments to the author are welcomed. Enquiries regarding linking to this site are also welcomed and should be directed to the author. Revision date Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:29 PM