A closer look at the MSR dataset

For the more statistically-minded who have requested further detail on the tempo figures specifically...

Year-by-year averages

The table (below left) is a year-by year breakdown of the average MSR tempos (with the number of MSRs in the dataset for that year). It is apparent that more recent years have better coverage in terms of digital recordings. These are the figures that appear in the annual tempo trends graph. For each tune type in the set, the next three tables show the maximum and minimum observed tempos, with the addition of the tempo range for that tune type. The data for the years 1991 and 2005-2007 include drumming soloists [all with piper(s)] numbering 48 in total (10.8% of the dataset).

The graph below shows the tempo trend based on each individual performance in the dataset. In most respects, these performances are unsorted, beyond the fact that many appear in the order as found on single CDs (ie, World Championships), which equates mostly to placings. This does greatly represent the variation across the bands in any one year - especially in strathspeys - as well as the high degree of 'mirroring' of the march, strathspey and reel tempo lines (especially the first and last tunes in the set). This tends to prove the point that an up-tempo march will be followed by a faster strathspey, then reel, and vice versa (with acknowledgement that strathspey tempos have fallen significantly, overall, reels to a lesser extent, and marches, even less so). The narrowing of, yet still slight tempo separation between the march and reel over the years is noteworthy.

Single band trends

How 'real' are the trends observed? Perhaps one way to look at this is to chart some of the individual bands that are found across the years. Fortunately, four undeliably excellent bands are represented in the dataset very consistently. Although no bands are to be found in every one of the twenty-one years of observed data, the following bands are worth charting indpendently (years without recorded performances available are shown in brackets):

Some bands have the same MSR tunes represented on multiple occasions in the dataset. These are shown with the dotted vertical lines and numbers to indicate the same MSR played on different occasions. In some cases, there is more than one recording of that band's MSR in a single year (refer to x-axis labels). When all this is considered, the trends over time from a number of performances can be seen in the graphs, below.

In each graph, as with others on this site, the march is the blue line, the strathspey is magenta, and the reel is in yellow. Generally, all four bands showed some tempo drop over the twenty year period, especially in the strathspey, which is in line with the overall data.

One immediately apparent trend across all four of these bands is in strathspey tempos from the late 1980s to present. Each of these top four bands exhibits a downwards trend - a slowing - of strathspey tempo over time. The trend lines for the march and reel in each case shows the same trend, though not to the same dgree. This observation reflects and validates the overall trend from the graph above, which includes Grade 1 MSRs from 48 different bands.

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1: The Highland Wedding, The Ewe Wi' the Crooked Horn, The Brown Haided Maid
2: The Highland Wedding, Susan MacLeod, John McKechnie
3: Argyllshire Gathering, Blair Drummond, John Morrison of Assynt House
4: Clan Macrae Society, Susan MacLeod, Charlie's Welcome

The trend lines show that Filed Marshal Montgomery maintain consistent separations in tempo between their tunes (ie, the ratios remain quite uniform). When playing the same MSR set, over the years, there is not necessarily consistency in playing tempos (eg: 1990 versus 1991, and 1993 versus 1995). Field Marshal have their Clan Macrae Society, Susan MacLeod, Charlie's Welcome set represented no less than seven times in the dataset, with a good deal of tempo vartaion evident over these performances. This band has favoured reel tempos at the higher end, and perhaps more than other bands represented here, consistently keeps its reels noticeably faster than its marches.

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1: The Highland Wedding, Dora MacLeod, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
2: The Highland Wedding, Athol Cummers, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
3: Captain Carswell, Susan MacLeod, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
4: Mrs John McColl, Dora MacLeod, Major David Manson

Shotts & Dykehead's trends, particularly from 1995 onwards, show that they closely match their march and reel tempos (especially from 1995 onwards), but that their strathspey tempo is often more volitile in relation to the other two. When comparing different performances of the same MSR over the years, there is significant variability, even in successive years (eg, 1989 versus 1990 and 1991-1993). Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, Shotts favoured high overall tempos across the tunes, and then in 1995 there seems to have been a concsious decision to slow the tempos, which has largely persisted since.

Interestingly, in 2006 at the British, European and World Championships, Shotts drew the same MSR on each occasion. Having each of these performances in the dataset has allowed for some closer tempo analysis (refer to table, below). Their 2003 rendition of the same MSR is provided for comparison.

The 'Diff' column in this case indicates the change in duration from the pervious part. The first observation is that the band was quite consistent with its part tempos across these contests, especially in the 2006 performances. It was noted by adjudicators and experienced listeners alike that, particularly at the 2006 World Championships, Shotts got away to a 'flying' start in Highland Wedding and the the tempo settled noticeably from there in the following parts. When looking at each of the parts timed individually, this feeling is well supported in 2006, though less so in 2003, by comparison. Although only fractions of seconds are involved (with the exception of the 2006 Worlds where over a second was gained from parts 1 to 2), experienced and attuned listeners will definitely notice this tempo drop. What is more remarkable about the part times is that in each performance, the 5th part is played faster than the 4th, then the 6th part is slowed again. This, if nothing else, illustrates the volatility of tempos even in top-line bands and highlights the need to average tempos over a couple of parts to get an overview. It also indicates how, even with the best intentions of tempo consistency (which would surely be the case), the structure of the parts can influence playing tempo even at the highest levels.

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1: Lord Alexander Kennedy, Blair Drummond, John Morrison of Assynt House
2: Balmoral Highlanders, Invarary Castle, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
3: Jimmy Young, Invarary Castle, Little Cascade
4: Clan Macrae Society, Dora MacLeod, John McKechnie
5: Lord Alexander Kennedy, Caledonian Society of London, McAllister's Dirk

With a couple of exceptions (1994 and 1997), Simon Fraser University favour reasonably high tempos in their MSR. From 2000, they have also matched their march and reel tempos quite closely, and overall, their strathspey shows significantly less tempo variation. The same MSRs played in 1997 and 1998, 2002 and 2003, and 2004-2006 were generally more consistent across performances than other bands. In fact, the Lord Alexander Kennedy, Caledonian Society of London, McAllister's Dirk, which appears in the dataset four times since 2004 shows a very close - almost exact - matching of the march and reel tempos, and a proportionate tempo shift in the strathspey, even though the set has varied in overall tempo.

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1: The Young MacGregor, Struan Robertson, John McKechnie
2: Miss Elspeth Campbell, Cameronian Rant, Pretty Marion
3: Miss Elspeth Campbell, The Ewe Wi' the Crooked Horn, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
4: The Links of Forth, Athol Cummers, McAllister's Dirk

Strathclyde Police's MSRs show some consistency in tempo ratios generally, with the exception of their reel in 2000 and to a lesser extent 2003. They are one of the few bands at this level to play their reels slower than the march regularly, although up until 1998, they matched the two quite consistently. the same MSR played from 1990 to 1992 was quite consistent (and up tempo), but there is more variation in other instances where the same MSR was played. Notably, from 2000, there has been the least consistent relationship between their march and reel tempos.

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