Speed of 2/4 march in Gr 4 comp?

[Turpen, David T]

Have been doing some practice with a metronome lately. The results were
surprising...one surprise was just how fast 68 BPM really is. (I've
read that competition marches are usually played at about 68-72 BPM but
not sure if that's for solos or band competitions.)

The tune (Atholl & Breadalbane Gathering) is comfortable for me at about
2/3 that pace. If I push the tempo up past the low 50's my doublings
get rushed and things don't sound as good.

I wondered what is the *expected* tempo of a 2/4 march in grade 4 solo
competition? I think you'd have to be in a much higher grade to play a
competition tune well at 68 BPM.

Thanks,

Dave

[HILNDPIPER]

Speed is not the main thing in Grade IV. The judges are looking for
steady tempos, steady drones, and articulation. They want doublings,
thows, birls, grips, etc. to be correct. At Grade IV, those are the

things that separate the winner from the losers. You said:

>The tune (Atholl & Breadalbane Gathering) is comfortable for me at about
>2/3 that pace. If I push the tempo up past the low 50's my doublings
>get rushed and things don't sound as good.
>
>

If that is the case, play it at the tempo that is comfortable for you.
It's better to play it a little slower and to play everything correctly
than to rush and make a mess of the whole thing...I hope this helps.

[Kevin Scott]

Hi all,
I may be piping up a tree here but I thought I would ask around and see
if anyone had one or a matched set of those old out of tune chanters
around. I think you may know the type. The ones that are too flat on the
top hand for todays bright new Band sound. If you have something along
these lines e-mail me and I may help you get rid of them in a dignified
manner.
Kevin Scott

[bob]

HILNDPIPER wrote:
>
> Speed is not the main thing in Grade IV.
> >

> If that is the case, play it at the tempo that is comfortable for you.
> It's better to play it a little slower and to play everything correctly
> than to rush and make a mess of the whole thing...I hope this helps.

AT three differant locations in two differant pipe band asso.
Judges have told me that the toon I was playing was being played to
slow.... The toon I was playing was Charles Edward Hope Vear a 4 part
2/4 march The only other comments on the sheet was good tone good inst.
tarl's very good rhythm very good grace notes in proper placing and on
the beet but played way to solw for garde 4

The events were Loon Mt.EUSPBA Stone Mt.EUSPBA Orland SUSPBA
and Mimia SUSPBA. I went to MacPhearsons Lument and now tempo is ok
I have other prob's but that is another story.

Have a Disney Day

[Ampiobaire]

Speed certainly is not the main concern of Gr IV comp marches. Play at a
tempo at which all of your doublings are open and not cramped and a tempo
that is comfortable to march to.

Play at a tempo that is good for expression of the tune as well. Bob
Worrall advised to always play the odd numbered bars as STRONG, weak,
Medium, weak and the even numbered bars as somewhat round. And always
treat the completing cadence with special care for that is the one portion
of the tune that ties it all together. Play it with strength.

Something that helps me to get the rhythm of a march is after the judge
has told me "ready when you are" and I've tuned my drones, I will start
marching to the tune in my head, hearing the tune at a tempo that is
pleasing to me. While the feet are already going I bring up the pipes and
begin playing allowing myself to settle into the beat I started out with.
This starts me with a good tempo that I can easily settle in to and will
minimize the amount of acceleronde or decelerondo that can unfortunately
occur.

Good luck!

Ryan Morrison