Bagpipe Taorluath
The taorluath (pronounced roughly “tare-loo-ah”) is one of the most important complex embellishments in piping. It appears frequently in marches, particularly strathspeys, and is considered a hallmark of good technique when played cleanly.
Structure of the Taorluath
The taorluath is a three-note embellishment: D — Low G — Low A executed quickly before or on the main melody note (which must be E, F, High G, or High A for a standard taorluath).
Step by Step
- From your current note, briefly sound D (right-hand fingers only, similar to D position).
- Immediately drop all right-hand fingers + R4 to sound Low G (all fingers down).
- Lift R4 to move to Low A for a brief moment.
- Move to the melody note.
The whole sequence must be executed very rapidly — the three grace notes should collectively take no more time than a single grace note at a slow tempo.
Practice Method
Isolate the three-note movement (D — Low G — Low A) and practice it repeatedly at a slow, even tempo. Use a metronome. The three notes should be perfectly even in duration and volume. Once the movement is muscle memory, begin to speed it up.
Taorluath in Strathspeys
Strathspeys are one of the main categories of bagpipe music and make heavy use of the taorluath. Once your taorluath is clean, learn a simple strathspey and practice placing the embellishment correctly within the rhythm. The taorluath in a strathspey always falls on a specific beat — placing it in the wrong part of the bar is a common error.