Mairi's Wedding — Bagpipe Sheet Music
Time Signature: 4/4 (Reel) | Key: Two sharps (standard bagpipe key)
Mairi's Wedding (also known as The Lewis Bridal Song) is one of the most lively and fun tunes in the bagpipe repertoire. It is a fast reel with a driving melody that is immediately recognizable. It is suitable for players who have good grace note technique and can maintain tempo.
Tune Structure
Mairi's Wedding is a reel in 4/4 time, typically arranged in two 16-bar sections (AABB). The tempo is brisk — start slow and build speed gradually.
Note Sequence Guide
Section A: High A High G E D | E D B D | E High G High A High G | High A . . . | High A High G E D | E D B D | E D B Low A | Low A . . . | Section B: E High G High A . | High A High G E D | E High G High A . | High A . . . | E D B D | E D B D | E D B Low A | Low A . . . |
Tips for Learning This Tune
- Start this tune at half tempo. It is often played too fast by beginners, resulting in sloppy grace notes.
- The High A — High G — E — D figure at the opening is the signature phrase. Clean this up first.
- This tune benefits greatly from strikes on Low A in the closing bars of each section.
- Once you can play it at tempo with clean grace notes, it is one of the most enjoyable tunes in the repertoire.