THE “COMPANION”

To the

“HOW TO” PIOBAIREACHD MANUAL

Devised, Arranged, Compiled and Published entirely

by

Major Archie Cairns, MMM, CD (4)

(first published in 2007)

I have written out 30 piobaireachd using the same method of staff notation I used in my Piobaireachd Manual.  In most tunes I only write Phrases that are repeated once.  I selected tunes with varying construction and degrees of difficulty including these 3 types:

Conventional, Breabach and Fosgailte.

I want to stress that, in writing this book, I am in NO WAY stating that the settings or methods of staff notation in the published works of the Piobaireachd Society, Kilberry's Ceol Mor or any other books of piobaireachd, are incorrect or inferior to what I have written.

Although the settings in my book may differ somewhat from what is published in other books, they are what I was taught by my 3 teachers - my father, Pipe Major John Knox Cairns, Pipe Major John Wilson and (mainly) Capt John MacLellan, MBE.  Together with some of my interpretations, these settings are what I have played and / or taught for over 70 years. 

Just as I stated in the "How To" Piobaireachd Manual, that it is NOT a "Do It Yourself Book", the same applies to the "Companion".  An experienced piobaireachd instructor is recommended in order to learn the many subtleties and nuances in our "Big Music".