“Skye Waulking Song” Capercaillie
Area of Study 4
Capercailllie Sound
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The song combines folk and rock instruments.
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The (amplified) instruments associated with rock music are:
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Synthesiser Wurlitzer piano
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Bass
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drum kit
The (acoustic) instruments associated with folk music are:
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Violin (fiddle)
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Accordion
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Pipes
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Bouzouki
Song Structure
Section
Bar Numbers
Intro
1-8 (0:00 – 0:33)
Verse 1
9-11 (0:33 – 0:51)
Break
12-15 (0:51 – 1:03)
Verse 2
16-20 (1:03 – 1:24)
Verse 3
21-24 (1:24 – 1:41)
Verse 4
25-28 (1:41 – 1:58)
Verse 5
29-32 (1:58 – 2:14)
Verse 6
33-36 (2:14 – 2:31)
Instrumental
37-43 (2:31 – 3:01)
Verse 7
44-48 (3:01 – 3:21)
Verse 8
49-52 (3:21 – 3:38)
Outro
53 – end (3:38 – 4:38)
Analysis
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Section one (bars 1 - 24)
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Feels very traditional, with just
a simple beat
In E minor - chords change
between Em & G
Quite quiet, calm and peaceful
- almost sounding subdued
None of the instruments really
stand out in the focus is on the
singer
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Section two (bars 24 - to
end)
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Full rhythm section (drums and
bass part)
In G major (relative major of E
minor)
Generally much louder, there is
a quieter section when the
drums and bass guitar stop
A pipe solo that uses some of
the vocal melody line as it
improvises
There are harmonised backing
vocals
Important points to note
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'Chuir m’thair mise dhan taigh charraideach' - translates into English as 'My
father sent me to the house of sorrow'.
Harmony in this style of music is less important than melody and rhythm
The harmony is very simple
The chord changes highlight the change of section and mood
The melodic lines are played in the folk style
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Instruments improvise around the melody simultaneously, sometimes playing a
very similar melody in slightly different ways -heterophonic texutre
Improvised counterpoint - around the melody and scale – G major
The vocal part is sung using the scale of E minor pentatonic or G major
pentatonic throughout
The traditions of “Waulking Song” can be heard in the use of nonsense,
syllables between each sung line and repetition of each line of the verse
The backing vocals join in for the vocalising of the nonsense syllables in
between each line of lyrics
Glossary relating to Set work
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Oral Tradition – a tradition which is passed on by word of
mouth or imitation
Protest songs – folk songs with political lyrics
Fusion – a mingling, or blending together, of more than one
musical style or culture to create a new ‘fused’ sound
Heterophonic texture – two or more parts playing the same
melodic line simultaneously with small variations between the
parts
Pentatonic scale - a five note scale
Vocables - nonsense syllables
Scots Gaelic Strophic structure - Melody in each verse is the same
Bouzouki - A string instrument a bit like a mandolin