Music

As one of the most well known traditional musics of the world, Scottish music has maintained a strong integrity at the same times that many other indigenous music forms have slowly been replaced by pop music. Even in areas outside of the country of Scotland, the music from the Highlands enjoys considerable popularity due to the existence of Scottish games that celebrate the cultural heritage of the country. The most common form of Scottish music that is heard outside of the country is from piping bands, which feature a combination of bagpipes and drums to play traditional song medleys.

Other than the famous Scottish bagpipes, there are many other instruments that play a vital role in the musical history of the country. Accordions are another popular instrument and were often used in country dances. From the same tradition comes the melodeon, an instrument that is similar to an accordion, but using a diatonic button. In recent years, many modern performers have brought back the accordion music that was more popular in previous centuries, incorporating the old songs with a modern feel to make it more accessible to younger crowds.

At a Scottish games of Highland culture festival, a person can expect to hear many different types of traditional music. In addition to the distinctive sounds of the bagpipes and accordions, there will most likely be a large folk music presence as well. The vocal folk music of Scotland is one of its strongest traditions and is usually played with a guitar, harp, or fiddle. The expressive singing often takes the form of a lament of ballad and can either be a solo or choral voice. Because the majority of Scottish people learned these traditional folk songs at an early age, many concerts reach the end with the entire audience singing along with the performers.