Piping and Drumming Events

One of the more traditional events to be found at any Highland games competition are those that focus on the music that originated in the country of Scotland. Of these, the most prestigious is the pipe and drum competition, usually with bands consisting of around 14 members competing in the event. The main instruments are traditional drums combined with the native instrument of bagpipes. The competing bands play song standards as well as modern interpretations of classic tunes. The members of the bands are frequently dressed in traditional costume of dresses for the women and kilts for the men.

In addition to the band competitions, there are also solo events for both bagpipe players and drummer. For the bagpipers, emphasis in the scoring of the event is placed on the ability to keep proper time and to produce the correct notes. Judges look for an ability to maintain the right tempo for the songs and the individual breaks between the tunes. The two main bagpipe events are the piobaireachd, meaning the classical music, and the MSR, or marches, strathspeys, and reels. Judging for the solo drumming events is based upon the drummer’s ability to execute a rhythm with the right tone, tempo, roll, and the quality of the song that is produced.

In the band event, the judges have a more difficult task to determine a winner. In addition to evaluating the correct performance of the medley of songs, the judges must also take into account the difficulty in the selection that the band has prepared. This means that the band with the most technical skill may not win if they are not able to perform the difficult songs that they have selected. In this manner, the playing field is equalized and the winning band is not decided in advance of the competition.