2/4 Styles for Scottish Songs

[DaveD]

I am looking for some proper 2/4 styles for Scottish country dance music. There doesn't seem to be any suitable styles on my Genos.

Thanks,
DaveD

[mikf]

I dont think you will find any existing styles for Scottish Country Dancing, I never did. But I did modify some march styles to work quite well for the common Ceilidh dances like Eightsome Reel, Dashing Whte Sergeant, Canadian Barn Dance, Strip the Willow and Gay Gordons just by changing tempo and voices. BTW, it matters little if the time signature is 2/4 or 4/4. But I never did find a neat way to do the  '4/4 to 6/8 and back' change that is so common in Scottish dance music. Unfortunately, all this is long enough ago that I have no idea where those modified styles might be. Probably they were stored my long gone PSR 3000! But I know that I didn't spend all that long on them, so you should be able to do these minor mods.
A lot of how authentic this music sounds comes from the lead voices, and the lead timing. Thats just something that comes from growing up with this music and playing in these bands. And of course you have to do those key changes that are such a part of this kind of music - just hit the dominant 7th at the end of a tune and move counterclockwise round the circle of 5ths for the next tune. Thats one of the things that gives this kind of music such a lift.
Mike

[Toril S]

There are some in the style collections here. Look in the world cathegory. But as Mike says, not many!

[mikf]

Have to admit I never found any, not just "not many".
I would be interested though if you have seen some Toril. Don't get confused by styles like "Celtic"  or bagpipes, they are nothing like Scottish country dance.
Mike

[Toril S]

I was thinking of those...

[DaveD]

Thanks Toril and Mike for the replies. I will take your advice Mike and just modify some existing 4/4 styles.

DaveD