Click on the button below to get the PDF download for this tab delivered to you, and get 2 new tunes and tabs sent to you every week!
In the United Kingdom, they know it as “Scotland the Brave.”
Here in the United States, of course, we just refer to it as “the bagpipe song.”
So while you may not know this tune by its official name, unless you’ve been living under a rock with your ears plugged, you know this melody.
It’s fitting, I think, to adapt a classic bagpipe song to the 5 string banjo. The two instruments share some commonalities: both employ droning, both are often misunderstood, and both typically either evoke joy or disdain – and seldom anything in between – by those within earshot.
No surprise that I’m quite fond of the pipes myself, and I imagine this is true of most of your reading this.
[NOTE: For those considering adding a Brainjo banjo to their collection but are on the fence as to the particular setup they desire, this one is played on a “Tommy” model. Click here if you’d like to learn more, or claim one in the next batch]
Some of you may note that the time signature here is 4:4. Unlike the majority of banjo material, which can be written with a recurring 2 beat pulse, this is one case where a repeating 4 beat unit is needed to convey the STRONG-weak-weak-weak beat structure.
Though whether or not you understand the conventions of musical notations and time signatures is irrelevant, as all that matters is you place the beat emphasis in the right spot. And the best way to do so in this aural tradition of ours is to use your eyes, not your ears.
Scotland the Brave
gCGCD tuning, Brainjo level 3-4
Notes on the Tab
Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes. To learn more about these, check out my video lesson on the subject.
For more on reading tabs in general, check out this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.
[RELATED: Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.
Click here for a current list of all the clawhammer songs and tunes currently available inside of The Vault
View the Brainjo Course Catalog
