Click here to jump straight to the TAB for “Miss McLeod’s Reel”.
“Miss McLeod’s Reel” originally comes from Scotland. The MacLeods were a noble family in the 17th century – though there seems to be no record of why the tune was named for them. The tune moved from Scotland to Ireland in the 18th century, dropping the “a” from the name at that point, and then found its way to the States in the early 19th century.
The tune was popular in America after the Civil War, one of many fiddle tunes that took hold after being brought to the New World by Irish immigrants. As a popular dance tune in the South, slight variations were known as “Hop High Ladies” and “Uncle Joe” and often featured lyrics. It was a staple of what we now refer to as Old Time music.
“Miss McLeod’s Reel” Playing Tips
“Miss McLeod’s” is a simple yet satisfying tune. You can play the entire thing without moving your hand out of first position. It uses a single octave of the G major scale, and it is full of repeating patterns.
Both the A and the B sections feature a measure that is repeated three times, creating a call-and-response structure to the tune that is at the core of what makes it memorable and enduring. The A section “call” measures feature an octave interval jump requiring a string skip, and the B section “calls” feature a quick, five-note scale run. You’ll be hitting them both with ease with a bit of practice.
Not only do the “call” measures of the A and B sections repeat, but the “response” measures in each section are identical, a progression that highlights the major third, major second, and perfect fifth of the scale. These intervals, combined with the repeated patterns in the “calls” that highlight the tonic and the major scale, give the song a thoroughly “happy” tone with no real dissonance or tension, another contributor to the tunes enduring popularity.
“Miss McLeod’s” plays a bit low to my ear in G. I actually prefer it transposed up to D in the high G version. You’ll find download buttons for both below the embedded PDF. Happy picking!
“Miss McLeod’s Reel” Low G Sheet Music Download
“Miss McLeod’s Reel” High G Sheet Music Download
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