Irish Fiddle & Celtic Music

The Music of a Land

Irish Fiddle is a style of fiddle playing that is fast, emotional, and insists on being danced to. Full of intricate bowing and furiously fast notation, Irish and Celtic fiddling is stirring. When you hear the fast fiddling done in Irish or Celtic style, you can almost see the dancers in your mind's eye. 

A traditional Irish dance party, called a "Ceilidh" (pronounced KAY-lee) features jigs and reels, along with slow airs. It is a mix of extremes: fast-paced tunes and slow, haunting airs that bring a tear to your eye. If people are really into it, they can dance a jig. Or they can get together and do a set dance like a reel, with intricate steps and movements that usually involve a dance caller. 

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Jigs and Reels 

So what is the difference between a Jig and a Reel? The trick to remembering the answer is in the question itself. "Jig" has three letters: J-I-G. And a Jig features a set of REALLY fast triplets. One-two-three, one-two-three, etc. Click here for an example. 

Meanwhile, "Reel" has four letters: R-E-E-L. Reels have four beats, played extremely fast. Here is an example. 

So now you can amaze your friends when you tell them the difference between a jig and a reel!