'Jigs' and 'reels'

[pianoplayjl]

I finished an exercise in a music workbook and while looking in advance ther ecame a question I don't know the answer to.  I came across this question asking us to analyze a little melody. Too bad I don't know how to describe how the melody goes! So, does anyone know what  a 'jig' or 'reel' is? Or is a jig/reel about the contour of the melody?

JL

[Bob]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jig

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reel_(dance)

https://forums.bobdunsire.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108783
https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-reel-and-vs-jig/
https://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00374/dancetypes.html

Sounds like it's more to do with the dance movements, and maybe the meter.

[pianoplayjl]

Thankyou, Bon! I understand, althouhg it will be hard to identify in the melody. Thnx for finding the info.

JL

[nystul]

Just look at the rhythm.  To be a jig it will have to use compound meter or a lot of triplets or something to represent three parts per beat.

[pianoplayjl]

Just look at the rhythm.  To be a jig it will have to use compound meter or a lot of triplets or something to represent three parts per beat.

That helped alot and saved me the bother of reading Wikipedia. Your info just made the identification more simplistic. As I analysed the melody I instantly knew it was a Jig!

JL

[iansinclair]

It is about dance rhythmn -- jigs are always in 6/8 or 12/8 double or quadruple triple time; there is a strong accent on the first beat and and a secondary accent or pulse on the fourth beat; if in 12/8 the seventh gets an accent, but not as strong as the first but stronger than the fourth, and tenth gets the same weight as the fourth.  Listen to a good ceilidh band sometime!  Reels, on the other hand, are always quadruple time -- usually written (if written at all) as 4/4, with "eight to the bar" subordinate pulse.

[pianoplayjl]

So jig is triple time, rig is quadruple time. Got it.

JL

[iansinclair]

Quite so -- but be a little careful of the accent in jigs.  One could argue that a waltz, for example, is also triple (commonly written 3/4 time).  In a waltz, the pulse is 1 & 2 & 3 | 1 & 2 & 3, but in a jig it is 1 2 3 4 5 6 | 1 2 3 4 5 6

Hope that doesn't confuse matters...