I don't know if anyone can possibly put this into words, but here goes...

I have the basic celtic hornpipe rhythm down, but the occasional quarter notes really just knock me off and I can't quite get the feel of them. So I went through my CDs and looked for hornpipes, but it only made things worse. Instead of playing the quarter notes as quarter notes, they sound kinda shortened, and almost as if their rhythm was a function of phrasing (if I'm using that term correctly) instead of actual note values.

Incidentally, I'm working on the Concertina Hornpipe (fiddle), in 4/4 time, and it's mostly written as eighth notes, even though that's not really how it's played.

Off to the internet. I found this definition: "The numerous hornpipes of the 17th and 18th centuries are usually in 3/2 time, but today are in 2/4 and 4/4 time. Original hornpipes in 2/4 and 4/4 meter are played more slowly than the reel and in a slightly altered rhythm which is expressed as follows:"

The example which followed specified 4/4 time, but didn't include 4 beats in the measure... grr!

1/8 - 1/16 - 1/8 - 1/16 --- 1/8 - 1/16 - 1/8 - 1/16

So now I'm lost. What am I supposed to do when I hit those darn quarter notes?

Anyone feel up to taking a whack at this? My fiddle teacher didn't seem to be able to verbalize it or notate it, and of course I don't remember what he did when he played through it...