You’re sitting in a pub listening to a session and someone says “nice set of reels.” You nod and smile, but quietly wonder: how is that different from what they played five minutes ago? And wasn’t that a jig? Or a hornpipe? Is there actually a difference?
Yes. And once you learn to hear it, you can’t unhear it. Every type of Irish tune has its own rhythm, feel and personality. Reels drive. Jigs bounce. Hornpipes swagger. Polkas stomp. Slow airs make the world stop.
This guide walks through all the main tune types you’ll hear in Irish traditional music, with simple tricks to tell them apart — even if you’ve never read a note of music in your life.
At a Glance
Here’s the quick reference. Don’t worry if the time signatures mean nothing to you — the “Feel” and “Recognition trick” columns are what matter.
| Tune Type | Time | Tempo | Feel | Recognition Trick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reel | 4/4 | Fast | Driving, flowing | “double-decker, double-decker” |
| Double Jig | 6/8 | Brisk | Bouncing, lilting | “rashers and sausages” |
| Slip Jig | 9/8 | Medium | Graceful, flowing | “pineapple, pineapple” |
| Hornpipe | 4/4 | Slower | Swung, strutting | “upsy-daisy, upsy-daisy” |
| Polka | 2/4 | Fast | Bouncy, stompy | “humpty-dumpty” |
| Slide | 12/8 | Fast | Rolling, propulsive | A fast single jig |
| Slow Air | Free | Slow | Lyrical, emotional | No fixed tempo; pure melody |
Now let’s dig into each one properly.
Reels
The reel is the king of the session. It’s the most common tune type in Irish traditional music, and if you picture fast, exhilarating trad in your head, you’re almost certainly imagining a reel.
Reel
How to recognise a reel
Try saying “double-decker, double-decker” in time with the music. If the words fit naturally, you’re hearing a reel. The rhythm is even and driving — there’s no bounce or swing to it, just pure propulsion. Another test: tap your foot along with the beat and count the fast notes between taps. If you count four, it’s a reel.
Where they came from
The reel came to Ireland from Scotland, probably in the late 1700s. Early Irish music collections contain far more jigs than reels, but over the past two centuries the reel has gradually come to dominate the repertoire. Many of the reels played in sessions today are actually Scottish compositions, though you’d never guess it from the way Irish musicians play them.
Famous reels to listen for
The Maid Behind the Bar, The Silver Spear, The Bucks of Oranmore, Drowsy Maggie, The Reconciliation Reel, The Ships Are Sailing. Any of these will give you a perfect feel for what a reel sounds like.
Jigs
If reels are the engine of the session, jigs are its heartbeat. The jig is arguably the most distinctively Irish of all tune types, and the one most associated with Irish music in the popular imagination.
The most common form is the double jig, played in 6/8 time. This means six eighth notes per bar, grouped into two sets of three — which gives the jig its famous bouncing, lilting feel. Where a reel flows, a jig dances.
How to recognise a jig
The classic trick: say “rashers and sausages, rashers and sausages” in time with the music. If it fits, you’re hearing a jig. The triplet grouping — ONE-two-three, FOUR-five-six — gives it a rhythm completely different from the even, driving pulse of a reel. It’s the “diddley-dee, diddley-dee” of Irish music.
Types of jig
- Double jig: The standard jig. 6/8 time, continuous streams of eighth notes grouped in threes. This is what people mean when they just say “jig.”
- Single jig: A simpler rhythm, sometimes in 6/8 or 12/8, with longer note values. Less common than the double jig.
- Slip jig: A different beast entirely — covered in its own section below.
Famous jigs to listen for
The Kesh Jig, Morrison’s Jig, The Connachtman’s Rambles, The Cliffs of Moher, Out on the Ocean. These are tunes you’ll hear at sessions everywhere.
Slip Jigs
The slip jig is the odd one out in Irish trad, and many musicians and listeners consider it the most beautiful of all the tune types. It’s in 9/8 time — nine eighth notes per bar, grouped in threes — which gives it a graceful, flowing quality that feels almost airborne. If a double jig bounces, a slip jig floats.
How to recognise a slip jig
Try “pineapple, pineapple” — three syllables, three beats, repeated three times per bar. The 9/8 time signature gives the slip jig an asymmetry that feels slightly off-kilter compared to the 6/8 jig, and that’s exactly what gives it its elegance. It’s often described as the most graceful of all Irish dance forms — and in step dancing, the slip jig is traditionally danced by women only.
Famous slip jigs to listen for
The Rocky Road to Dublin (perhaps the most famous of all), The Butterfly, The Kid on the Mountain, Drops of Brandy.
Hornpipes
Hornpipe
How to recognise a hornpipe
The mnemonic is “upsy-daisy, upsy-daisy” — a long-short, long-short pattern (dotted eighth note followed by a sixteenth note) that gives the hornpipe its characteristic bounce. If a tune sounds like a reel but slower and with more swing, it’s probably a hornpipe. They often end phrases with three emphatic crotchets (quarter notes), which is a dead giveaway.
Where they came from
Hornpipes came to Ireland from England, possibly brought by sailors — the classic “sailor’s hornpipe” was originally danced in the cramped conditions of a ship. In Irish step dancing, the hornpipe is performed in hard shoes, and the slower tempo allows for more intricate and percussive footwork.
Famous hornpipes to listen for
The Harvest Home, The Rights of Man, Off to California, The Boys of Bluehill, The Cork Hornpipe.
Polkas
Polka
In Ireland, polkas are overwhelmingly associated with the Sliabh Luachra region, the hilly borderlands where Kerry, Cork and Limerick meet. This is polka country. The music there is deeply tied to dance, and polkas are played with a rhythmic energy and earthiness that reflects the landscape and the people. If you’re ever at a set dancing night in Kerry and the polkas start, the floor will fill in seconds.
How to recognise a polka
Try “humpty-dumpty, humpty-dumpty” — a quick, two-beat bounce. Polkas are simpler melodically than reels or jigs; the melodies tend to be more straightforward, and the emphasis is on rhythm and drive rather than elaborate ornamentation. They’re played fast, typically over 130bpm.
Famous polkas to listen for
John Ryan’s Polka (you might know it from the film Titanic, or from the children’s show Bluey), Denis Murphy’s Polka, The Britches Full of Stitches, Terry Teehan’s Polka.
Slides
Slide
Slides are sometimes called fast single jigs, which is technically accurate but doesn’t capture what makes them distinctive. They have a propulsive energy all their own, and in the Sliabh Luachra tradition they’re typically played at a clip that makes them feel urgent and exciting. They’re danced in groups by set dancers, often alternating with polkas.
How to recognise a slide
If it sounds like a jig but faster and with a more driving, forward momentum — and especially if it’s paired with polkas — you’re probably hearing slides. They’re peculiar to the southwest of Ireland and rarely played outside that tradition.
Famous slides to listen for
The Star Above the Garter, O’Keeffe’s Slide, Merrily Kiss the Quaker.
Slow Airs
After the rhythmic intensity of everything above, slow airs are the stillness. They’re instrumental versions of songs — often sean-nós songs — played with great freedom and expression, without a fixed tempo. The player breathes with the melody, stretching phrases, lingering on notes, and shaping the tune moment by moment.
A slow air is the most personal thing a trad musician plays. There’s nowhere to hide — no session to blend into, no driving rhythm to carry you along. It’s just the player and the melody. A great slow air on uilleann pipes or fiddle can silence a room.
How to recognise a slow air
You won’t need a trick for this one. If the music is slow, lyrical, unaccompanied (or very sparsely accompanied), and sounds like it might be a song without words, it’s a slow air. They’re the opposite of session music — contemplative where reels are exhilarating, intimate where polkas are communal.
Famous slow airs to listen for
The Lament for Limerick, Port na bPúcaí, Blind Mary (by Turlough O’Carolan), An Chuilfhionn (The Coolin), Táimse im’ Chodladh.
Other Tune Types You Might Hear
The seven types above are the ones you’ll hear most often, but the tradition is broader than that. Here are a few others worth knowing about:
- Mazurkas: Originally from Poland, these 3/4 time tunes found a home mainly in Donegal and parts of the west of Ireland. They have a gentle, waltz-like quality but with a distinctive accent on the second or third beat.
- Set dances: Not to be confused with the social dance form of the same name, set dances are specific tunes tied to specific dance steps. They tend to be longer and more irregular in structure than standard tunes — many have a B part that’s longer than the A part. The Blackbird and St Patrick’s Day are two well-known examples.
- Marches: Stately, measured tunes in various time signatures. Less common in sessions but important in the tradition. They have a steady, processional quality.
- Barn dances: In 4/4 time, related to polkas but with a different rhythmic feel. More common in some regional traditions than others.
- Waltzes: In 3/4 time, introduced by travelling dancing masters in the 19th century. Not as central to the trad repertoire as jigs and reels, but you’ll hear them at céilís and set dancing events.
- Highlands (flings): Found mainly in Donegal and Tyrone, these are related to Scottish strathspeys. They have a similar dotted rhythm to hornpipes but their own distinctive character, reflecting the strong Scottish influence on music in the northwest.
How Irish Tunes Are Structured
Regardless of the tune type, most Irish tunes share a common structure. Understanding it makes it much easier to follow what’s happening in a session.
The standard structure is AABB. A tune has two parts — the A part (sometimes called the “tune”) and the B part (sometimes called the “turn”). Each part is typically eight bars long and is played twice before moving to the other. So you hear: A, A, B, B. The whole thing is then repeated two or three times before the musicians move on to the next tune.
The B part usually moves into a higher register or introduces new melodic material, creating a sense of contrast and return. It’s a simple form, but in the hands of a good musician, the variations and ornamentation applied on each repeat keep it fresh and alive.
In a session, tunes are grouped into sets — typically two or three tunes of the same type played back to back without a break. A set of three reels, for instance, might run for four or five minutes. The transition from one tune to the next within a set is seamless; the musicians simply shift into the new melody at the top of the form.
How to Start Listening
The best way to learn to hear the differences between tune types is simply to listen. Tune into Radio Siamsa and try to identify what’s playing. Is it a jig or a reel? Try the mnemonics: “rashers and sausages” for a jig, “double-decker” for a reel. Is the tune slow and swung? Probably a hornpipe. Is it fast and bouncy with a two-beat feel? Polka. Slow and lyrical? Slow air.
Our apps show the tune title and artist for every track, so if you hear something you can’t classify, check the display — and over time you’ll build an instinctive sense for the differences. It’s like learning to taste wine: the more you pay attention, the more distinct each one becomes.
Download the Radio Siamsa app and start listening — see our guide to how to listen
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a jig and a reel?
A reel is in 4/4 time with an even, driving rhythm. A jig is in 6/8 time with a bouncing, triplet-based rhythm. The simplest test: tap your foot and count the fast notes between taps. Three notes per tap means it’s a jig. Four notes per tap means it’s a reel. Or try the mnemonics: “rashers and sausages” (jig) versus “double-decker” (reel).
What is a slip jig?
A slip jig is in 9/8 time — nine eighth notes per bar, grouped in threes. It has a graceful, flowing feel quite different from the bouncier 6/8 double jig. Slip jigs are sometimes described as the most elegant of Irish tune types. The Rocky Road to Dublin is the most famous example.
What makes a hornpipe different from a reel?
Both are in 4/4 time, but hornpipes are played slower and with a dotted or “swung” rhythm (long-short, long-short) that gives them a heavier feel. Reels have an even rhythm; hornpipes swing. Hornpipes also often end phrases with three emphatic quarter notes.
Why are polkas associated with Kerry?
Polkas are particularly popular in the Sliabh Luachra region, which straddles Kerry, Cork and Limerick. The tradition there is deeply tied to set dancing, and polkas became the dominant tune type in local sessions and dances. While polkas are played elsewhere in Ireland, Sliabh Luachra remains their spiritual home.
What is a slow air?
A slow air is an instrumental version of a song, played freely without a fixed tempo. Slow airs are the contemplative, emotional side of Irish traditional music, often derived from sean-nós songs. They’re typically played solo or with minimal accompaniment.
How many types of Irish tune are there?
The core types are reels, jigs (double jigs, single jigs and slip jigs), hornpipes, polkas, slides and slow airs. Beyond these, you’ll also encounter mazurkas, set dances, marches, barn dances, waltzes and highlands. The tradition is broader than most people realise.
What is the most common type of Irish tune?
The reel. It dominates the session repertoire and has done so for the past two centuries. Jigs are the second most common, followed by hornpipes.
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