Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SIUBHAL, n. [Gael. = moving; travelling.] also suibhal. A variation in pibroch; see 1953 quot.Sc. 1925 John P. Grant in Archibald Campbell and John P. Grant Piobaireachd[,] 12 Tunes edited by Comunn na Piobaireachd v:
Dithis. Written in accordance with scale chart above,e.g., himen, hinen, hioen, and hinen, hioeo, hoeo, etc.
Siubhal. Ditto, e.g., hinda, hiodo, himto.Sc. 1953 James Robertson and Donald Shaw Ramsay Master Method for the Highland Bagpipe ca. 73:
SUIBHAL—Roughly a combination of low A’s or low G’s with prominent theme notes.Sc. 1988 Roderick D. Cannon The Highland Bagpipe and its Music (1990) 62:
And to a limited extent, variations of different types can be mixed in the same tune. A fairly common mixture is Siubhal and Tripling, followed by ordinary Taorluath and Crunluath.Sc. 2000 William Donaldson The Highland Pipe and Scottish Society 1750 - 1950 470:
The tonal framework of the tune is defined by the variation which follows, called the siubhal, (pron. ‘shoowell’ a word implying traversing), in which the key notes are ‘shown’ with varying degrees of emphasis.
