All reels have the same structure, consisting largely of quaver (eighth note) movement with an accent on the first and third beats of the bar. All reels are in 4/4 time and are usually written out as 8 8th notes/measure.
A reel is distinguished from a hornpipe in two ways. Firstly it is played with even beats, without an implied dotted rhythm. Secondly it is played twice as fast. Examples of Reels:
Like most dance music originating in the British Isles, reels are usually composed in binary form, meaning they have two parts (A and B); in most reels each part is repeated (AABB), but in others it is not (ABAB). Each part (A and B) typically has eight bars, which in turn are divisible into four-bar and two-bar phrases.
Today many Irish reels are supplemented with new compositions and by tunes from other traditions which are easily adapted as reels. It is the most popular tune-type within the Irish dance music tradition.
Reels are popular in the folk music of Scotland and England. They crossed the Atlantic ocean with Irish and British immigration and thus entered the musical tradition of Atlantic and French-speaking Canada including that of Quebecers and Acadians.