​Bob Pekaar has retired from updating the Pekaar Encyclopedia. I’d like to keep it updated when new books are released. For that, I’ll need help.

Bob used to purchase all the books and add them himself. He would then donate the books to a piping library, if I’m not mistaken.

I’m hoping I can avoid those costs considering my own (highland) piping is in decline due to the ravages of focal dystonia, and so the purchase of new books isn’t high on my grocery list.

The current list of books can be found here: https://www.patrickmclaurin.com/tunedatabase/books.txt

You can search the above list by typing “command F” (apple computers) or “ctrl F” (windows computers) to “find” the title of a book you’d like to add to make sure it isn’t already in the database.

If you have a book that isn’t in the Encyclopedia and would like to compile its contents into a spreadsheet, shoot me an email at .

In addition to the book publishing information, separate columns in a spreadsheet should include all available information for

Title
Composer
Page Number
Tune Type (see below)
Number of Parts
Time Signature

These are the tune type codes to use in the tune type field:

B = ballad
BS = boat song
BLT = border/lowland tune
DB = breton dance
BM = breton march
CA = caoine
D = dance
DHP = double hornpipe
DR = drum score
DS = drum salute
FT = fiddle tune
FS = folk song
FM = funeral march
GA = gaelic air
GV = gavotte
H = hymn
HD = highland dance
HP = hornpipe
J = jig
L = lament
Lu = lullaby
M = march
Me = measure
Med = medley
MSR = march, stratspey, reel
MJ = march/jig
MP = march/polka
MS = march/strathspey
MT = manuscript
Mz = mazurka
Min = minuet
P = polka
PB = piobaireachd
QS = quick step
R = reel
​RA = retreat air
RM = retreat march
RP = rock & pop
RT = rant
Sal = salute
S = strathspey
SR = strathspey/reel
SA = slow air
SC = scottische
SD = sword dance
SL = slide
SJ = slig jig
SM = slow march
SoA = song/adaptation
SU = suite
T = traditional
TP = tuning phrase
TR = triumphal
W = waltz
Wk = waulking song​

Thank you!​