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Bluegrass and OldTime Music

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Freed slaves introduced the banjo, and 'the blues' ... more 'damped' (the strings don't ring as much) and has a rhythm you can dance to. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Bluegrass and OldTime Music


1
Bluegrass and Old-Time Music
2
Appalachian Region
  • Appalachian Music is found in the Appalachian
    Region.
  • The Appalachian Region is in the southern
    Appalachian Mountains and includes parts of
    Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, North
    Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia,
    Alabama, and Mississippi.

3
History of Appalachian Music
  • The Appalachian Region was settled by small
    farmers from England, Scotland, and Ireland.
  • These farmers played instruments, sang, told
    stories and danced to entertain themselves.
  • The fiddle and the jaw harp were the most popular
    instruments. Old stories and songs werent
    written down they were passed down by word of
    mouth. Songs were sung as solos, with families,
    or church congregations. They usually werent
    sung with instruments.

4
Appalachian Music Changes
  • In the 1800s, the style of Appalachian music
    changed. Freed slaves introduced the banjo, and
    the blues.
  • Guitar, mandolin, and harmonica were made popular
    when people could order them through the mail.
  • These elements mixed to form mountain music in
    the late 1800s.

5
New Technology
  • When the radio and the phonograph were invented
    in the 1800s, the way people listened to music
    changed.
  • Instead of gathering to sing or perform together,
    people would turn on the radio and listen to
    music recorded by professional musicians.

6
What is Bluegrass Music?
  • In 1939, Bill Monroe (also known as the father of
    bluegrass) formed a band consisting of a fiddle,
    a banjo, a guitar, a mandolin, and an upright
    bass.
  • The band combined string band music, gospel,
    African-American work songs, and blues, and
    sounded like nothing ever heard before.
  • The band was known as The Blue Grass Boys. Bill
    Monroe was from Kentucky the bluegrass state.

The Blue Grass Boys
7
The Classic Bluegrass Sound
  • The classic bluegrass sound was created in 1945,
    when a banjo player named Earl Scruggs joined
    The Blue Grass Boys.
  • He played the banjo using his thumb, forefinger,
    and middle finger. He played with metal picks on
    each finger to make the sound louder.
  • Other banjo players imitated the 3-finger
    style. This sound has now become a trademark of
    bluegrass music.

8
Bluegrass Music Now
  • Bluegrass music gained popularity in the 1940s
    and 50s. Many new bands were formed and some were
    featured on the Grand Ole Opry, a popular radio
    show that featured all types of country music.
  • Bluegrass music thrives to this day, and is
    enjoyed by people all over the world.

9
Old-Time Music
  • When bluegrass was invented, many younger
    musicians started playing it. Older musicians
    continued to play the music they used to play
    before bluegrass came along.
  • Some of these older musicians were Fiddlin John
    Carson, Tommy Jarrell, and the Carter Family.
  • As these musicians got older and passed away,
    younger musicians learned the music and kept the
    style alive.

Fiddlin John Carson
Tommy Jarrell
The Carter Family
10
Instruments used in Bluegrass and Old-time Music
Fiddle-the same instrument as the violin. It has
four strings and is played with a bow, a piece of
wood with horse hair stretched between the two
ends.
Guitar-It has six strings and is played in many
styles of music.
Banjo-originally from Africa. This instrument
has five strings (one is shorter than the others)
and a round, skin-covered head.
Mandolin-it has eight strings that are tuned in
pairs. It is related to the violin but is played
with a pick.
String Bass-is a close relative of the violin,
viola, and cello. In old-time and bluegrass music
the strings are plucked instead of played with a
bow.
11
How can you tell the difference?
  • Bluegrass and Old-Time music use most of the same
    instruments and even play some of the same tunes.
    Heres how you can tell the difference
  • Pay attention to the banjo.
  • Bluegrass banjos usually have a resonator, a
    round wooden shell around the back of the skin
    covered head. Old-Time banjos have an open back.
  • Bluegrass banjo players use the 3-finger style,
    which sounds bright, fast, and loud.
  • Old-Time banjo players use the clawhammer style,
    which sounds slower, more damped (the strings
    dont ring as much) and has a rhythm you can
    dance to.
  • Is there a mandolin?
  • While you will sometimes hear mandolin in an
    old-time band, it is used much more frequently in
    bluegrass music.
  • Do the musicians play a melody together
    (old-time), or do they take turns playing the
    solo melody while the other instruments play
    backup (bluegrass)?
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