Re: banjar

on 2/18/01 5:13 PM, tuning@yahoogroups.com at tuning@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@anaphoria.com>
> Subject: Re: Question for Kraig Grady (or any other instrument builders)

> J Scott wrote:
>>
>> The best
>> sounding banjars are made of maple taken from
>> trees they cut themselves, and stretched with the
>> hide of a groundhog or a cat. The most talented of
>> the locals play "every note in tune" cos those
>> banjars ain't got no frets.
>
> Have you notice much use of the neutral third in that area? I have
> gotten more than one oral reference to this.

I lived in the Shenadoah valley of the Appalachian range of northern VA for
17 years, and have been immersed in both listening to and playing the music
of the region for about 25 years. Yes, neutral thirds abound, particularily
in the pentatonic or six note modal tunes. I am continually fascinated by
the multiple and subtle gradations of thirds and sevenths, often in the same
tune, in the playing of the great fiddlers and fretless banjo/banjar
players, along with the singers. Actually this phenomenum exists in the
Scottish, Cape Breton and Swedish fiddle styles as well, all obvious
influences to the Appalachian style, along with the blues of course.

Seth

--
Seth Austen

http://www.sethausten.com
emails: seth@sethausten.com
klezmusic@earthlink.net

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause
and reflect."
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