I asume we're talking *American* old-time fiddle here. Nobody seems to have thought to specify.

As others have said, it is possible to play 6/8 tunes in clawhammer banjo style, but it isn't done much, because it means re-educating the right hand to modify the stroke. Also, some tunes work better than others, and it's possible to start with a difficult tune, get discouraged and not pursue it. Also, am I right in assuming that jig tunes aren't really in the traditional Appalachian repertoire, so old-time players aren't much motivated to learn them?

Some other traditions don't play 6/8 time either -- I'm told this is true of mainstream Quebec outsid- of Gaspé. This is second hand information -- can anyone corroborate it?

I seem to recall a previous thread on this topic; can someone who knows how find it and blue-click it?