Cajun fiddling

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: Songbird
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 03:36 AM

Thanks for the tips Ray and Greg, I will try these.

Any more pointers gratefully received.

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Feb 03 - 06:29 AM

When you're playing "backwards" in G on a C box, the notes ABDF are all suck notes. You get a very bluesy sound by smearing from A to B, giving a very wild third to the chord of G, and the facilty of an F natural on the pull gives you a good G7 chord when youre changing to a C chord. There's a lot more too it, but that is the basis of a lot that is distinctive about cajun/zydeco box-playing. The equivalent thing if you have a D/G melodeon is to play tunes in A on the D row.
    A distinctive feature of old-time cajun and creole fiddle players is their readiness to go up the neck a bit (forbidden territory to most Brit/Irish traddies). C# and D on the E-string are quite common ( assuming conventional tuning, that would be B and C in cajun tuning) . If you're competing with a box-player with 4 reeds per note at a noisy dance, you need to get up there now and again to cut through.

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: BanjoRay
Date: 03 Feb 03 - 05:15 AM

I'm not a box player, but here goes: You can try to play in any key using the scale of C major. You just use the new key note as the one the tune is based around, and the note the tune seems to be trying to get back to. If you try to play in the key of G using the scale of C major, you'll find that one of the notes is flat - what should be F# is F natural - this is the flattened seventh, a "blue" note. This is one of the characteristic sounds of Cajun box and blues harmonica playing. Of course in blues harmonica, you can also flatten the third (B to Bb) by bending the note by a method, using the breath, that's impossible to describe.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: GUEST,Songbird
Date: 03 Feb 03 - 03:21 AM

I have struggled to understand this "play in G on a C box" for years.
What exactly does that mean? If the note G is played, it sounds G regardless of the tuning of the instument, likewise all the other notes which comprise the key of G major. Is it the fingering? Similarly if the same finger positions are used, then the scale o C would emerge.

Can anyopne help please. Thanks

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: GUEST,Steve benbows protege
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:29 AM

The cajun music met alot of new traditions. They heard tunes etc off of the radio etc and then knicked bits. Je'tais au bal is the first part of "I come from alabama with a banjo on my knee." The list is endless.
There are also a couple of very good books of cajun music giving the words and tunes. If you want details send me a p.m and i will give you titles and isbn numbers. I am at work at the moment so no info here.

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: greg stephens
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:25 AM

The difference, to my ears, between cajun and French and French-canadian, is that in Louisiana the French music came up against black music.Both the fiddle and accordion style are radically different from anything that developed in Canada, and the the presence of black music is the obvious extra ingredient. And the black and white musicians regularly played together in Louisiana in the period when the music was being created, much more so than in the English-speaking parts of southern USA. The fiddle style is extremely distinctive, as is the accordion stuff, developed largely by playing the accordion "backwards"(in G on a C box) which is exactly how the blues harmonica style developed: by playing in the suck key instead of the blow.

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: michaelr
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 10:00 PM

Ah, interesting point about the tuning, SBp.

Cluin -- what local traditions would those have been?

Michael

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: Steve Benbows protege
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 02:40 AM

The older style of fidling like Denis McGhee etc does sound just as complicated. However, it is working with the accordian that becomes the problem. The style predating the arrival of the accordian is much more in keeping with the Acadian style. The reason that the fiddle sounds so raw is that they tune down to be able to play with the accordian. Alot of the accordians are tuned in "C" so they play in "C" and "G". The fiddle keys are "A" and "D" therefore tune down and away you go.
Listen to dennis mcghee, Hackberry ramblers, Canray fontenot and you will hear the breakdowns etc that are not popular any more.
Good luck it is well worth the effort to dig out the older style. It is basic but they couldn't afford good top quality insruments and the recording equipment was bad.
All the best.
    Pete.

If you would like me to recommend any c.d's p.m me!

Subject: RE: Cajun fiddling
From: Cluin
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 08:27 PM

I wouldn't say regressed, by any means. Evolved, certainly. Developed in a new way due to new influences when Acadian fiddling met new local traditions. The more, the better, sez I.

Subject: Cajun fiddling
From: michaelr
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 07:50 PM

While watching a film about Marc and Ann Savoy (Savoy-Doucet Band), I was wondering why Cajun music, especially the fiddle style, is so raw, almost primitive-sounding.

Presumably the music has roots in French and/or French-Canadian dance music, but (judging from what I've heard) those styles are much more sophisticated, both melodically and harmonically. It almost seems as if the music has regressed on its journey south.

Discuss!

Cheers,
Michael