Banjo Transformations and Bluegrass Rhythm — Journal of Music Theory

Claims

1. g-run-constraint
   The guitar's G run commonly marks the ends of phrases in bluegrass; in contemporary bluegrass it acts as an improvisational constraint, since guitar soloists are free to explore a wide range of tonal and rhythmic territory provided they end their solos with a G run.

   "In contemporary bluegrass, this feature appears as an improvisational constraint, since guitar soloists are free to explore a wide range of tonal and rhythmic territory provided that they end their solos with a “G-run”"

   Locator: page: 152–153 · Quote language: en
2. scruggs-less-improvised
   Rockwell found that other performances of Scruggs's banjo pieces, by Scruggs himself and by other banjoists, adhere very closely to the notes and picking patterns of the original recordings, and that the possibilities for right-hand picking at those pitches, rhythms and tempos are remarkably limited; the music is thus less improvised than it may appear.

   "Given the pitches, rhythms, and tempos of the music, the possibilities for right-hand picking are remarkably limited, and other performances of Scruggs’s pieces by himself as well as other banjoists tend to adhere very closely to the notes and picking patterns of the original recordings. The music is thus less improvised than it may appear"

   Locator: Note · Quote language: en
3. scruggs-rolls
   Scruggs's instruction book teaches a forward roll, a backward roll, a reverse roll (chaining forward and backward), an alternating-thumb pattern, and variants of these.

   "Scruggs [1968] 2005 teaches a forward roll, backward roll, a “reverse roll,” an “alternating thumb” pattern, and variants thereof."

   Locator: Note · Quote language: en
4. solos-like-jazz-combo
   Bluegrass songs usually contain instrumental solos between vocal sections, while breakdowns and instrumental tunes typically feature solos alternating in the manner of a jazz combo; when not soloing, banjo and fiddle often play offbeat chords, a function Rockwell likens to a hi-hat in jazz.

   "Repertoire consists of songs, which usually contain instrumental solos between vocal sections, and breakdowns/instrumental tunes, which typically feature solos alternating in the manner of a jazz combo."

   Locator: page: 150 (and n. 17) · Quote language: en