An Introduction to Bluegrass — The Journal of American Folklore

Claims

1. chords
   Bluegrass harmonic accompaniment most commonly uses the three major triads on the tonic, subdominant and dominant, without sevenths, and the most common progression is I–IV–I–V–I. The relative minor is almost the only minor chord. In melodies close to the gapped pentatonic scale, the triad on the lowered seventh degree is added, and passage to the dominant often goes through the supertonic.

   "Harmonic accompaniment in bluegrass most commonly involves the use of the three major triads: tonic, subdominant, and dominant, without the seventh. The most common progression of chords is I, IV, I, V, I, which is identical with the basic twelve-bar blues progression (though not always in the number of beats allotted to each chord). The relative minor of the tonic is almost the only minor chord used; it may be stated or only implied by introducing the sixth tone of the scale. In melodies that are apparently close to the gapped-pentatonic scale, the triad built on the lowered seventh degree is added to the tonic and dominant to provide harmonic backing. The progressions I, III, IV; and I, VI, II, V are sometimes used as well. Passage to the dominant chord is, in fact, often accomplished by transition through the super-tonic."

   Locator: page: 248 · Quote language: en
2. ensemble-roles
   In bluegrass style the instruments of the ensemble take three roles: a lead part carrying the main melodic interest; one or more instruments that back the lead with contrasting melodic and rhythmic material without threatening its dominance; and an unvarying, sharply accented rhythmic and harmonic base. Every instrument takes all three roles at times, but each tends to emphasize one or two; the fiddle, banjo and dobro are primarily lead instruments.

   "Played in bluegrass style, the instruments of the ensemble combine with each other in three distinct roles: a lead part, produced by an instrument or voice as the central melodic interest; one or several instruments which "back" the lead, contrasting with it melodically and rhythmically but never threatening its domination; and an underlying, unvarying, and sharply accented rhythmic and harmonic base. All of the instruments function at times in all three of these roles, but each tends to emphasize one or two. The fiddle, banjo, and dobro are primarily lead instruments"

   Locator: page: 246 · Quote language: en
3. origins-shape-note
   Smith traces bluegrass part singing to shape-note polyphony, filtered through earlier stages of hillbilly music and also influenced by African American gospel performers. Bill Monroe learned shape-note polyphony at local singing-school gatherings, and in the 1930s sang a high tenor over his brother Charlie's lead; the early Blue Grass Boys' vocal sound was defined by high harmony singing with Monroe on tenor above Lester Flatt.

   "Part singing derives from shape-note polyphony filtered through earlier stages of hillbilly music, and has also been influenced by Negro gospel performers. ... he learned shape-note polyphony at local singing-school gatherings. ... the high, tense vocal quality he achieved singing tenor over his brother's lead. ... The salient feature of the vocal sound of the early band was the high harmony singing, with Monroe on the tenor above Flatt."

   Locator: page: 250-252 · Quote language: en
4. vocal-parts
   Singing in two, three and four parts is a salient feature of bluegrass. The parts are the lead (melody); the tenor, almost always above the lead; the third, usually sung below both as a baritone but sometimes above as a high tenor; and the bass. Two-part harmony is always lead and tenor, and three-part is lead, tenor and third. In three and four parts the voices fill in each triad in conventional positions: at most cadences on the tonic chord the lead rests on the tonic, the tenor a major third above, the baritone on the fifth below, and the bass on the tonic lowest of all, with little crossing of parts.

   "The combination of voices in two, three, and four parts is a salient aspect of bluegrass music and relatively rare in country-western (though duets are now becoming fairly common in the latter). The parts are called "lead," or melody; "tenor," almost invariably sung above the lead; "third," which may be sung above the lead or tenor ("high tenor") but is usually sung below both ("baritone"); and the lowest part, "bass." Voices are added to the lead in the order named, so that two-part harmony is always a combination of lead and tenor and three-part harmony is always lead, tenor, and third. These parts are conventionalized to the extent that a good singer can usually join in with songs he has not previously heard. The tenor has some flexibility in duet singing, but in three and four parts, the voices are expected to fill in all the notes of each triad in ways that predetermine their eventual pitches; at most cadential returns to the tonic chord, the lead comes to rest on the tonic pitch with the tenor a major third above him, the baritone on the fifth below, and the bass singing the tonic pitch, lowest of all. These relative levels of pitch are generally maintained with little crossing of parts."

   Locator: page: 247 · Quote language: en
5. voice-meter-form
   Bluegrass voices are typically high-pitched and tense, and keys are generally chosen to pitch voices as high as possible. Two basic meters are used: triple meter, more often for ballads and religious songs, and duple meter; bluegrass as a whole is faster than other hillbilly styles. In performance, voices and lead instruments take turns at the melody, typically about eight times through a piece, with vocal solos on the verses and harmony singing on the choruses; pieces usually last about two and a half minutes, a pattern probably shaped by the time limits of 78 rpm records.

   "bluegrass voices are typically high-pitched and tense. Singing parts sometimes reach more than an octave above middle C, and keys for songs are generally chosen to pitch voices as high as possible. ... Two basic meters are used, each at several characteristic tempos. Triple meter, used more often for ballads and religious songs, is notated best as 3/4. Duple meter can be notated either as 4/4 or 2/4 ... the speed of bluegrass performance as a whole is greater than that of other hillbilly styles. ... Pieces are performed with voices and lead instruments taking turns at the melody part or some variation upon it. Usually there are about eight repetitions of the full two-unit sequence in each piece ... The vocal sections are often divided between solos for the stanzas and harmony singing for the burdens. Pieces usually last about two and one half minutes; the earlier time limitations of ten-inch 78 rpm discs probably caused the development of this pattern"

   Locator: page: 247-249 · Quote language: en