long bow fiddles in bluegrass

[JeffD]

There is a great video in this thread that is a must see.

But besides showcasing killer breaks, flawless vocals, and just the highest levels of musicianship - I fell in love with the fiddle style. Two fiddles in unison and close harmony, doing more of a long bow almost texas swing style of fiddle. This really made the performance not just superlative, but surprising and more delightful than just technically brilliant.

I hadn't thought of it, but the fiddles, playing this way echo the unison and close harmony of the vocals, instead of what usually sounds to me more like trying to emulate or compete with the mandolin break.

So... what other bluegrass bands past or present have duo fiddles and or long bow swing influenced fiddle breaks? Who do I listen to for more of this stuff style of fiddle, set firmly in a bluegrass band context?

[John Duncan]

[John Duncan]

[John Duncan]

[JeffD]

Ohhhhhh man, choice cuts. Thank you John.

Perhaps its more prevalent than I thought. I need to listen harder.

Not to get to philosophical, but it seems fiddles done this way pulls it all together. Sometimes bluegrass can sound or feel like a just a string that connects cool breaks with high vocals. By pulled together I mean its all of a piece, bring things into a more coherent whole.

I could really really love this kind of thing. I need to listen harder.

[Timbofood]

I love how Roland kicks that off with the big laugh to the fiddle section!
There is an "emulsifying" quality that multiple fiddles give, I agree with you 100% Jeff!
Who's seconding Kenny baker in the Body and Soul vid? Can't think of his name. I always wanted to have that kind of sound in just ONE show with my band. I would promote it...
"Two fiddles, No waiting!


It's the salt on the steak kind of thing.
Very nice before but, just that pinch....
Doggone it now I am hungry!
Good thing I am baking cookies but, I want a steak now!

[Timbofood]

Jeff, find some cuts from Bill Monroe "Bluegrass Instrumentals"
"Scotland" if one of the ways the multi fiddle works to an indescribable peak of the genre. "Wheel Hoss" is no slouch either!
That was one of the first BG albums I ever got, the "Boys" include just about everybody!

[johnhgayjr]

I'll raise you one fiddle...

[Ivan Kelsall]

Jeff - years back i bought the compilation LP - "Bluegrass Instrumentals" by Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys in various line ups. The very first track is ''Stoney Lonesome''. The sound of the twin fiddles,the very first i ever heard, rocked me to the core - it still does.
Twin sound of twin fiddles is possibly 'the' sound in Bluegrass that really blows me away every time i hear it. "Dixie Hoedown" by Jim & Jesse is another great twin fiddle tune.
Regarding the 'Long bow' in Bluegrass.I was watching the DVD 'Bill Monroe - Father of Bluegrass' for the 'x' # of times a few days ago,& Chubby Wise mentions how Bill Monroe asked /tutored him how to play a 'long bow' in ''Footprints In The Snow'',
Ivan

[Timbofood]

THAT'S THE ONE! Mine was in "simulated stereo", I don't think there's I clinker on the whole album. I still have it somewhere.
Thanks Ivan.
That's in my top ten records!

[Timbofood]

Ivan, I just listened to "Big Mon" from that, the mandolin break sounds very F-4ish to me, is there anything in the liner notes about that? Maybe someone else has a little insight on that, Tom?
Thanks for posting that too, now I feel older, my buddy gave me that album in 1974 for my birthday!

[John Duncan]

Monroe definitely used an oval hole mandolin on a few cuts from that session. Big Mon is one of them.

[Timbofood]

Thanks John, I thought I had heard that information before, nice to know my mind is not totally turned to Swiss cheese!

[Andy B]

Monroe's Hornpipe was also done with the F4. Both that tune and Big Mon were recorded on December 1, 1958. Bill's Loar was being repaired, so he played guitarist Connie Gately's F4 (Gately was not the guitar player on the session).

[Ivan Kelsall]

Tim - There's no mention in the liner notes for any of the tunes regarding what style of mandolin was used. In the notes for 'Get Up John' the tuning is mentioned :- One E string down to D & the other to A in line with the A strings. The G strings are both changed - the first goes up to A & the second goes down to F#.
The note for 'Big Mon' is :- " (Pronounced as though it were 'Mun') is one of the many nicknames that Bill has acquired,& it was bestowed by Bobby Hicks & Charlie Cline,who were both working with Bill out in the Northwest in either Nebraska or one of the Dakotas, when this tune developed as a result of improvising between the members of the group while playing at a dance one night"
Ivan

[Timbofood]

I can't find my copy of the record. So, thanks Ivan I didn't think it was information about instruments just incredible info on who played. Best personell listing I had ever seen at that point.

[Andy Hatfield]

I have to put in a vote for Del McCoury's album "Don't Stop the Music." It's pre-Jason Carter, and filled with twin fiddles. WOW! WOW! WOW!

Long Bow fiddles smooth out the sound and put the music right in Western Kentucky. The banjo is North Carolina, the singing is Tennessee, but the fiddles (and mandolin) is Kentucky! I'm from Illinois, Lincoln moved here, sorry haters.

Jack

[farmerjones]

It's a good technique for being heard, because even one fiddle is producing those tri-tones, when playing good double stops.
Just finished the Bob Black book, Come Hither to Go Yonder. Lots of content devoted to Kenny Baker. And the riggers of the road, and how Bill never had a set list, and came up with new stuff all the time. Long bowing double stops is a great technique to take whatever's thrown at you, and throw it back in a tasteful way. Not that Kenny knew fewer tunes than Bill. That's a clash of the titans.

[BradKlein]

Here's one more Twangbox video from the Michael Daves & Friends show last weekend that started this thread. Alex Hargreaves and & Mike Barnett handle the twin fiddles again. Tony Trischka on banjo, Sarah Jarosz mandolin, Chris Eldridge guitar, and Larry Cook bass. Audio of the entire set is available to backers of Michael's Twin Album Project on Kickstarter which is a nice premium for as little as $5, but only open till the Kickstarter ends Thursday!