Alternating Melody and drone notes

[jorgey]

Just curious if this is a common technique where you pick a melody and hit a drone string on the off beats. How is this typically done? Is it like playing a melody on the E string and droning the A? Seems like it would be even more difficult if the drone wasn't an open string. Hope I'm describing it right.

[Phil Goodson]

Probably lots more common to hit the drone on the same stroke as hitting the melody notes, but I've heard short runs of this sort of thing, probably using a double stop.
Also can use the SAME string as the melody, that is, alternating open string and melody notes. But then it doesn't sound much like a drone.

[JonZ]

Well, you can listen to a lot of recordings and hear for yourself, but then you have to decide if that is how you want to sound.

For example, in bluegrass, double stops are most common at the ends of phrases. I prefer them in other places. Some people tell me "I like your weird solos", others not so much.

[Sevelos]

I just prepared a short video for you of what I called "Alternate Droning". Please excuse the video quality and the sloppy playing, as I did it quickly "on the spot" for this reply.
I don't know how much "alternate droning" is used in Bluegrass, but in Greek Bouzouki music you can find it in Taximia (improvised Solos) quite often.
As far as I remember, the droning note is always played on an open string. You can drone in different ways, as I did in the video.
If you have any questions, you are welcomed to ask.

[DavidKOS]

I just prepared a short video for you of what I called "Alternate Droning". Please excuse the video quality and the sloppy playing, as I did it quickly "on the spot" for this reply.
I don't know how much "alternate droning" is used in Bluegrass, but in Greek Bouzouki music you can find it in Taximia (improvised Solos) quite often.
]

Exactly. It's a common oud/saz/setar/tar "trick" and is very common in Greek Taksim playing.

An example on Buzuq:

[mrmando2015]

You might check out Evan Marshall on YouTube. He fills in his melody with some really great harmonies that use up the unused beats. It may be different than what you're doing, but it might give you some ideas.

[jorgey]

thank you all for the replies and suggestions! And thanks for the video lessons, Sevelos, and DavidKos. Great information.

[mandroid]

Radim Z does a Duo style tune or 2, Thumb, drone / "bass" line + another melody done with a finger pick ..

[JeffD]

Its one of the cool things you can do on a mandolin that is much much harder on a fiddle.

[talladam]

I think John Reischman kind of does this. Check out Salt Spring:



Beautiful song too by the way. I think he is somewhat emulating the sound of a banjo.