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Thread: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

  1. #1
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
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    Default Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    So I can find tabs for the melody, and I can find the chords. Does anyone know where I can find tabs for the fiddle break?
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  2. #2
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    The chords are often, but not always, a repeat of the chords from the first line of a previous verse or chorus... if that helps?
    Or try replacing some of the chords in the improv with their relative minors to give more colour?
    Good luck!

    Oops it’s tabs, well there’s SoundSlice app?

  3. #3
    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    Quote Originally Posted by phydaux View Post
    Does anyone know where I can find tabs for the fiddle break?

    Something missing here— whose fiddle break? Do you have a recording in mind?

  4. #4
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    If the fiddle break is not the melody, you must have some recording in mind as Bruce has suggested? If you have music for the melody (which is for fiddle or any other melodic instrument) and you have the chords, we can’t really imagine what else you might need.
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  5. #5
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    There are two versions of the tune I'm going from. There's the "original" 1994 pop version from Rednex:



    And a more recent version from Southern Raised:



    If we listen to both versions, when the violin player takes the brake between the verses they don't play the actual full melody. It starts out that way, and then changes.
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  6. #6
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    I'm not sure I'd call that the original version since the song dates back to before the Civil War.

  7. #7
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    Quote Originally Posted by Zach Wilson View Post
    I'm not sure I'd call that the original version since the song dates back to before the Civil War.
    Correct, but it has become the de facto version of the song that everyone plays.

    I’ve been turning it over in my head and I’ve decided that it’s just arpeggios of the chords. Even if it isn’t, that’s what I’ll play call it good.

  8. #8
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    I like the Michelle Shocked version (from Arkansas Traveller album, changed some and called Prodigal Daughter). But you can't find much of her music online, she's pretty protective of it.
    (Actually that whole album is great, IMHO)

  9. #9
    Registered User Ky Slim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    Here's a good one...


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  11. #10

    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    This version has always been the default for me. Though the console is right in the way of the video. Tex Logan in the Monroe video is hard to beat though.


  12. #11

    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    Though the next one below here is really the default version that everyone plays. Elana's version from the Hot Club of Cowtown is pretty faithful to Bob's version.

    The bottom one is probably the first recorded version. It is one of a handful of fiddle tunes with only an A part and no B part.

    If you really want to get your head turned around there is a Nina Simone version on YouTube as well. It is a whole 'nuther take on the song.




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  14. #12

    Default Re: Fiddle break in Cotton Eye Joe

    Here is tab for a mando-ized version of Elana's and Bob Will's intro. I could not get TablEdit to put the slide into the first note of the second and eight measures. It will fit pretty well with the Rednex version. The other recording is in a different key and modulates to another key yet at the end.

    Click image for larger version. 

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