DixieHoedown which Key?

[essexman]

There seems to be a little disagreement about which Key Dixie Hoedown was written in. I learned it in A but others play it in G and my so called friends and jam mates(Londoner) kick up a fuss whenever they have to Capo up, so can anybody clear up the confusion.
I can now play it in G but it not as comfortable as playing it in A.

[Jim Broyles]

G.

[swampstomper]

Definitely G. The original was twin fiddles but on the Mandolin Extravaganza set Jesse plays it on mando, listen to the licks, only in G can he get those.

[AlanN]

On Eric Thompson's seminal Bluegrass Guitar record from the 70's, done in A chord. Grisman nails it.

[f5loar]

Some tunes should not be done in other keys and Dixie Hoedown is one of those tunes. Image tackling Rawhide in F or Bflat. Jesse always did it in G and that's good enough for me.

[Mark Walker]

I was taught it by an old fiddle player (Jim Bradford, Kalamazoo, MI) in G. I'VE never seen it played in anything but G, but anything is possible in music!

[woodwizard]

I've always played it in (G)

[essexman]

Well guys, I had a well known and respected Mandolin Teacher, teach me it in A. But the overwhelming opinion is for G, I will bow to the masses.

[swampstomper]

Essexman, play it anyway you want!! Lots of tunes sound different and interesting when transposed. But your question was, what's the key of the composition, and Jesse McReynolds wrote and played it in G.

I sometimes play New Camptown Races in C, it's easier (to me anyway) and also has some nice licks that are different from Frank's, but it's a Bb tune as the composer wrote it.

So, you can experiment all you want, I hope you don't think people are trying to constrain your creativity.

[AlanN]

Changing keys on 'tunes' is something that's done or not, depending on the number. Some lend themseleves to this treament, some don't.

John Reischman picked Ol' Joe Clark in E chord, called it Ol' Joe Quark.
Grisman and Wake did Fisher's HP in F chord.
When I was first starting out, Warren Kennison showed me Blackberry Blossom in A chord.

Now, certain tunes belong to keys - Rawhide (C), NCR (Bb), Jerusalem Ridge (Am), Rebecca (B), Town and Country Fiddler (D), Southern Flavor (E). Changing these would lose the flavor. Dixie Hoedown works best in G chord, to my ears.

[Tom C]

"G"

99% of fiddle tunes have no singing(or played without words) so they are usually played in a stanard key. -Maybe even the one that fits the fiddle the best. However, lots of folks play Beuamont Rag in D (thanks to Doc ) when it should be in F Singing tunes are played in the key the singer sings it the best in...That said, I still believe there are singing tunes that are meant for a certain key, and if you can't sing in that key I would rather play something else -such as Moonlight Midnight. The jam at the end switching between the C and A chord just would not be the same in Bb and G, Playing the sus A with the open E. It was just meant to be played in A. It drools "A".

[swampstomper]

Grisman and Wake did Fisher's HP in F chord.

That's the original key, you can find it in older fiddle tune books in F. It is a composed hornpipe by Mr Fisher. We all transpose it to D to make it easier! The guitarists all play it in C for the same reason.

Now, certain tunes belong to keys - Rawhide (C), NCR (Bb), Jerusalem Ridge (Am), Rebecca (B), Town and Country Fiddler (D), Southern Flavor (E). Changing these would lose the flavor. Dixie Hoedown works best in G chord, to my ears.

Agree with most of this list, but try JR in Bm on the mando and see how you like it. I've worked this out for a few years and like it more and more. Rawhide or Rebecca or SF would be ridiculous in other keys, I agree.

[Jim Broyles]

Why are we calling a key a chord?

[Tripp Johnson]

Gee...