3/4 American Music

Subject: 3/4 American Music
From: DMcG
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 05:06 PM

I've just been asked at a session "Why is there a dearth of traditional American music in 3/4 time?" The questioner has recently bought a book that had a section on that topic but it did not come to any conclusion.

Now, the obvious first question is - is it true? I'm sure everyone will be able to come up with examples of 3/4 American tunes but the real question is whether tunes in that tempo form a signifcantly different percentage of tunes to those for other nationalities.

On the assumption it is true, why should it be so?

I freely admitted I couldn't answer either question, but promised I'd ask around about it. So, now, over to you for suggestions ...

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: Amos
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 05:53 PM

Roots-based folk music gravitates to 4/4 often, just because it is known, predictable, requires little subtlety to emulate, and is already familiar as a form. But there is plenty of music in 3/4 -- notably, many cowboy songs, such as "Yippe Ki Yi Yo" and "The Strawberry Roan" and "Got No Use fer the Wimmin" -- often born from immigrant Irish hands who became cowpokes, and were teethed on different rhythms. Especially songs from the late 1800-early 1900s, when 3/4 was widely used in strange songs like "More to be Pitied than Censured" and "Break the News to Mother".

A

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 05:58 PM

I'm not sure there is a lack of 3/4 songs, at least in white folk music. Black singers have always been less keen on 3/4, in the USA as in Africa, but over the broad range of American songs there are surely plenty in waltz time. But whether there are more in Britain, say, is an interesting question.
   "House of the Rising Sun", "On top of old Smoky","In the Pines", "Nottamun Town","Sweet Betsy from Pike", there's a few old favourites to be going on with!
   There is another thread somewhere, on the almost total lack of American fiddle tunes in jig time( 6/8), compared with Britain and Ireland where there are thousands and thousands.

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: Chris Green
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 06:01 PM

How about "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" I know it's Leadbelly, but surely that kind of qualifies it as folk/blues? So does "Goodnight Irene", come to that.

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 06:30 PM

Stewball
On top of Old Smokey
Down in the Valley
any waltz

There were probably plenty more songs in 3/4 time in the past. However, today's mass culture of violence and discouragement has caused them to be dropped "from the repertoire," even among folkies.

I just read a book called "Why Boys Don't Talk and Why it Matters." (Susan Morris Shaffer and Linda Perlman Gordon). Among many other things it mentioned that children watching music videos see an average of one violent act per minute. There is no room in such an industry for songs in 3/4 time.

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 07:22 PM

Depends on what you mean by "traditional American music." (of course)

Probably a demand thing.

If you look at the dance tunes American old time musicians currently play, waltzes are in the minority because people would rather square dance than waltz.

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: GLoux
Date: 07 Apr 05 - 03:18 PM

If waltzes are in the minority, it's a sizable minority...there are zillion waltzes. Plus there's the custom of ending a square dance or contra dance with a waltz.

Plus there are some good 3/4 songs. Fugitive's Lament, by the Delmore Brothers, is one of my favorites.

There are a bunch of 6/8 dance tunes, too. Mostly northern, though...

-Greg

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: Snuffy
Date: 08 Apr 05 - 08:59 AM

Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream
The Times They Are A-changing (OK, maybe it's 6/8)

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: Gypsy
Date: 08 Apr 05 - 11:41 AM

i think it is dependant upon where you are playing, and to whom. If it wasn't popular, there certainly wouldn't be THREE editions of the Waltz Books LOL!

Subject: RE: 3/4 American Music
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 Apr 05 - 12:33 PM

--In the 19th century and early 20th century most of the popular tunes were in triple meter til   ragtime and jazz and ragtime came along-- A lot of times, triple meter tunes were "evened out" to duple meter--many of the pop songs of the "memory lane" variety were originally written and played in 6/8--even much of John Phillip Sousa's material was originally in 6/8--

I use the words "duple" and "Triple" partly so I don't have to fight about the differences between 3/4 and 6/8 and 2/4 and 4/4, and partly because Jazz/Blues etc are really compound meters-- in 4/4 each count is played as a triplet--even in rock and roll--think about those "lewd, pulsating, triplet" chords in the old doo-wop tunes--

I