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Copo - Posted - 01/27/2007: 08:02:22
Hello folks. Just wondering, why are so many tunes called breakdowns. What exactly does the breakdown mean? Cheers
roguebanjos - Posted - 01/27/2007: 09:46:41
A breakdown is done at a really high tempo. My favorite is Pike Country Breakdown. Foggy Mountain is good too, but it can't stand up to Pike Country.
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Jon K.
"If I troll you once, I must have troll you a thousand times!
Don't go picking up bad hobbits from them banjo pickers.
And if somebody offers you a copy of Lord of the Rings for Valentine's Day,
tell 'em "No Thanks". Because that is not an appropriate Tolkien of affection for a classy broad such as yourself."
Mike Gregory, in response to "troll" thread.
Scarecrow - Posted - 01/27/2007: 09:47:56
Hello Copo.
Seen it in jazz too. Always seems to be a fast tune, but I've never seen reference to an actual dance. A definitive answer would be nice, hope someone posts one.
Do you play any breakdowns?
Scarecrow
"Music is...a gesture of friendship..." - Malcolm Arnold.
janolov - Posted - 01/27/2007: 10:16:05
Breakdown is what happens to newbies that try to play breakdowns (own experiance)
.
I have understood that it is a common term for reels and hornpipes in old-time music. These are often performed very fast and in 4/4. Usually they have two parts, sometimes called "coarse" and "fine" or sometimes just A and B (usually played AABB) and where both the A part and B part have 8 measures. I have seen the term "breakdown" mentioned from around year 1900.
Bluegrassers seem to use "Breakdown" more for fast instrumentals, which does not necessarily have this AABB structure, for example Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
Janolov
Jarron - Posted - 01/27/2007: 15:19:00
They are the songs, that make the girls want to dance with we men thats why we men like them =) HAHAHA
Jarron - Posted - 01/27/2007: 15:19:27
HAHAHA, I maid myself laugh so hard ...HAHA!! =)
roguebanjos - Posted - 01/28/2007: 10:29:59
Thats cheating at your goal Jarron :)
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Jon K.
"If I troll you once, I must have troll you a thousand times!
Don't go picking up bad hobbits from them banjo pickers.
And if somebody offers you a copy of Lord of the Rings for Valentine's Day,
tell 'em "No Thanks". Because that is not an appropriate Tolkien of affection for a classy broad such as yourself."
Mike Gregory, in response to "troll" thread.
Jarron - Posted - 01/28/2007: 13:54:57
Ha ha, I had too say that....hehehe....
oldtimer - Posted - 01/28/2007: 17:00:29
A breakdown or a hoedown is an uptempo 2/4 fiddle tune intended for square dancing. The Wiki definition obviously comes from a different culture. I played for my first barn dance in 1946 and I still play for barn dances today. 90% of the tunes that Mike and I play at dances are breakdowns. Another way to look at it is that breakdown is the American name for a reel, but I think that this definition puts a false emphasis on the Anglo tradition and ignores the important black input which makes the breakdown very different from an Irish or English reel..
Best regards,
Glenn Godsey
1998 Riley Baugus
1923 Whyte Laydie
Prust 13" fretless tackhead
Early Ramsey fretless
1878 Henry C. Dobson
"Time passes unhindered"
Edited by - oldtimer on 01/29/2007 00:52:37
Scarecrow - Posted - 01/28/2007: 18:01:16
Thanks, oldtimer. A proper answer. Appreciate it.
Still don't know why they're so-called though!
Scarecrow
"Music is...a gesture of friendship..." - Malcolm Arnold.
Edited by - Scarecrow on 01/28/2007 18:02:10
roguebanjos - Posted - 01/29/2007: 21:42:11
Well, the simple definition(taken from Janet Davis Ultimate Banjo Songbook) is a song played at a high tempo.
------------------------
Jon K.
"If I troll you once, I must have troll you a thousand times!
Don't go picking up bad hobbits from them banjo pickers.
And if somebody offers you a copy of Lord of the Rings for Valentine's Day,
tell 'em "No Thanks". Because that is not an appropriate Tolkien of affection for a classy broad such as yourself."
Mike Gregory, in response to "troll" thread.
paddylazio - Posted - 02/03/2007: 16:20:00
a breakdown is wat u had last week copo a nervous one
Copo - Posted - 02/06/2007: 11:31:12
Paddy lazio, how did u know? And scarecrow, sorry for the delay, but i play only two. Foggy mountain and Earl's, though judging by the fast definition, i probably dont actually play them at breakdown breakneck speed
