quote:

---

Originally posted by stumpkicker

Occasionally, at a local beginners intermediate Americana music jam , I will tune my banjo to mountain minor (second string C) and play cluck old hen or Shady Grove.
My question is what chords should the guitarist be strumming? Or should they just sit it out and let the banjo and fiddle play by themselves?
Thanks

---

These are Dorian mode tunes which can be backed by just two chords, the Im and VII. For "Cluck Ol Hen" (we play it in A Dorian, banjo tuned to aEADE), the backup rocks back and forth between Am & G. With your banjo tuned to gDGCD, you would want Gm and F.

If playing in G, the guitarist should avoid the B string altogether. Just play chords that drone on the G and D notes. Similarly, when going down to F you can play FGC for a nice effect.

At our weekly contra dances, we use the same approach recently by Trapdoor 2. 

David

This video might be interesting. I have not yet analyzed what Doc Watson is doing here exactly, but maybe someone else has more time…

quote:

---

Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

If playing in G, the guitarist should avoid the B string altogether. Just play chords that drone on the G and D notes. Similarly, when going down to F you can play FGC for a nice effect.

---

On some occasions, I've tuned the B string (2nd string) to an A and not fingered it all.

My question is what chords should the guitarist be strumming? 

I don't think there is a "should". Other than to "listen". Depends on what want it to sound like, listen to how choices are just different.

Or should they just sit it out and let the banjo and fiddle play by themselves? 

Fiddle and banjo sound great together. And can especially sound great in that world, how navigates, avoids major/minor triad chord based idea. Guitar can change that in many ways.

That said, the easiest for many guitar players (esp beg at jam) to wrap head around; many just go ahead and decide to make the chord major/minor... depending on which version. In examples (Shady Grove, Cluck Old Hen) depends on which version, Dorian would use a G minor; Mixolydian would use a G major. It can still sound fine, and keep lot's of the modal sound just by nature of tune, and chord choices (these often use a VII as second chord). Nothing wrong with the sound of these, if that's what want/prefer (and some folks do)

But to keep more of the modal, or perhaps neutral sound of the the fiddle/banjo thing; (or just unsure of the harmonic space)...  ways can fit into this as mentioned (G and D notes), avoiding the third of chord, playing just the root/fifth dyad stack, or with maybe just some extension. As well might play a bit more of drone idea (even as dyad stack)... playing over what might seem should be chord change, (or at least minimal changes). Also might try weave in a bit of movement lines to compliment.

Just to point out though these modal ideas can be a bit foreign to many intermediate/beginners (esp guitar) at a jam... as most learned all music is made of major or minor chords and progressions; can have difficult time listening to modal, not imagining/imposing that major/minor chord concept. Again might be easier expectation to just to make do the major/minor chord thing in those situations.

I lived and breathed Irish fiddle for a bout ten years.  I've always though that the Irish back-up guitar style would work well with Old Time.  Afterall, they're experts at backing modal tunes with which Irish Trad is rife.

Red Steer - YouTube

This may well be the best clawhammer jig playing I've yet to hear.  Great guitar back up-  the second tune is modal.

Allison de Groot with Quinn Bachand. Tom Billy's/ Trip to Athlone. Clawhammer Jigs.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Emiel

This video might be interesting. I have not yet analyzed what Doc Watson is doing here exactly, but maybe someone else has more time…

---

Mike is playing in G modal (gDGCD), while Doc is playing with capo on the third fret, making his Em chord a Gm, and D chord an F. He's catching both 4th (G) and 5th (D) strings with the middle finger, occasionally lifting up and pulling off to play single open notes on those strings (F and C) with a third fret (Bb) note on the sixth string followed by it being played open (G).