Why does bluegrass music only use certain string instruments and what is the historical significance of the instruments?
Music has been a fundamental constituent of human life all over the world for thousands of years. With hundreds of different genres of music, it can be assumed that many forms of music are very similar to each other but there is one genre of music that noticeably stands out from the rest of the crowd. Bluegrass music has set itself apart from other genres by its style of music and by using specific stringed instruments. Over the past eighty years, bluegrass music has gained immense popularity and the number of bands who perform bluegrass music has also greatly increased but the one aspect of the genre that has remained constant over the years are the various instruments that form the core of bluegrass music. Ever since its inception in the Appalachian region of Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Virginia’s, bluegrass music has become widely recognized as a style of music that is regionally specific to Appalachia with songs reflecting the lives of people working on the railroad, in coal mines, or on a farm.
Bluegrass music was built upon traditions that pertain to the use of specific instruments, the style of the music, and the number of performers in a band. Per tradition, a typical “bluegrass band consists of four to seven performers who sing while accompanying themselves on acoustic string instruments such as the guitar, double bass, fiddle, five-string banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, and Dobro.” (Bluegrass Music). Each stringed instrument adds a specific element to the “twangy” sound of bluegrass music which separates it from other genres of music. The style of Bluegrass music is best described in The Journal of American Folklore where it states that “the instruments of the ensemble combine with each other in three distinct roles: a lead part, produced by an instrument or voice as the central melodic interest; one or several instruments which “back” the lead, contrasting with it melodically and rhythmically but never threatening its domination; and an underlying, unvarying, and sharply accented rhythmic and harmonic base. All of the instruments function at times in all three of these roles, but each tends to emphasize one or two.” (Smith L. Mayne). In order to fully understand why bluegrass music only uses string instruments, you have to first learn about the history leading up to bluegrass music. In the early 1900’s, American settlers in Virginia began to travel to other parts of the Appalachian region including Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolina’s bringing with them their family, belongings, and usually a string instrument since they were relatively easy to manufacture, learn to play, and were portable (Rosenberg). When the travelers stopped to camp with other travelers, many of them would form small groups and pass the time by playing music. The simple chord progressions and notably easy portability of string instruments gave the settlers an easy and enjoyable opportunity to participate in jam sessions wherein they could play previously-known songs or make music up on the spot, called noodling, wherever they might have happened to travel. The ability to easily travel with an instrument and makeup new music on the spot with other travelers made such a large impact on the settlers that even after they had found a new permanent home, they continued to play that style of music and teach it to their friends and family. This not only kept the style and knowledge of the music alive within certain parts of Appalachia, but it also enabled it to grow in national popularity as people who were previously only accustomed to the popular jazz or rock genres began to listen to the emerging Bluegrass music and felt themselves fall in love with both the “twangy jam-band” music style and the lyrics detailing a simpler and more natural way of life.
The aspects of Bluegrass music that separate it from other genres of music all derive from the time-honored tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. In other genres of music, there have been many instances in which musicians will add or take away instruments to change the sound and style of the genre of music, but no such instances have occurred in Bluegrass history. A musical tradition, which revolves around the instruments used and the style of how the music is played, that originated from the people who spread out across the Appalachian region has continued to not only thrive in Appalachia but also become widespread across the nation due to the portability of the instruments and the ability to create jam sessions whenever Bluegrass musicians came together.
Creative Portion: https://youtu.be/aCdkgLDOufE
Bibliography:
Smith, L. Mayne. “An Introduction to Bluegrass.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 78, no. 309, 1965, pp. 245–256. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/538358.
“Bluegrass Music.” The Library of Congress, Library of Congress, loc.gov/item/ihas.200152684.
Reese, Bill. “Bluegrass Music History.” The Fields, www.thefields.org/banjo/bg%20history.htm.
Barnwell, Tom. An Introduction to Bluegrass Jamming. SouthEastern Bluegrass Association, barnwell.ece.gatech.edu/roles.html.
Rosenberg, Neil V. “Bluegrass: A History.” Google Books, University of Illinois, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=hp1Sm81MYboC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=historical%2Bimportance%2Bof%2Bbluegrass%2Binstrument&ots=MygVdZB3Os&sig=qBpL-AUMcV0VlI8aJLDvWVob7cg#v=onepage&q=historical%20importance%20of%20bluegrass%20instrument&f=false.
