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Old-Time Country Guitar Backup Basics
Joseph Weidlich, Author
2005 Centerstream Publishing - Hal Leonard Publications
Old-time country guitar can be evasive, due to the elaborate forms existing at the turn of the century. While surviving practitioners provide much insight as to "how it was done", we also have an extensive collection of early studio, radio, and field recordings from which to mine this invaluable American innovation. Often understated as "rhythm" guitar, old-time guitar is much more than just keeping time, and pounding out chords.
The instructional book, "Old-time Country Guitar Backup Basics" attempts to capture some of the key elements of the earliest styles of guitar, associated with backing up singers, fiddlers, and other lead instruments in the context of early rural American country music. The book is brief yet adequate in establishing a solid style of guitar for most any pre-WWII country music one might enjoy.
The author Joseph Weidlich is originally a serious student of classical guitar, giving him both a technical and acedemic background from which to appreciate the depth and complexity of his chosen subject. In fact, his first trek into traditional American music lead him to publish several acclaimed books on mid-1800's minstrel banjo, of which he is also an accomplished student. He has also collaborated with the noted old-time music scholar Dr. Alan Jabbour, and banjo luthier Mike Ramsey.
The book begins with a fair recap of the origins of what is vulnerably known as "old-time music". The typical chronological formula of fiddle-then-banjo-then-guitar is explained, with the latter debatably acknowledged as a 1920's entry to old-time string bands. The author might investigate pictures, stories, and artifiacts that suggest guitars being used with fiddles and banjos as early as pre-civil war (ref. Bob Carlin's Southern Exposure) to expand on his timeline. The author also acknowledges the mingling of blacks and whites in forming old-time music, arguably the pre-cursor of all American popular music following, but makes an assertion that the open guitar tunings of the early 1800's lead directly to the formation of blues, which may be a simplification of all the experimentation in the 100 years in between. At any rate, the attempt to define "old-time" music at the beginning of the book is both admirable, and telling of the author's recognition of this important subject.
Weidlich makes an important point, that virtually all the early string bands recorded had their own unique sound. The typical repertoire consisted not only of archaic fiddle tunes, but also minstrel era tunes, gospel pieces, ballads, tin-pan alley and other popular songs and tunes. He goes on to describe the effect of the depression, and the modernizing of guitar styles following in the late 1930's, even though several of his examples were actually recording as early as 1931.
The author finally describes the techniques in the book as taken from source recordings, of guitar players using thumbpicks and sometimes fingerpicks, and describes the use of a flat pick as a modern innovation. He targets the book at those who use a flatpick. The author might have identified several early guitarists who did use a flatpick, and were quite influencial.
The introduction adequately describes the author, his background and perspective, and the intended usage of his book. It is believed the author researched his subject well, chose his material carefully, and accurately, concisely, and effectively produced a very useful primer for early country guitar backup technique, typical of at least one style in wide usage before WWII, and broad enough to work in most any setting of old-time country music, or most any country music for that matter.
One improvement for this book, would have been the inclusion of a legend or key to the author's tab format for the techniques reviewed. There are many forms of tab in print, and it took a while to decode several symbols and values. As a strict observer of aural tradition and playing by ear, attempting to translate tab into music was very frustrating, but proved functional. Still, an accompanying CD would have halved the time invested in completing the book. Also, a basic explanation of a musical scale, and the numbering system for notes would have helped too, but in the authors defense, he states a basic understanding of these skills is required before working thru the book. With so many books including these foundations, it is a minor oversite for this publication, and most book consumers fully expect a tablature format.
He begins the tab and technique section with the bedrock "boom chick" lick. It would be preferred to use a more phonetic term, like "boom ching", as it is more correct to hold each chord, and let strings ring. "Boom chick" implies a staccato, choked, or shortened second beat, which was in use, but not the way most intend when using the term and not prevalent in the books subject area. Still, "Boom chick" seems to prevail. Again, a CD would clear this up very quickly.
Next, the author walks the reader easily thru the critical skill of alternating the "bass" note or the 1 and 3 beats, but also includes the use of the boom-ching-ching-ching lick often heard by the likes of Jimmy Rodgers. He describes the typical I and V or root and V pattern in good detail. Other techniques like the "6-7-8" run, and the "Golden Age Lick" are described, with the Golden Age Lick repeating twice at the end of a phrase, perhaps best performed by Roy Harvey of Charlie Poole's North Carolina Rambers.
The author then describes the usage of the third or III note. This is an important element, as it distinguishes a pre-war and post-war preference for guitarists. Guitar students will easily recognize this difference when strumming a three finger G chord, and comparing with the four finger chord. The four finger chord eliminates the "third", while the usual accompanying style avoids the 5th string for the same reason. Several variations of using the third are presented.
The 3-2-1 lick is described, although this lick can be overused, and can also unitentionally add a tin-pan-alley flavor, especially if extended into the 3,3-,2,1 lick. He choses several varations, as he does for most all the techniques, and all are very faithful in his purpose.
Leading tones are described, which are a wonderful addition to songs and more lyrical pieces, perhaps more at home with singing bands such as the Carters, and less at home with strict fiddle-banjo teams like Woltz's Southern Broadcasters. Alton Delmore used these often in his recordings before WWII with his brother, and although primarily known for his more than 1000 compositions, and his exemplary singing with his brother, he was an accomplished instrumentalist on fiddle, banjo, and guitar. He was not alone in using this and other techniques learned during his early1920's tutelage in the South, reinforcing its inclusion in this book.
Other techiques are described including chromatic tones. These really give a certain flavor to your backup, and it can't be helped but to harken the Mississippi Shieks, and the Baxters wonderful fiddle and guitar music, as well as many other teams across the South.
Finally, the remaining important technique described was at first confusing. After reflection, it is believed the "playing licks over chords" section is an attempt to emulate counterpoint on the arpeggios or notes of chords and changes as done in the early years, and more recently used in modern "walking" of the bass. This element is certainly present in some of the earliest recordings, Riley Puckett of the Skillet Lickers being only one example. However, it can be overdone, and confused with bass "walking". Its a subtle difference, and further study and careful usage would have to be observed in its usage to preserve the original purpose of old-time guitar. The author does a good job of introducing the concept as a teaser. Additional listening to references included in the book would provide excellent examples.
There are a wealth of other techniques, both documented, and living in aural form today that couldn't be included without sacrificing the delightful brevity of this work. However, should the author desire, a second book could certainly build on this one, with the extensive amount of material available and in use today. Old-time guitar hasn't recieved as much attention as fiddle and banjo elements, but its just as important, and can make any fiddler or banjo knocker sound their best when performing so many wonderful string band pieces. And for those guitarists who think they have grown tired of "rhythm" or feel under-appreciated, the old-time guitar material in this book and elsewhere can make you a hot commodity.
In closing, it was concluded that this publication is a real standout in the plethera of instructional material today, on a nearly obscure but important subject. It is hard to imagine a better product on the subject, in the space used, and selling for the reasonable price suggested. It was a pleasant surprise to find a book on this subject at all, and even more gratifying to find it so well written. - jbh
Jim Holland
Athens, Alabama
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