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Author Topic: guitar backup style  (Read 1661 times)

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waltzman

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guitar backup style
« on: February 09, 2014, 04:52:49 PM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng2X2SSXWX8

This video was posted on another thread about Finbar Dwyer.  It certainly is a lovely example of box playing.  As a guitar player for many years before taking up the box I was struck by the unusual guitar backup by Mary Conroy.  Though I couldn't actually see her hand very well it looked and sounded like she was using standard tuning with a thumb pick and fingers to make a very percussive style of back up with a lot of bass runs reminiscent of the 'old time' style guitar in the U.S.  I researched her on the Session.org and there was a thread there started by someone really praising her style in this very video accompanied by many posts about how terrible it was ::).  I do think that in this video the guitar sound was mixed in too prominently but I like the percussive style with the box.  Any one else struck by this back up style?
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Chris Brimley

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2014, 08:39:59 PM »

Yes, me, and I don't think it was too prominent at all.  She's rock-steady, with perfect emphasis, IMO.  I'm not sure if she wasn't just flat-picking, with an upstroke on the crisp offbeat - as you say it's difficult to see, but it does also sometimes look as if she's using fingers on the upstroke.  Maybe she's doing something like the famous Isaac Guillory style, using thumb and 1 to hold a flatpick and do bass riffs, leaving 2, 3 and 4 fingers for strings 3, 2 and 1.

It would be really great playing box when someone is providing such a good rhythm as that.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2014, 09:03:49 PM by Chris Brimley »
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oggiesnr

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2014, 11:22:15 PM »

Another one to look for is Seamie O'Dowd.  Can play either melody or backup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az5cdLITXYQ.

Steve
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The Blues Viking

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2014, 05:02:38 AM »

Frankly, I thought her style worked particularly well for accompanying the box. What was the main complaint against her?

TBV
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Chris Ryall

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2014, 07:25:59 AM »

.
 More or less faultless. IMHO 8)

There is no best way in this, but those nice,. varied mini runs avoid the slough if "om pah"  nicely, rhythm is rock solid.

 As in the present morris thread - she's not the one there to be noticed.  But we'd notice if she got it wrong.  ;)
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2014, 08:52:22 AM »

Agree completely with everyone's views so far. Mary's accompaniment style is superb: sensitive, imaginative and rhythmically spot on. 

I am fortunate myself to occasionally play with an excellent guitarist. He comes from a cotswold morris dancing background and is very familiar with a great deal of English traditional music. His style of accompaniment is similar to Mary's but adapted to English music. When we play together, we both know when to give each other room to develop the tune and harmonies. It's a joy to play with such an accomplished musician. 
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Steve
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waltzman

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2014, 02:43:01 PM »

Frankly, I thought her style worked particularly well for accompanying the box. What was the main complaint against her?

TBV

I also liked it very much.  If you search her name in the session.org you will easily find the thread.  Most of the complainers thought it was 'lumpy' and intrusive and thought the bass runs were intrusive rather than complimentary.  I think there is fairly large contingent that feel that traditional Irish music shouldn't have back up at all....and if it does you shouldn't be able to hear it ::).
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Chris Ryall

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Re: guitar backup style
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2014, 06:42:16 PM »

.
… I am biting my tongue, hard :-\
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