What’s Up With Arkansas Traveler?

[Special K]

I'm in Bryan Sutton's flatpicking course on ArtistWorks. Bryan teaches a lot of classic bluegrass tunes in 3 levels, i.e., basic, intermediate and advanced. I'm in Bryan's basic curriculum. Really enjoying it. Bryan teaches Arkansas Traveler exactly as Kyle mentioned, with a capo at the 2nd fret. Playing it capo 2nd fret, the chord shapes are C, F and G to play the tune in D major.

[Dave Hicks]

This tune has a melody that moves around a lot. You can play chord progressions with a lot of changes that emphasize the movement, or fewer chords that contrast with it.

D.H.

[RussellHawaii]

Originally Posted by Cypress Knee

I play as follows:

Key of D, capo II using C position chords



A:

| C // F // | G // C// | G // C //| G //// |

| C // F // | G // C// | C // F //| G // C // | (Repeat)

------------------------Note - many players hit the C chord and dampen it so the soloist does the little end run alone.



B:

| C // F // | C // G // | C // G // | C // G // |

| C // F // | C // G // | C // F //| G // C // |

This seems about right to me. I sorta learned this very long ago as my first flatpicking song. I learned it imperfectly and the mistakes became engrained, hindering my ability to flatpick for a couple decades.
More recently I slowed it down enough to play it correctly using better flatpicking technique, and I’m glad I did! Now, finally I can flatpick at moderate speed on a few tunes.
I believe this arrangement, using C positions with a capo, comes from Norman Blake’s version on an album by the same name. And a couple YT videos.
There is also a tradition of stopping and telling a corny joke each verse, then launching back into it. A great version of this is on ‘ Not For Kids Only’ by David Grisman and Jerry Garcia.

[musicman1951]

Sometimes the ii7 chord is used instead of some of the IV chords. Sometimes the ii7 precedes the V7 chord instead of just using the V7. If you're playing the melody you should be fine either way.

Basic theory is not nearly as complicated as some people make it. Don't be afraid to spend 10 minutes a day reading over some theory lessons. It will pay dividends in the end.

[Robin, Wales]

I have listened through 5 or so versions of Arkansas Traveller this morning, waiting for the food delivery truck, all from the early 20th century (1902 to around 1920). It is (or was) played as a reel - and on one of the 78s I have copies of it is being dance called.

On this version by Able Browning the guitar is very clear, and the accompaniment is simply root and fifth cords (D and A). I really like the simplicity of this backing, it "cuts to the quick" as they say. If I was playing the tune in an old-time dance band, then this two chord backing is the one I would choose.

[cyclistbrian]

[QUOTE=theory is not to be applied to fiddle tunes. They are an outlier.[/QUOTE]

The above quoted "advice" is not to be applied to fiddle tunes. It is entirely false.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by cyclistbrian

...theory is not to be applied to fiddle tunes. They are an outlier....

The above quoted "advice" is not to be applied to fiddle tunes. It is entirely false.

It is not entirely false. The underlying premise is sound IMHO. Music theory will explain what's in front of you, but it wont ask the question "why?". Like "Why are there so many mixolidian fiddle tunes in the old-time and Celtic repertoire?". Or "Why are Virginia fiddles tunes mostly in G?". Or "Why do Aeolian fiddle tunes fall to A?" Now, that's a far more intriguing, and musically enlightening, field of study!!!

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by HighDef28

A working knowledge of music theory goes a LONG way into helping understand fiddle tunes.

Fair enough. I look at theory as something that explains what happened not so much as what is happening. I often see fiddle tunes with chords that are not in a particular key. Can it be explained? sure. But not to anyone but a theory head. And they were not created by people who were deep into theory. So technically I am incorrect. But when it comes to theory, I speak to the overwhelmingly number of musicians that don't know much about theory.

[cyclistbrian]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

It is not entirely false. The underlying premise is sound IMHO. Music theory will explain what's in front of you, but it wont ask the question "why?". Like "Why are there so many mixolidian fiddle tunes in the old-time and Celtic repertoire?". Or "Why are Virginia fiddles tunes mostly in G?". Or "Why do Aeolian fiddle tunes fall to A?" Now, that's a far more intriguing, and musically enlightening, field of study!!!

Theory will not explain why someone chose to create a tune a certain way, or why some subset of Virginians can only play in G.

It can explain why a tune resolves to a note. The Aeolian Mode is the natural minor scale and relative to C. It starts and ends on A.

Music theory does not ask questions. We ask the questions. It's a tool you can utilize to find the answers. To say it doesn't apply to some genre of music is absurd.

I have no more to say on this topic.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Pat Donohue does a great version of this song, and his arrangement is in C Major, always a likable key for the guitar.