Hi all. This is my personal list of terms related to old-time bowing.
I have organized it into these sections:
Caveats
Basic definitions
Short patterns (four beats or less)
Longer patterns (six beats or more)
Techniques
Miscellaneous other definitions
Caveats:
Bowing patterns and techniques are not rules about what is permissible in old-time. Old-time is a living, breathing tradition and likes to defy definition. Exceptions abound! These patterns and techniques are available for you or anyone to use as a jumping-off point if something seems interesting, but they are not intended to box anyone in.
Everything expressed below is from my perspective; when I say certain things are common, I am speaking only from my own experience of learning and teaching old-time fiddle. There are many regional styles I wish I knew more about, and so this is simply my best attempt at expressing what I have seen of old-time fiddle.
When we're talking about old-time fiddle tunes played at dance tempo, in the end, the only thing that truly matters is if the music makes you want to dance! Pursue techniques and patterns with that goal in mind.
Definitions:
Measure: Eight beats of fiddle music.
If a fiddle tune is played at dance tempo (approximately 100-120 bpm), and you are tapping your foot at 100-120bpm:
There are two foot-taps per measure.
There are four beats within each foot-tap.
Shown below is a tablature version of the first two measures of Whiskey Before Breakfast:
Strong and weak beats:
The first, third, fifth, and seventh beats are considered "strong beats."
These are also referred to as the first, second, third, and fourth strong beats.
Downbeat: The first strong beat in the measure.
Backbeat, offbeat: The second and fourth strong beats.
The second, fourth, sixth, and eighth beats are considered "weak beats."
Bowing patterns are expressed in terms of whether each beat is played with a down-bow or up-bow.
Example: A single Nashville shuffle / potatoes bowing (⇩⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧), lasts for one measure.
Down-bow fiddling: A style of old-time fiddle bowing where down-bows tend to be prioritized for the downbeat, and potentially the other strong beats.
Backwards bowing: When a down-bow fiddler has landed in a situation of playing up-bows on strong beats.
There are various techniques for resetting the bowing so that it is no longer backwards, such as slurring 2 notes, playing a hop, or using a ghost note.
Techniques:
Circle bowing: A bowing technique that involves alternating bow angles at the same time the bow direction changes, such that the right wrist travels in a circle.
There are two basic varieties:
Saw-stroke variety: Circle bowing applied to a 1-1 pattern (⇩⇧) or saw-stroke.
In this variety, the bow is angled toward the higher strings during the down-bows and toward the lower strings during the up-bows.
This produces a counter-clockwise circle motion.
If played on a single string, the circles are achieved with slight changes in bow angle without trespassing on higher or lower strings.
If using double stops, the down-bows are on both strings and the up-bows are on just the lower string.
March-stroke variety: Circle bowing applied to a 2-2 pattern (⇩⇩⇧⇧) or march-stroke
In this variety, the bow is angled toward the lower strings during the down bows and toward the higher strings during the up-bows.
This produces a clockwise circle motion.
If using double stops, the down bows are on just the lower string, and the up-bows are on both strings.
A high-energy variation exists where the down bows are played as a double stop of the lower string and the string below that one.
Ghost note: A non-slurred note, lasting only one beat, played with little bow and with a light touch, such that it almost isn't audible.
Sometimes this is used to reset the bow direction in order to avoid bowing backwards.
Pulse: A bowing technique that adds rhythmic emphasis without changing bow direction.
Often appears in the second beat of three slurred up-bows.
Often appears at the end of the phrase when used as part of a 3-3 pattern (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧).
Also can appear in a 1-2 pattern (⇩ ⇧⇧) , in the second beat of the up-bow.
The pulse has two main components, but both may not be present depending on the player's preference and the regional style being played.
First component: Bow speed and pressure
A momentary increase of pressure and bow speed is applied during the emphasized beat.
The pressure can be applied by momentarily twisting the right index finger and thumb in a counter-clockwise motion.
Some players will not change the bow speed and pressure during the technique. These players rely only solely on the second component (changing from a single string to a double stop) to create the pulse effect.
Second component: Changing from a single string to a double stop
In the case of a pulse during three slurred up-bows, the first beat is played only on the lower string, whereas the second and third beats are played as a double stop on both the lower string and higher string.
In the case of a pulse during four slurred bows (either down or up), the first two beats are played only on the lower string, and the third and fourth beats are played as a double stop on both the lower string and higher string.
Some players use a double stop through the whole technique, or do not use any double stops. These players rely only on the first component (bow speed and pressure) to create the pulse effect.
Patterns shorter than four beats:
Anticipation: Beginning a phrase with a down-bow two beats early.
The down bow is on the 4th beat of the measure.
It slurs into the first down bow of the phrase.
Hop: An up-bow two-note slur beginning on a strong beat, where the bow might leave the string.
This is a technique used to reset the bowing so that it is no longer backwards.
Usually followed by two saw strokes.
1-1 pattern (⇩ ⇧), or saw-stroke: Separate bow strokes
Down-bows are on the strong beats of the measure, whereas up bows are on the weak beats.
Often used with circle bowing.
Is often extended into a 4, 6, or 8-beat pattern.
Slur three: Three of the same bow in the row, usually up (⇧⇧⇧).
This is a subset of many other patterns (1-3, Georgia shuffle, 3-3, etc.) but is often used with saw-strokes as well.
Some common eight-beat patterns that use saw-strokes and slur-threes:
1-1-1-3-1-1 (⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧), also known as the saw-shuffle
1-1-1-1-1-3 (⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧)
In these patterns, the down-bows often take slightly more bow than the up-bows. The three slurred up-bows compensate for this, creating equilibrium in the eight-beat phrase.
Four-beat patterns:
1-3 pattern (⇩ ⇧⇧⇧): Down followed by three ups.
The down-bow is on the 1st or 3rd strong beat of the measure.
The ups are sometimes pulsed on their second eighth beat, especially if they are at the end of a phrase.
2-2 pattern (⇩⇩ ⇧⇧), or march stroke: Two downs, two ups.
The down bow is on the 1st or 3rd strong beat of the measure.
3-1 pattern (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧): Three downs, one up.
The down bow is on the 1st or 3rd strong beat of the measure.
Often followed by 2-2 or 1-3 in order to make up the distance on the up-bow.
The up-bow is sometimes played as a ghost note.
Six- and eight-beat patterns:
2-1-1-2-1-1 pattern (⇩⇩⇧⇩⇧⇧⇩⇧), or Nashville shuffle, or potatoes: Two downs, two saw-strokes, two ups, two saw-strokes.
The down bow is on the 1st or 3rd strong beat of the measure.
This pattern can repeated indefinitely.
This pattern is often used to kick off tunes.
Depending on the regional style, the emphasis of the pattern can be anywhere from entirely neutral to a strong backbeat accent.
A backbeat accent means more bow speed during the accented beat.
Example of a backbeat accent: (⇩⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧)
The backbeat accent occurs on the first up-bow and the last down-bow.
Another way to think of it is that it occurs on the 2nd and 4th strong beats. ("1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &")
Another way to think of it is that it occurs on the first saw-stroke of each pair of saw-strokes.
Circle bowing is sometimes used in conjunction with this pattern.
3-3 pattern (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧): Three downs, three ups.
The down bow is on any of the strong beats of the measure.
The ups are sometimes pulsed on their second beat, especially if they are at the end of a phrase.
When this pattern begins at the start of a measure, there are some common patterns that come after:
After the 3-3 pattern (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧), often a saw-stroke (1-1, ⇩ ⇧) is used to finish the measure.
This pattern (3-3-1-1, ⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧) is known as the smooth-shuffle, and can be looped indefinitely.
Instead of saw-strokes, an anticipation also may be applied to come into the next measure early.
In this way, the pattern can be modified into a two measure pattern of 3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1 (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧) or 3-3-3-3-2-2 (⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩⇩ ⇧⇧) for a more syncopated feel.
In some smoother fiddle styles, 3-slurs tend to be added whenever there are 3 consecutive notes on the same string
1-2-1-2 pattern (⇩ ⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧), or synco-shuffle: One down, two ups, one down, and two ups.
Usually occurs at the beginning of a measure.
May be followed by a saw-stroke or an anticipation.
The middle down-bow is often played in an understated way, almost as a ghost note.
Georgia shuffle, or offbeat 1-3 pattern (⇩ ⇧⇧⇧): Down-bow starting on the 2nd or 4th strong beat of the measure, followed by 3 up-bows.
This pattern can be repeated indefinitely.
Because it begins on the off-beat, it is not as straightforward to start this pattern compared to other patterns. Here are a few common ways it is started:
Saw strokes to lead into Georgia shuffle: ⇩ ⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ...
Hop to lead into Georgia shuffle: ⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ...
On the fourth strong beat, begin a Georgia shuffle: 1 & 2 & 3 & ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ⇩ ⇧⇧⇧ ...
4-4 pattern (⇩⇩⇩⇩ ⇧⇧⇧⇧) or long bow: Four downs and four ups.
The down bow is on the 1st beat of the measure.
Both the down and up are sometimes pulsed on their third beats.
