Old Time versus Mariachi

[High Lonesome Valley]

I grew up around old time and bluegrass, where the extra beat was thrown in at seemingly random times, seemingly to all but the traditional players.

Now out here in mariachi country, and darned if the guitarron bass player, and the guitarist when thumping the guitar bass strings, don't throw in a little hiccup of a delay on the down beat.

Just some of the things about different music in our great land that continue to fascinate me.

[JeffD]

I would love to get some Mariachi into my mandolinning.

My band does a song that features a fellow lying in a nursing home reminiscing about times along the border long ago. I thought if I could put in some authentic sounding Mariachi phrases I could really support the vocals.

What makes a phrase or chord strum recognizable as Mariachi?

[DavidKOS]

That's a good question, for traditional Mariachi is about as fixed in style and instrumentation as the most hidebound of Bluegrass bands.

There were singers, 4 or more violins and trumpets, voiced in 3rds in 2 parts each, guitar, guitarron, vihuela, all playing strict patterns for the various rhythms of the songs. I suppose you could play either guitar or vihuela parts for strums.






and so on.

Buena suerte.

[DavidKOS]

[DavidKOS]

[catmandu2]

What makes a phrase or chord strum recognizable as Mariachi?

Syncopation. Rasqueado style strumming--effective for deploying the syncopated nuance. BTW, is particularly effective on the charango/ronroco. I would recommend those, and even ukes, for mandolinists wanting to get into this music/playing style--you might find a plectrum to be limiting here

[JeffD]

At this point I just want to recognizably emulate it for the song.

At some point though....

[DavidKOS]

Syncopation. Rasqueado style strumming

Exactly, but each strum pattern is determined by the specific rhythm of the song in question. It's not just using syncopation or whatever. The videos I posted make it clear.

[catmandu2]

Exactly, but each strum pattern is determined by the specific rhythm of the song in question. It's not just using syncopation or whatever. The videos I posted make it clear.

Yes, quite. But in general, what really distinguishes "Latin" music from "old-time" and much American music (that which is not influenced, pollinated or permeated by Latin forms, that is) is its rhythmic complex.

Same as with any music, of course--the rhythmic aspect is vitally important...difficult to emulate a form without its rhythmic element. Rhythm--phrasing, accent, feel--is often what makes something special. Subtleties exist in every music, but in Latin forms the rhythm is eminent.

[High Lonesome Valley]

On the guitar and guitarron, the second down beat is slightly delayed, otherwise very similar to a country and western 4/4 straight beat. Like that extra bluegrass bar, I think you have to be born into it to get it right.

I played mando with a local mariachi band, it absolutely fit right in.