klezmer

[montanasteve]

I'm new to klezmer and was wondering what the basic theories and scales and such are that give it it's unique sound.

[Asha]

Try this scale on mando:

D Eb F# G (on the D string)
A Bb C D (on the A string)

The flatted second (Eb) and sharped third (F#) steps of the scale give an open 1 1/2 steps between notes which is not really found in most other types of Western music you might typically hear. However, this is very common in Mid-Eastern and other world music scales.

In Jewish music this is called the Freygish scale, in the key of D, and is the basis for many of the popular tunes you might hear. Think Hava Nagila. There are other Jewish scales as well.

Check out my web site if you want a collection of some Klezmer and other Jewish tunes. It's based on a Sibelius plug-in that allows you to play the tunes online, change keys, print out, etc..
http://www.caravansari.net/ScoreMenu.php

*-- Asha

[montanasteve]

so are most klezmer and jewish tunes in D then?
the computer I'm using(I don't have my own) doesn't have the right downloads for me to use your site
you do have a GREAT collection of songs though!

[Asha]

D (freygish or just D minor) is probably the most common key, but G (minor) is not uncommon either.

To view the Sibelius scores it is an easy plug-in to download, completely safe. That will then allow you to view, print, play, transpose, and adjust tempo on all those scores you see up there. Also, if there's a score you can't see up there in Sibelius I can print and post to PDF if you want to let me know.

*-- Asha

[stratman62]

Asha, I read your post yesterday. Being an old country boy in the south, I had no idea
about klezmer or freygish. Played around with the scale, recognized the flavor and am
pretty sure that the local banjo and dobro players are gonna like me even less.

THANK YOU!!
Ammo for the Bluegrass Rebellion

[allenhopkins]

I spent about a year trying to play in a normal minor scale on freygish tunes, wondering why my parts sounded so wrong. Sherry Mayrent, then of the Wholesale Klezmer Band, offered me a bit of advice, and a simple diagram, and then everything got much clearer. I find that playing chords behind a freygish tune, I often use the flat-7th minor -- e.g., playing in D freygish, lots of Cm chords.

By the by, I believe freygish is a "Yiddishization" of the Phrygian mode.