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kvk
Aug-31-2005, 2:25pm
What is it about the structure of a "rag" that makes it a "rag". I don't mean a Scott Joplin style piano rag but a fiddle tune rag.

There's something about fiddles tunes that are called rags that I notice they have in common in their sound. I can almost describe it but can't. It's like something about how the streams of 1/8th notes stack up and repeat and the way they lead to the chord changes or something.

Anyone got a good idea how to describe it?

nilodnam
Aug-31-2005, 3:31pm
Not a definitive answer, but some observations. Rags like Stones Rag or Pig Ankle Rag seem to share the following
-They use repeated phases over each chord change
-The rhythm of the repeated phrase, but not necessarily the relative pitches
to the chord repeats over the next chord
-They use a turn around with a diminished chord connecting the V7
-The use a counter rhythm where the eight notes are grouped in three's, but are not triplets.
That is, a group of three eight notes repeat, but still have an eight note value.

Good question

Jim D. - In rainy Rochester NY. Best wishes to all our countyfolk in the gulf coast area.

pickinpox
Aug-31-2005, 5:05pm
That is, a group of three eight notes repeat, but still have an eight note value

I believe that is the important part. The term "ragtime" comes from "ragged time" which is the syncoption left by grouping in threes, the eighth notes in the melody over a strict march tempo in the accompaniment.

Peter Hackman
Aug-31-2005, 11:59pm
What is it about the structure of a "rag" that makes it a "rag". I don't mean a Scott Joplin style piano rag but a fiddle tune rag.

There's something about fiddles tunes that are called rags that I notice they have in common in their sound. I can almost describe it but can't. It's like something about how the streams of 1/8th notes stack up and repeat and the way they lead to the chord changes or something.

Anyone got a good idea how to describe it?
Nothing at all, or anything!

What's in a name? That which we call a rag by any other
name would swing as sweet.

sbarnes
Sep-01-2005, 1:34am
syncopation