I was reading a bio of John Snipes and this term "pre-fiddle exposure" was mentioned in it...
here is the article:http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-snipes-mn0000815510/biography
I've been listening again to some of the collected African American recordings and pre-blues music...
This Idea of "Pre-Fiddle" music made me realize something I've always felt...that as great as fiddle tunes are and as great as many fiddlers are
it seems a shame that a lot of old-time music has come to be fiddle led...with an often 2nd chair banjo...and a type A fiddler
I spent lots of time when i was younger trying to play fiddle tunes on the banjo and i got really discouraged...and at one point i realized that i didn't even like the sound of the banjo playing all those notes..
Hearing some of this early pre-fiddle banjo music makes me realize that there is an inherent freedom in the banjo that comes alive especially when you forget the strict structure of fiddle tunes.
These early ways of playing seem almost improvisational and exploratory...with note combinations resulting from a sort of call and response with the singer...but even when there is no singing....the
playing seems to surprise rather than repeat...
It seems interesting to me that so much banjo playing follows strictly the fiddler...I've only had a few really good instances of the fiddler following the banjo...sometimes it's because the fiddler is just learning...other times they have been tasteful and interesting as a sub-instrument...but the rule of thumb in most circles is, of course, always let the fiddler lead...they are the king of the session...
any thoughts on this matter?