Building a Traditional Tune Repertoire
by Wendy Anthony
Salt Creek / Salt River
(Modal Key of A-Mixolydian)
The Tune:
Salt River / Salt Creek is an example of how a traditional tune gets a new name, which gains acceptance through popular use. Old-Time players call this fiddle tune it's original name Salt River, though Bluegrass pickers, due to the influence of a famous mandolin player, call the same tune Salt Creek. Apparently, when Bill Monroe recorded this tune (released in 1964), Decca Records expressed some concern that the name might get confused with his recently recorded single Big Sandy River ('63), so Salt River was changed to Salt Creek.
Techniques:
- Overview of Tune: Salt Creek/Salt River is a modal tune, in the key of A-Mixolydian, which makes full use of all those G notes & chords. Part B uses an Upstroke to emphasize the rhythm, while shifting the left hand position up-the-neck to play a simple 3-note scale run.
- Mixolydian Mode: is a variation of a major scale, with a flatted seventh (VIIb) note. The key of A-Mixolydian (A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G-A) has a G natural, instead of the G# we would expect in A-Major. The chords used are the same ones typically associated with the key of A-Major, with the addition of G (the flatted seventh): A-D--G--E-A
(I-IV--VIIb--V-I).
- Pick Strokes & Rhythm: Use a Downstroke for 1/4 notes and a Down/Upstroke for paired 1/8 notes. The first Downstroke beat in each measure often emphasizes the rhythm by being slightly more accented than the other beats. In Part B's first & fifth measures the accent of the off-beat is strengthened by changing the picking emphasis from the first on-beat Downstroke to the two off-beat Upstrokes:
- Use a "weaker" Downstroke for the first note on Beat 1
- Use a "stronger" Upstroke on the "and" of Beat 1+and
(keep left index finger fretted, to let the note continue to ring on Beat 2)
- Use another "stronger" Upstroke on the "and" of Beat 2+and
- Follow by an "regular" Downstroke on Beat 3
- Finish measure with a Down/Upstroke for the two 1/8 notes of Beat 4
- Playing Up The Neck: In measure 9, take advantage of the time it takes to pick the open E-strings to move your 1st (index) finger up to the 5th fret (A). This puts you in position to pick the two off-beat Upstrokes, followed by the 3-note-runs, using your 1st, 2nd & 3rd fingers. To return to the regular position, reverse the procedure: While picking the open E-strings in measure 10, shift your index finger back to the 2nd fret (F#), followed by another series of 3-note-runs. Choose a speed that allows you to keep the correct timing & rhythm while shifting smoothly up and down the neck.
Variations:
- Slide Up To The First Note: With your 3rd (ring) finger on the 5th fret (G) of the D-strings, slide smoothly from the 5th to the 7th fret (A). Pick the open A-strings at the same time, letting them ring fully during the slide. This sliding lick can also be used as an opening kick-off, to count in the rhythm, by adding an extra measure before starting the tune.
- Playing Part B One Octave Lower: can add variety to your bluegrass breaks, or provide an opportunity to play in unison with another mandolin, or fiddle, that is playing one octave higher.
- Ending licks: Replace the final 2 measures with Lick #1, which adds an extra off-beat note to the picking rhythm explained in Pick Strokes. As another alternate final measure, Lick #2 could be modified, making use of the mixolydian flatted seventh note, by replacing the C# (6th fret) with an open G.
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