Open strings on tetrachordo

[Kriko]

I have a "technical" question:
on the songs where the key doesn't change ("argile mou" or "iroini kai
mavraki") it's possible to strum the low open strings DA as a drone
all along the song while playing on the third string

what do you do when the key change, for example in "o markos ypourgos
(osoi ginoun protypourgi)"? It's possible to have one instrument
playing chords (guitar for ex) and another one playing the melody
(bouzouki) but
1)in this case you need a side-player
2)it makes no différence between trichordo, tetrachordo, mandolin etc
(I mean the trichordo in DAD allows to use these open strings as a
drone, which is not the case with other instruments)

do you have example of "o markos ypourgos" played on a solo
instrument?
Thanks

[Kriko]

Oups I made a mistake on the title, I wanted to write "ON TRICHORDO"
of course

(I don't know if it's possible to change the tiltle)

[Nikos A. Politis]

Kriko, the trichordo has its own techniques, as expected of course.
Modern "bouzoukists" (they hate to be called bouzouktsides) tend more
and more to play as with a tetrachordo, i.e. spreading the ambitus of
the melody over all three strings, in this way avoiding changing
position of the left hand frequently and quickly, to cope with the
evolving melody.

The older style uses drone, as you mention. But here again, there are
older and newer techniques. The classical bouzouktsides of the 50s
and 60s would play the melody mainly on the two upper strings, often
using diplopennia, thereby leaving the bourghana (lower D) for drone
and only occasionally for melody, if the ambitus goes too broad on the
low pitch end. The drone comes either on open D, if it matches, or by
pressing on selected frets, depending on the chord applied
momentarily.

There is also a much older style, that derives from the tamboura of
older times: for the bourghana the thumb is used, reaching the string
from the upper side of the neck, of course, while the four other
fingers are reserved for the melody. This technique needs lots of
practice to work efficiently. But you will see hardly anyone today
who still plays this old way.

When playing in a pitch other than D, a technique similar to the
Barree of a guitar can often be used: applying a combination of the
two first fingers on one selected fret and picking on all three
strings simultaneously, an effect comes up that resembles striking all
three open strings together: a fourth and a fifth simultaneously, but
in a chord other than DAD of course. For example, a "barree" on the
second fret would give an E major chord, without the third of course
(i.e. one B and two Es).

The way you describe, using the two lower strings for drone, is not
recommended: having to play the melody one one string only will never
give you the versatility that two strings offer, especially on quick
passages.

[Kriko]

Much thanks for these explanations.
Would you have an audio example of "Markos ypourgos" played on solo
instrument as accompaniment (i mean, not only playing the melody but
accompanying the singing)?
I'm trying to play it but in the instrumental part between the
verses, if I only play the notes of the melody I find it too
"dry" (with no other instrument to play a Esharp chord at the same
time) and I think it's impossible to make a continuous drone of Esharp
at the 3rd fret while playing the melody at the same time.

[Mr. Narghile]

Here's Markos' son Stelios playing 2 versions of the song:

http://www.rebetiko.org/nuitsanslune.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFHAw2Q1sgo

[Kriko]

Yes I knew the 2nd one, but precisely he's playing with an guitarist
doing the chords.
I don't want to install realplayer for the 1st one, but I can hear the
soundtrack, it seems that on this version it's the baglamas that does
the chords.
I will stay on "one chord" songs ;-)

[kamyar]

Well I am a self taught player, so I can not really give much
practical advice, but when I play (in my band, and for friends and
family) i am singing along with the bouzouki, unaccompanied. I use the
low string and the A string as drones almost all the time. however,
for some parts of songs where the melody changes there are two things
i do
1) use a bar: for example in dios manges mes sti filaki, when the
dromo changes, i put a bar on the 3rd fret, the 4th, then i hammer
onto the 6th with my pinky
2) stop strumming the drones for a few bars: if its just for a few
notes, its a nice effect.

[Nikos A. Politis]

sorry friends, there is no way to display music through typewriting.
If we were together drinking some wine, I could show you how to
practice drone on prothypourgoi or anything...

[The_Walrus]

Perhaps a webcam with Skype, Niko?

[Kriko]

Or just a little mp3, i'd like to hear what it's like

[Nikos A. Politis]

sorry people, I am not familiar with modern techniques. Except for not
being able to find suitable software for a camera I got from my
daughter, I am also trying for months to install and use a decent
recording program...

[maps...@gmail.com]

You might wish to try Audacity, if you have not tried it yet. It is
free, powerful, but not as good as several recording programs I've
used that cost money [lots of money, often]. Even though I now have
several powerful recording programs, I still often use Audacity when
the job is simple for me to do in Audacity.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

--moonie

[zorz bate]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Cc4WVPpnU&feature=related

not so easy how to play but fine!

giftopoula sto hamam
g. batis

aslo look to the great clip by katerinas version of the same song
bye

zorz