Folk Music...

[peritus]

Where are my Folk people at? I'm currently switching my compositional gears and I'm hoping there's some like-minded people round these parts...

Thanks!!!

[dwarf]

Now you're talking folk. Gota love that shit SImon and Garfunkle are the greatest people ever to be born and placed together.

Oh yeah love my S&G

....they were folk right?

[philboyd studge]

Maybe that would be me. I write and perform music that deals with history/social science and natural history of people, places and things within my state in a style that I suppose would be considered folk music.

As to what folk music really is I clearly don't know....and I'd better for I'm teaching it and songwriting in a summer program at Idyllwild Arts this summer. What is folk music? What are its perameters?

[peritus]

Hmmm.. Good question......

[dwarf]

Originally Posted by philboyd studge

What is folk music?

A great gen're to listen to

"Deep uppon the advertising, a signle worded poem comprised of four letters"

I always laugh when I hear this.

[brandonleitch]

one of my teachers likes folk music...

hes really good tool...
check out his site and maybe contact him www.chrissilvermusic.com

[philboyd studge]

In the Wikipedia definition of folk music (which is pretty good btw) and I like the quote: Louis Armstrong and blues musician Big Bill Broonzy have both been attributed the remark "All music is folk music. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song."

To me it's music of, by, and for the common people unencumbered by commercialism. So, with that as a guideling you could include the formations of genres like Tejano or Rap.

[brandrum]

check out Kelly Joe Phelps....bluesy folk stuff....great voice and a great picker.

[irishfolker]

As you can guess from my handle, I do a lot of folk music, mostly Irish. I also write in the folk genre. I know this is the songwriting forum, but anybody who wants lyrics or discussion of folk songs might want to head over to www.mudcat.org. A caution though: don't ask, "What is Folk?" over there or you'll be pointed to several ver-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r--rr--r-ry long threads on the subject. It's rather a sensitive topic over there.

[brendandwyer]

i don't necessarily agree with the notion of folk as being outside commericialism. All music had a start outside commercialism until it finds a wide enough audience.

I think of the genre of "folk" as being a standardized form of traditional music. So modern Irish Folk would be a standardized modern version of Traditional Irish, American folk could encompass Bluegrass and other country traditional musics, or european traditional roots. I think folk sort of wraps those traditional musics from different regions ofthe world together in a blanket. A big, over sentamentalized, whiney blanket. Haha, i'm kidding. i love folk. And i love Fulk, funky folk (does that exist, if not it should)

[philboyd studge]

What I said was unencombered by commercialism. You have to not give a shit.

In regards to writing 'folk music' I suppose there are tendancies; like often using traditional music forms and instruments as tools to create new material.
A lot can be learned from listening to traditional songs for they have survived the test of time and taking them apart to see what makes them tick both lyrically and melodically can be be helpful in creating new songs.

[brendandwyer]

Hmm. i see the distinction, but folk artists aren't above the lure of commercialism. That would be like saying that Green Day was punk and therefore resisted all urges to become a major label recording group.

I think any genre is guilty of taking the money after a period of resistance of commercialism.

[up-fiddler]

Yeah I'm guilty of taking $$. I wish I could be more guilty.

Seriously though, I think that Folk Musicians have to rely on live performance and festival checks more so than most genres. jmho

[brendandwyer]

i agree. probably not going to get residuals from their platinum record sales

[philboyd studge]

Originally Posted by brendandwyer

i agree. probably not going to get residuals from their platinum record sales

It's a different market for sure for someone who writes songs in the folk idiom. I decided to create my own dealing primarily with California history and the people, places, and things in it. Sales points are not record stores but museums, bookstores, visitor's centers and historical societies, and the internet. Currently we're developing the video possibilities and that can translate to a lot of other venues including schools on the classroom level. As cd's they are sold with booklets which explain the material in detail, but with the national park material I'm working on now, I may get away from that cause it's time consuming in development, folks don't tend to read it and it's a lot of piecework assembly. Still, they only cost about 2 bucks together and sell for 20 on site, and I keep it all.

Performance opportunities are more numerous than they appear, but I've got to admit it was a slow start, and with freebies. I suppose there are folk venues, coffee houses, music festivals and such, but right now I'm not very interested in doing them. Libraries, historical societies, etc. pay more and you seldom have to play very long, and they buy product.

[brendandwyer]

phil, that is an awesome nitch! really, i'm impressed because i would never even think of that market. Just goes to show that there are opportunities everywhere

[philboyd studge]

Originally Posted by brendandwyer

phil, that is an awesome nitch! really, i'm impressed because i would never even think of that market. Just goes to show that there are opportunities everywhere

Yeah, plus I'm being introduced to the wonderful world of grants. Still, the most enjoyable aspects are in writing and recording.

[Folkie]

I like that idea of "the folk idiom". Assuages the guilt of those who are not pure traditionalists (there are many of those purists out there--you better not be playing in a modern style around some of the more rabid of them. They'll turn up their noses in contempt.)

I do think it avoids definition. Can't say it's all acoustic, it isn't, though electric instruments are usually not the main ones. Can't put a year on it (like anything before 1940, for example--although I knew a couple of folksingers who refused to sing anything less than 50 years old.) A lot of campfire songs were written by the likes of Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger and such--folks who are still alive and writing.
(Check out Eric Bogle's "Traditional Folksinger's Lament" for a fun take on Dylan's influence on folk music.)

But there is a "sound" to it. As Schooner Faire says, "Fifty years from now you probably won't see guys in the bar standing around the old upright synthesizer singing Twisted Sister tunes..."

I play the stuff, but I couldn't define it. Not to mention that the songs change through something called "the folk process".

But the genre, if you expand it beyond just the traditional, is great to listen to, fun, thought provoking, and in too short a supply.

Let's get a grass roots movement going to start "The Great Folk Scare of the 21st Century".

[slidey]

there's "english folk" people like Davey Graham & Martin Carthy & bands like The Pentangle & Fairport Convention to name but 2

I like folk especially the guitar picking, I'm seriously into finger picking just now. I have to say that a lot of shall we say "finger in the ear" folk doesn't float me but my god there's some class players goin' down

[Jumper]

Folk music is story telling. Its a style of music that tends to stay away from popular trends unlike other genres do and although its easy on the ears, some of it is very hard to play. Because it does not follow current pop music trends, it rarely makes it into the limelight but dont get me wrong...folk music has evolved over the years. Guthrie is alot different than Ellis Paul. Both of whom are the most popular folk artist of thier day (ellis being today). By the way if you have never liked folk music listen to Ellis Paul. He really is very good.

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by slidey

there's "english folk" people like Davey Graham & Martin Carthy & bands like The Pentangle & Fairport Convention to name but 2

I like folk especially the guitar picking, I'm seriously into finger picking just now. I have to say that a lot of shall we say "finger in the ear" folk doesn't float me but my god there's some class players goin' down

Incredibly good music from all four of those groups! (Edit--well both groups and both guys.)

[stonepiano]

good thread. I'll throw in my two cents here because I haven't yet read my perspective spelled out better.

hmmm... what is folk music?

how about this answer?

Folk music is any song that can be played by a modestly trained musician or sung by any competent singer whose aim is to share the lyrical story of the song with other listener. Folk, for me, means simplicity in structure (not necessarily arrangement) and a heartfelt attempt by the performer to commune with the audience or even have the audience share in the performance. It's not about acoustic guitars or harmonica holders. It's not about showmanship or dancing. It's simply including the audience in a performers attempt to relive a memory or share a lesson.

[guitarist_44]

Althought S & G were an incredible act, and they wouldnt be the same without Art, Paul Simon was the real mastermind behind the 2.

[gcapel]

I am a huge fan of Hope Sandoval, Mazzy Star, and Leona Naess. Would this music be considered folk? I know Mazzy Star mixed in pychodelic and blues as well.

[cello_pudding]

i don't have much of my folk recorded...

one of my friends that's indie folk is pretty good though...

www.myspace.com/calebengstrom