#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Frets on a diddley bow?

When playing a diddley bow, do you need to hit proper fret locations or is it more of a play by ear thing? Like playing a slide whistle vs playing a flute. Thanks

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on April 14, 2011 at 11:55am

You can put markers on the fretboard to show you where the approximate location for the notes is, but yea, it is pretty much by ear.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by One String Willie on April 21, 2011 at 12:15pm

Yo Dogg-

There are two schools of thought on this. I do put position marks on my diddley bows, because one of my playing techniques demands that I be able to hit false harmonics with my right hand 12 "frets" higher than the position of the slide.

I look at the position markers as well as listening to the pitch when I play. If you do go with position marks, don't have too many--I have them at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12 (and so on for the second octave).

Best regards, Willie

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on April 22, 2011 at 12:57am

Here is a great video that should answer your question. Enjoy, Keni Lee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tys6dmEMyRk

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike on March 12, 2015 at 4:48pm

Hi Keni,

I know this is very old but hoping you might see this and reply. I watched that video (and have watched it in the past when first looking into CBGs) and don't quite understand the markings he mentioned as I am not sure what flat 3rd or 5th means. I am planning on making diddley bows with my daughters brownie troop shortly and was hoping you or somebody else tell me what fret locations he meant. I have the templates from cbgitty but really don't know anything about any of this so not sure which I should have the girls mark. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TN Twang on March 13, 2015 at 4:11am

Mike,

A quick answer. I'm sure Keni and others can give you a better lesson.

If you're using Gitty's guitar template, make sure the distance from nut to bridge is exactly right.

Mark out Gitty's 3rd fret, 5th fret, 7th fret, 10th fret, and 12th fret. This will give you the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th notes of a minor scale. That's what the video guy means when he says he's using a "minor pentatonic." (5 notes selected out of the minor scale.)

Add a little zest to your playing by also marking Gitty's 6th fret. That's a nice slippery "blues" note between the 4th and 5th steps of the scale. (It's not actually a note from the minor scale, but it sounds neat.)

If you really want to soar on your solos, mark the 15th fret. That's a higher version of the note you played on the 3rd fret.

DO NOT try to make sense out of the numbers--at least not at first. The 5th fret is the 4th note of the scale; the 12 fret is the 8th note of the scale. It will drive you nuts. Just find the notes on your instrument and enjoy.

Please let us know at CBN how the young ladies take to these instruments. Lotsa' people here have wondered how to introduce primitive lutherie to a younger audience.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike on March 13, 2015 at 4:47am

Thank you for the information. I really am trying to learn but having no musical experience it is taking a while. I appreciate your help and everybody else's who have been helping me on my journey.

I will definitely let you know how it goes. I might not be able to post pictures of all of them with their creations as not all the parents will be there so not sure about consent sharing their photos. I will ask their troop leader as we had to sign a consent form for them to allow photos of her from events to be published. If all the kids parents signed I would be ok.

I am going to be building with them mid and late April. The time I have with them is 2 afternoons 1.5 hours each so right now am building one to see if I can gauge how much prep I need to do ahead. The hope is to discuss briefly with them about the history of it then build and on the 2nd afternoon hoping to have time to have them play for a little bit. I am really looking forward to it.

Thank you again for the help!
Mike