Music should always be fun. It should be easy for anyone with almost any level of aptitude to make some form of music. Unfortunately we are taught that, in order to make music, you need to study music tablature, learn scales and chords, spend money on expensive musical instruments and practice loads. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Have you ever see any African tribes people dancing to drums? These talented drummers will have never been to music college. Obviously they aren’t familiar with scales, chords or paradiddles. But they’re having a good time. Making music on simple, home made instruments like drums and rattles is what music making is all about.
There is a one stringed Brasilian instrument called a Berimbau that has African roots. Not surprisingly it looks a bit like a bow that could be used for hunting. Now this simple instrument is the precursor to pretty much all forms of stringed instrument including guitars, harps and even pianos.
You may have already heard or seen a Diddley Bow. This is a very simple and easily made African American one stringed folk instrument. Typically these are a simple plank of wood with a piece of wire stretched from end to end. The string is tensioned with something uses as a bridge and the pitch is varied by fretting the string with a piece of bone, glass or maybe a knife or some other form of slide.
Lonnie Pitchford is one well known Diddley Bow player who would make his Diddley Bows by attaching a wire to an upright on his front porch. In fact, making Diddley Bows in this manner, by attaching a piece of wire (often fence wire or broom wire) to a house or shack, was common practice amongst the poor workers living in the Mississippi Delta region.
The blues is rooted in simple folk instruments like the diddley bo. Many of the early blues greats got their start in the 1920s and 1930s by playing Diddley Bows. One modern day Diddley bow players who you may have heard of is Seasick Steve. So why not make yourself a simple one string Diddley Bow today and make some music.
Tags: diddley bow, diddly bo, folk instruments, Guitars, learn to play