Vamping

[Woody]

Hi all,

 

I was reading the English music topic and again the term "vamp" or "vamping" came up with respect to Concertina playing. Now since I started playing I've see this term bandied around but I've never come across a definition.

 

I think I know what is meant by this, but to save myself possible embarassment I'll keep my theory to myself for the moment. This will also give me the chance to nod sagely and say "Ah! Exactly as I thought." regardless of how mistaken I was in reality

 

- W

[lildogturpy]

Found this at Wickipedia ...

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Vamping)

In jazz, a vamp is simply a repeating musical figure or accompaniment (Corozine 2002, p.124). The equivalent in classical music would be an ostinato. A background vamp provides a performer, or perhaps the pianist's right hand, a harmonic framework upon which to improvise. A vamp often acts as a springboard at the opening of an improvisation.

Similarly, in musical theater, a vamp is a figure of one or two measures which the orchestra repeats during dialogue or stage business. Here the purpose of a vamp is to allow the singers as much time to prepare for the song or the next verse as is necessary, without either requiring the music to pause until the singers are ready or requiring the action on stage to be carefully synchronized with music of a fixed length.

[Woody]

Found this at Wickipedia ...

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Vamping)

In jazz, a vamp is simply a repeating musical figure or accompaniment (Corozine 2002, p.124). The equivalent in classical music would be an ostinato. A background vamp provides a performer, or perhaps the pianist's right hand, a harmonic framework upon which to improvise. A vamp often acts as a springboard at the opening of an improvisation.

Similarly, in musical theater, a vamp is a figure of one or two measures which the orchestra repeats during dialogue or stage business. Here the purpose of a vamp is to allow the singers as much time to prepare for the song or the next verse as is necessary, without either requiring the music to pause until the singers are ready or requiring the action on stage to be carefully synchronized with music of a fixed length.

 

 

Eh?

 

[JimLucas]

I was reading the English music topic and again the term "vamp" or "vamping" came up with respect to Concertina playing. ...I've never come across a definition.

Here is one prior post with a suggestion of a definition.

 

Found this at Wickipedia ...

In other words: A regular repetition, generally used as either background or introduction to something else.

 

Most commonly I've seen/heard it used to mean a rhythmically regular chordal accompaniment, where the important repetition is the rhythm, though the chords may change. Often this is a bass-chord alternation, though I think a steady beating of either full chords or just basses would also qualify.

[Mark Evans]

Yes Robin and Jim, that is indeed vampin', which is needed when I'm singin' a bluegrass gig. I often forget the opening line, because I've forgotten the intorduction which I'm to play. When I smile at me chums, they vamp. Sometimes I tell a one line joke with punch line from a band mate which is a bluegrass tradition and then on with the number.

 

Vampin'...a life saver.

[Peter Brook]

I don't recognise "vamping" from what has previously been suggested.

 

In my experience of english music it is defined as the regular "um-pa" of bass note (fundamental) then corresponding chord such as the typical melodeon player is trying to achieve with the bass buttons. This of course can be replicated on the anglo concertina as well in certain keys. It is there to add melodic percussion and "life" to the music.

[Chris Allert]

i'm not certain as to the origin of this term, but i'm pretty sure it has something to do with the piano accompinament on 78rpm records that was mandated by the record company in order to suck the life out of the recording. it may also have something to do with the many similarities between record companies and vampires -- the inability to produce life, and the ability to live forever by drinking the blood of the living.

[lildogturpy]

I don't recognise "vamping" from what has previously been suggested.

 

In my experience of english music it is defined as the regular "um-pa" of bass note (fundamental) then corresponding chord such as the typical melodeon player is trying to achieve with the bass buttons. This of course can be replicated on the anglo concertina as well in certain keys. It is there to add melodic percussion and "life" to the music.

 

My understanding, such as it is, is that the "um-pa" base notes are indeed vamping, but only between when one melody phrase ends and the next begins. One example that comes to mind is in the song "Rawtenstall Annual Fair" After you finish singing one verse, and before the next starts you can have as many repeats of the following as you need to remember what words come next.

 

X:1

T:Vamping

M:4/4

L:1/8

Q:100

K:D

|: GFE (3D/E/F/ | GFE (3D/E/F/ :|

 

Just paste this snippet in to the tune-o-tron

[Aldon]

In Hawaiian music a vamp is the chord progression that's played to introduce the song. The same progression is also played between each verse, and to end the song. Usually it's a II7, V7, I progression. In the key of C that would be D7 to G7 to C. In the intro. it's usually played twice. Between verses it's played once, and at the end of the song it's usually played once or twice depending on who's playing it.....

 

It seems one of the unifying factors for using the word 'vamp' involves repetition.

 

Interesting question!

 

Aldon

[m3838]

"Usually it's a II7, V7, I progression. In the key of C that would be D7 to G7 to C"

 

Let's shake my "knowledge" and analize it.

A D7 is dominant of G. G7 is dominant of C.

So you by playing D7 -> G7 -> C, you are coming from Gmaj to Cmaj through dominant of dominant, or through using double dominant.

And if one want to change key of Cmaj to Dmaj, one has to play C, G7, D7, A7, D. Is that correct?

[Aldon]

"Usually it's a II7, V7, I progression. In the key of C that would be D7 to G7 to C"

 

Let's shake my "knowledge" and analize it.

A D7 is dominant of G. G7 is dominant of C.

So you by playing D7 -> G7 -> C, you are coming from Gmaj to Cmaj through dominant of dominant, or through using double dominant.

And if one want to change key of Cmaj to Dmaj, one has to play C, G7, D7, A7, D. Is that correct?

 

I'm using jazz theory here.

 

Classical theorists would analyze the same progression as V7/V, V7, I. (They would say, "The Five-seven of five, to the V7, to I. ) You are correct that in Classical theory it moves from the key of G to the key of C. In Jazz theory, however, it's just seen as replacing the Dm in the key of C with a D7.

 

To change keys in Hawaiian music we usually vamp in the original key, then introduce the new key with the V7 of the new key. So going for C major to D major would be D7, G7, C, A7, D (the new key).

 

Some Hawaiian musicians, though, will vamp in the new key right away. So C to D would be a straight E7, A7, D vamp.

 

Occassionally, Hawaiians will use a static modulation, where the key just changes without any modulating chord. In the C to D example they would finish the verse, vamp in C, then start the new verse in the key of D.

 

Hope that helps instead of making things more confusing!

[Richard Morse]

I've always thought that musical vamping was playing a chunky but soft (not overwhelming) supportive sound "thing" of particularly vacuous tone/pitch/chordal nature. The purpose being to allow others to express themselves freely (as in improvising with the tune) without being constrained or pushed to any particular melody line. An example is strumming out the beats with a guitar by partially holding down a chord which results in a rythmic string-noise thing more than a perceptual chord. Even if vamping with an ompah rythem both parts would be indistinct enough tone-wise to let the main instrument do his thing unimpededly.

 

The Hawaiian vamp (as are others) are a different thing of the same name.

 

Just my take on this....

[Robert Booth]

Or, in light of the above, 99% of the blues is the Vamp

[Alan Day]

For the more technical amongst you,to a well known tune

 

PLONK- PLICK. PLONK-PLICK , PLONK- PLICK , PLONK-PLICK

PLICK- PLONK ,PLICK- PLONK ,PLONK- PLICK etc

 

An explanation can be found in my daily completely useless information book.

Al

[Jeffreystone]

people who vamp in irish trad. music should really stop....it hurts my ears...

[Jeffreystone]

uh Dick miles....what the hell does that mean??? are u suggesting people vamp so that they break their instruments?? haha...i just think vamping is annoying and should be left for accordions...concertina is a lead melody instrument, end of story.

[David Barnert]

vamp the upper leatherof a s hoe or boot ,to patch old with new, to give a new face to, to improvise accompaniments ,VAMPER ONEWHO VAMPS UPOR COBBLESUP ANYTHING OLD TO PASS FOR NEW SO TO VAMP ON THE CONCERTINA COULD MEAN TO DO A REPAIR ADEQUATELY SO THE INSTRUMENT CAN BE RESOLD ,

Or resoled, as the case may be.

[Chris Allert]

people who vamp in irish trad. music should really stop....it hurts my ears...

 

i'm inclined to agree with this sentiment in most cases, but i have found a few exceptions. The piano accompinament on chris droney's album "the fertile rock" i think works very well. George Byrt is the pianist on this album, and i have recommended this album to people interested in accompanying irish music.

 

Mary MacNamara's first album is also a very good example of how piano accompinament and recording studio techniques can enhance rather than drown out a performance. (I don't have a copy of her later albums, so i can't say whether they work as well).

 

Another album with good vamping is the hugh gillespie (fiddle) album, currently on green linnet records (glcd3066). this is a collection of recordings made in the late 1930s. this album is unusual for it's time in that it uses a guitar rather than a piano for accompinament. on some tracks he is accompanied by his neighbor mark callahan, and on others by jack mckenna. it was gillespie's choice to use a guitar rather than a piano for these recordings, so perhaps he had more control over what the accompanist would do than other artists who recorded at the time.

 

unfortunately i can think of very few other irish music recordings where the accompinament and studio production techniques don't do more harm than good. the albums i listen to most were made as field recordings. for some reason the noises in the background don't really bother me, but most of the over-produced albums i hear i simply can't stand to listen to more than a few times.