Slovenian folk music

pklima · #1 04-24-2006, 07:02 AM

This is a longshot, but can anyone point me to some transcriptions of traditional Slovenian polkas and waltzes? Either online or a book that I can buy?

I got a gig playing this music here in Poland, unfortunately the accordion player (the only one who knows the music) is one of those ear-only guys and can't write anything down. Not that this stuff is hard to learn by ear, but I just got done transcribing a dozen songs for one band, got two dozen to learn for another... it would be nice to just get some charts for a change.

Comrade Lewis · #2 04-24-2006, 12:01 PM

All i can say for you is good luck trying to find charts for that, you might want to try a google search. If by any chance you do find something, could you send it on to me? Although my name wouldnt be an indicator of it i have some strong Slovenian heritage.
Good Luck
Lew

pklima · #3 04-26-2006, 01:40 AM

A google search might be more fruitful if I knew any Slovenian. I've asked a native Slovenian to do some digging for me... if she finds something I'll let you know.

koktach · #4 05-10-2006, 03:11 PM

Greets... tell me what songs... polkas waltzes? Avseniki, Slaki,... or older folk stuff? I might dig something up (I'm slovenian btw)

Now... it's really not that hard to play those songs, it's basicly dominant and subdominant thingy, with ocasional transitions. You should be able to pick that up quickly.

pklima · #5 05-11-2006, 12:13 AM

We are playing more modern songs, generally - some Slaki etc. I'll try to get a set list from the accordion player (he has difficulty deciding) and post it here. The bass parts are indeed easy but I'm having trouble remembering which song is which and I'd also like to learn the melodies. And I know our poor guitarist who's never played folk before could also use some charts.

I really appreciate your willingness to help out.

RiseOfTheWooten · #6 05-11-2006, 06:49 AM

A lot of traditional folk Slovenian (or any other music in that region of Europe) has a long history of being played by ear and a lot of improv isn't it?

pklima · #7 05-15-2006, 02:25 AM

One song we've decided on so far is "Okrogla Polka" - hope I'm spelling that right.

koktach · #8 05-15-2006, 09:23 AM

Here it is... Okrogla Polka by Ansambel Lojzeta Slaka

I transcribed guitar chords as recorded, you should pick up the bass line quite easily since as I said it's basicly using dominants. And transitions are also easy, just stay in the chord form, all of them in this song are major. Just a note, recorded version uses tuba for bass.

(C#) F# =>Start on second bar with F#,acordian starts by itself
C# F# 3X
G# C# 4X
C# F# 4x
F# H => here is a little transition*
F# H 8x

Then repeat the whole thing, just start with that C# on the start, and the last line is played 4 times istead of 8

*I think that tuba plays: F# C# B F# | H F# D# H
Hope all of this makes any sense

... anybody wants to learn how to dance polka???

dhosek · #9 05-15-2006, 04:58 PM

I played some bass with a bunch of button box guys doing slovene polkas back in the 90s. As I recall it was all I-IV-V progressions, mostly in Bb and F. The bass lines are of course just 1-5.

pklima · #10 05-16-2006, 08:42 AM

Thanks! That'll be quite helpful, especially to our guitarist. I'll post more titles as we decide on what we're doing.

koktach · #11 05-16-2006, 08:51 AM

Just a note... I remebered now... we use H instead of B and B is instead of Bb. I think it's a german notation... or something. Dhosek you are about right, but not all of them use I IV V. Above exmaple is a point in case

No problem for the proggresion, it took me a couple of minutes to do it.

pklima · #12 05-18-2006, 12:36 AM

Right, we use the same notation in Poland. Except for jazz musicians who mostly play from American charts and some of the younger rock crowd.

I still haven't gotten a proper list of songs from the accordion player... he's very busy with work at the moment. And knows the songs better than he knows their titles... he'll say stuff like "this is a very nice polka, I don't remember the title but I have a recording somewhere, I'll have to find it so I can tell you the title". As you might imagine, it becomes a little difficult to keep these separate in our brains...

koktach · #13 05-18-2006, 03:24 AM

If you really want to play a polka that every and I mean EVERY slovenian knows, you have to play "Na Golici" from Slavko Avsenik. It is THE slovenian polka to play

... just a recommendation.

pklima · #14 05-18-2006, 03:34 AM

Yeah, every culture has a few "basic" songs that it would be embarrassing not to know.