Pribek

I was listening to this Flatt and Scruggs record, “The Complete Mercury Recordings”, the other day.

I noticed something that I never noticed before. Many of these songs feature vocals and there are instrumental solos in between verses or choruses. A lot of them are in 4/4 or 2/4 time, depending on how you count it. I’ve known different people that insist on one or the other.

Anyway, after the solo, there is an extra measure (if you count it in 2/4) or, a half measure or a measure of 2/4 (if you are counting in 4/4) before the singer comes back in. It’s a little structural stutter step. They didn’t just do it some of the time, they did it most of the time.

Coincidentally, I saw an old clip of Flat and Scruggs, the same day and, sure enough that extra two beats was in there after every solo. In the live setting they were getting the “audience acknowledges the solo applause” at these points. Now, on the record there is no audience so, I’m wondering if they put that in there for the purpose of leaving a little space for the crowd to respond.

You know I’m not a bluegrass guy so, maybe all those guys do this and I just now noticed it. Or, is this a Flatt and Scruggs deal?