Now that we’ve learned the basics of jig time playing and have a few tunes in our repertoire, it’s time to add an extra layer of interest by introducing variations & ornamentations.

Variations

Variations occur when a player makes a subtle change to the melody during a pass through the tune.

By occasionally altering a small piece of the melody, the performer introduces an element of “melodic surprise”.

Variations results in a bit of “freshness” that can help to break up the potential monotony of listening to a rote melody as it is repeated over and over.

Ornamentations

Ornamentations serve the same purpose as variations but differ slightly in that they don’t necessarily change the melody but, rather, “spice” it up via the addition of extra, “ornamental” notes.

Common Ornamental Terminology

Grace Note

Added to a melody for the sake of embellishment, a grace note has no discernible time value of its own and is usually represented in notation and/or tablature as much smaller than a regular note.

Octave Substitutions

Occasionally, a melodic variations can be achieved by replacing a note of the melody with its counterpart in a different octave range. On the banjo, this is usually involves the use of the open 5th string note.

Fillers

A filler note is a note that is added to a melody in an effort to create more enhanced sense of melodic “movement”.

The Cut

A cut is a technique used by fiddlers, whistlers, and pipers to break up a single sustained note within a melody. This “break up”  is generally achieved by inserting a grace note into the space of a sustained note.

The Roll

A roll serves a similar effect to the cut but is achieved a bit differently and with a noticeably different effect. You add a roll to a note by very rapidly hammering on and pulling off two neighboring tones.