Methodist Preacher (Using John Hartford's Windows System)

We've mentioned that we'd loosely followed John Hartford's "windows" style of backup while recording the album "Adeline". Lots of folks have asked us what that means. Here's a video that shows us in action playing with windows, and some of Hartford's own words to describe it. If you're interested, below we've included Hartford's full description of the approach from the liner notes of his album "Speed of the Old Long Bow".
The tune here is "Methodist Preacher" by Bill Monroe. Although this tune didn't make it on the album, it's a great example of what we're describing.
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In Hartford's own words....
"For lack of a better name, we call this a 'window' rhythm section. We've tried to find a better name but this one won`t go away. I really don't like it cause it sounds too much like computers.
"Everybody has a bunch of things they can do on their instruments you can (l) play rhythm on the downbeat, (2) play rhythm on the offbeat, (3) play a figure, like boogie-woogie, (4) play a figure, like high or low bass runs, (5) play unison lead, (6) play harmony, (7) deaden your strings and play rhythm things, - 8 play 4/4 chromatic runs, (9) play straight open chord rhythm, (10) play closed chords, (11) always play just one note like the tonic or (12) you can just lay out.
"So every eight bars (a window) you change what you're doing or lay out (less is more). You might have five or six instruments and never more than three playing at the same time. The first window might be just the mandolin, the second window just the banjo, the third, the mandolin doing something different and also adding the guitar.
"The next window might be everyone and then for contrast, just the fiddle. If it's a tune you haven`t heard before you might want to listen for a window or two before you dive in. Or you can play something with anything the first time you hear it even if it's one-note or just something chromatic. An entrance or exit should on purpose and not fading in or out and we are trying to make each window real different from the one before.
"You can also lay out two windows (l6 bars) if you need to, to change instruments or leave the stage for some reason like adjust the PA system, sell a t-shirt or kick some body's posterior.
"The figure or lick does not have to, be the same through the whole window as long as it works consistently as a window.
"It's probably a good idea to lay out every third window anyway to keep it from getting too busy.
"Generally, try and build with one, then two, then three instruments and then maybe, all of them and then lay out for pacing
"The groove is all-important and should never be lost."
John Hartford

[@conradb209]

Thanks for the great content.

[@tomiskind]

Great info (new to me)! Thanks for sharing!

[@jordanalexander5275]

The Hartford string band did a tutorial at a hartford memorial a few years back, it blew my mind! Such a genius method

[@andyquelch662]

Great stuff 👍🤘

[@nicoleeymery9593]

Superbe ambiance musicale... comment se procurer l'album ? merci

[@gregmonforton4103]

Electronic music composers do this implicitly. Any loop based music (except some really droney meditative stuff maybe) should have these dynamic elements, since the music itself is not inherently dynamic.