Many people have asked me the question over the years: “What is Old-Time music?”.

Wikipedia defines it like this:

Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also encompasses ballads and other types of folk songs. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments (most often the guitar and banjo).

But when I discuss it with them we always end up discussing style.  So over the years I have begun to bring the attention to the style of Old-Time as a separate, but authentic, part of the genre.  So when I define to others what Old-Time is I say it like this:

Old-Time Music is a genre of music composed of two elements. First is the Time-line element which indicates when it was composed and what the cultural setting was. The second is the Style element which consists of the organization of the of the tune into a rhythm suitable for dancing. This rhythm does not change often and is for the most part predictable so as to give the dancer the best opportunity to dance to the music with out compromising their focus on the dance number.

With this definition one can apply it to any continent regardless of who initiated the term. The point I like to make is that the terms Old-Time and Traditional music have pretty much the same meaning although it tends to leave out any music that could be construed as classical. It is possible to have “New Old-Time” as long as the tune maintains a danceable rhythm.

A Modern Square Dance playing Old-Time Music

Another word would be Folk Music. Though recently has taken a different understanding and meaning brought about by musicians such as John Denver, The Birds and others; really the term Folk Music is a proper term that also applies to various continents and cultures. The term was first used in 1846 by the English antiquarian William Thoms to describe “the traditions, customs, and superstitions of the uncultured classes.”

Really though, a simple definition is needed to help people to understand what Old-Time is and why its important.  Folk Music is and evolving form of Traditional or Old-Time in which the culture of the present shapes the interpretation of the music. Old-Time Music reflects the culture and the time period in which it was made or it reflects the purpose for which it was made (which in itself is also a reflection of the times, in that dance music is the purpose for Old-Time).

So when you are talking to your friends about what it is, don’t forget to let them know why it is. It is to preserve the music of common people, to remove the titles of PhD or MA and give people a common heritage. It gives a farmer or a construction person the ability to enjoy music from their own persuasions or cultures and not just the classically trained or the wealthy who can afford training.