Cripple Creek (Appalachian/bluegrass): Score, parts, & audio track (2.5-3)

This arrangement for “Cripple Creek” starts with a simplified version of the melody, and the second time through, adds shuffle stroke, a popular bow stroke in the Appalachian style that consists of a long bow stroke followed by two short bows. The arrangement then steps that same melody into the bluegrass style. Bill Monroe, 1930s founder of the style we know as bluegrass, adapted many Appalachian fiddle tunes into the bluegrass style. Bluegrass requires more technique than Appalachian fiddling. Instead of playing a single-line melody against an open string, the player often plays two notes at a time, called double stops, by using separate fingers for each note. There can be trickier bow patterns, more left-hand motion around the melody notes, and most importantly, this style invites improvisation after the melody is performed.