Music should always be fun. It should be easy for anyone with almost any level of aptitude to make some form of music. Unfortunately we are taught that, in order to make music, you need to study music tablature, learn scales and chords, spend money on expensive musical instruments and practice loads. But this isn’t true.
Have you ever see any African tribes people dancing to drums? These drummers will never have studied drumming at college. Obviously they aren’t familiar with scales, chords or paradiddles. But they know how to have a good time. Making music on simple, home made instruments like drums and rattles is what music making is all about.
There is a one stringed Brasilian instrument called a Berimbau that has African roots. Not surprisingly it looks a bit like a bow that could be used for hunting. This simple instrument precedes all other forms of stringed instrument including guitars, harps and even pianos.
You may have already heard or seen a Diddley Bow. This is a very simple and easily made African American one stringed folk instrument. Typically these are a simple plank of wood with a piece of wire stretched from end to end. The string is made taught with a bridge of some kind, maybe a can, and then fretted with a slide, often a knife, piece of bone or bottleneck.
Lonnie Pitchford, a well known exponent of the Diddley Bow would make his one stringed instruments by attaching a wire to the vertical support of his front porch. Diddley bows were commonly made by poor field workers and share croppers in the Mississippi Delta region.
The sound of the Diddley Bow is very much the sound of the blues. Many of the early blues greats got their start in the 1920s and 1930s by playing Diddley Bows. One popular modern day Diddly bow player is Seasick Steve. So if you want a bit of fun with a simple one string folk instrument why not make yourself a Diddley Bow today.
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