Wendy Anthony

by Wendy Anthony

The Tune:

Hangman’s Reel is played as a Breakdown in Old-Time jams. Old-time fiddlers play Hangman’s Reel in “cross-tuning” AEAE, utilizing a dark droning sound, which takes a bit more work to achieve a similar effect on the mandolin. This tune is likely of French Canadian origin, based on Hanged Man’s Reel (aka Le Reel du Pendu, or Reel of the Hanged, which is played in AEAC# tuning), & associated with various legends about a man, condemned to be hanged, who is offered a reprieve if he could play a tune on an out-of-tune fiddle.

 Printable Sheet Music

Techniques:

• Overview of Tune: Hangman’s Reel is played as a Breakdown, which, in a typical jam situation, can be played up to 185-200 bpm (beats-per-minute). This tune has 4 parts, playing Parts A & D twice, & playing Parts B & C only once. (AABCDD). You can achieve a droning effect, similar to a “cross-tuned” fiddle, by adding an occasional low double-stop to the melody, especially when playing open A strings, using your index finger to fret both a low A (G strings, 2nd fret) & an E (D strings, 2nd fret).

 

• Chords: Each Part has a different combination of chord progressions: Parts A, B & C all use only A & E chords; Part D adds D chords; Parts A & D have 2 chords per measure (except one measure of Part A); Parts B & C has only 1 chord per measure (except two measures in Part B); Parts A, B & D all start with an A chord; Part C starts with an E chord.
  

  Hangman’s Reel Chords:

  Part A: || : A/E | A/E | A/E | A/E | A/E | A/E | A | E/A : ||

  Part B: | A | A | A | E/A | A | A | A | E/A |

  Part C: | E | A | E | A | E | A | E | A |

  Part D: | : A/D | A/D | A/D | A/E | A/D | A/D | A/D | E/A : ||

• Pick Strokes & Fingering: Pick all 1/2 & 1/4 notes with Downstrokes. Pick all paired 1/8 notes with Down/Upstrokes.

Keepin’ tuned …
Wendy Anthony

o2b.pickin@gmail.com