Is "cowboy chords" a derogatory term?

[Canada Jim]

'Cowboy chords' sounds fine. 'First position chords' sounds elitist. Stick to your guns. I swear these overly sensitive people are turning me into a grumpy old man. Now get off my lawn!

"First position chords sounds elitist"? Come on Mike. That's what they are. Calling something what it is, rather than using jargon, should not be called "elitist".
I agree that "cowboy chords" sounds fine, but so does "first position chords".

 

[SleepyheadRooster]

It’s just a term to describe the chords you need to be a recreational player. A cowboy (like many of us) would need a few chords to play songs around the campfire after working all day.

There is nothing elitist about acknowledging the difference between a recreational pursuit and more serious study of the instrument. And I’ve never met a professional musician who doesn’t at times play cowboy chords on whatever fretted instrument they play.

There is no hierarchy of “better” chords. They’re just chords. It’s no different than notes. Can you imagine someone arguing that “E” is better or more professional than “G”?

Good grief.

 

[Canada Jim]

I’ve never met a professional musician who doesn’t at times play cowboy chords on whatever fretted instrument they play.

I recall going to see Herb Ellis and being surprised to see him using a capo which he kept at the first fret for the whole gig. I asked a knowledgable friend about this and he told me, "That's not a capo, it's a Van Eps String damper. It prevents open strings from sounding."
Herb would have to remove that in order to play "cowboy chords".

 

[Pyewacket]

I recall going to see Herb Ellis and being surprised to see him using a capo which he kept at the first fret for the whole gig. I asked a knowledgable friend about this and he told me, "That's not a capo, it's a Van Eps String damper. It prevents open strings from sounding."
Herb would have to remove that in order to play "cowboy chords".

Yipes! Why would someone want to do that???

 

[SleepyheadRooster]

I recall going to see Herb Ellis and being surprised to see him using a capo which he kept at the first fret for the whole gig. I asked a knowledgable friend about this and he told me, "That's not a capo, it's a Van Eps String damper. It prevents open strings from sounding."
Herb would have to remove that in order to play "cowboy chords".

View attachment 169038

Right. But Herb played a particular style of jazz that emphasized closed position chords and scales. It was very specific to styles of jazz in the same way that playing in open tunings are used in a specific way for Hawaiian Slack Key or blues slide guitar.

I’d bet money Herb knew his cowboy chords.

 

[jtsteam]

As far as "cowboy chords," I suppose it would depend on the context/genre/style. Certain folky-type songs seem to sound better when played with first position chords with open strings that ring out. Swing songs seem to sound better with closed chords, that can be muted more easily.​

Slightly off topic, but... I had a UU lesson with Aldrine a while back (only one, and it's not his fault, just that I felt I couldn't commit to the practice to do them justice, but that's even more off topic) and this was what I asked about. I said I wanted to learn to play around the fretboard more to make my songs sound more interesting.

His answer (grossly oversimplifying because it was a 15 minute lesson...) was that, yes, that's a thing you can do and he had lots of suggestions on how to learn it, but there's a lot more you can do to make even the first position chords sound more interesting. Play with the rhythm, mute strums, put a finger on another string to see what happens, all of that. Sometimes, especially for folky songs, those open strings are exactly what's needed anyway.

Anyway, I've read the phrase "cowboy chords" and I wouldn't have thought it an insult, especially not when I direct it at myself, but I suppose as usual context matters. If I use a phrase and someone doesn't like it, I'll try to remember not to use it with them. I'd rather find common ground than make enemies.

Another aside: I've recently started playing at open mics and I am having enormous fun doing it, and you know who's made me feel most like I belong? The actual professional musicians. I was (unfairly) expecting to be laughed at for bringing my comedy toy instrument, but of course that's not what happened. I'm pretty sure they are the ones who understand best that nobody cares how you make the sound you make, what matters is how entertaining you are for both the audience and yourself. If you can keep an audience entertained all night with C, F and G, then go you!

 

[Canada Jim]

I don't know who first said, "If it sounds good, it is good," but it's my mantra.

In an article about Jean Ritchie, she mentioned doing a gig with Doc Watson. There was one song she'd always accompanied on the guitar, but figured if she was playing with Doc, he'd do a better job of accopanying her on guitar. When they played the song, Doc played it exactly the way she had always played it. When she asked him why, he said, "That's exactly what that song needs."

 

[Neil_O]

I recall going to see Herb Ellis and being surprised to see him using a capo which he kept at the first fret for the whole gig. I asked a knowledgable friend about this and he told me, "That's not a capo, it's a Van Eps String damper. It prevents open strings from sounding."
Herb would have to remove that in order to play "cowboy chords".

View attachment 169038

This is so cool! I always thought that concept was pioneered with modern shred and usually used a hair scrunci or a bandana! Some of my favorite flamenco players do use a capo, and are still awesome players, no matter what the capo-haters say.

 

[EDW]

"That's not a capo, it's a Van Eps String damper. It prevents open strings from sounding."

While it is a whole different kind of thing, it reminds me of how a zero fret can help the sound to be a bit more consistent between open and fretted strings.

 

[cletus]

This is so cool! I always thought that concept was pioneered with modern shred and usually used a hair scrunci or a bandana! Some of my favorite flamenco players do use a capo, and are still awesome players, no matter what the capo-haters say.

Next big debate: how to correctly spell and pronounce "scrunci"?

 

[Pyewacket]

"Scrunchy". That was easy. Because it is scrunched up and you can't trademark a common word.

 

[Neil_O]

 

[merlin666]

Nope it refers to the basic simple country and bluegrass music with no more than three basic chords and hauntingly simple melodies. Before they had all that Texas Swing and jazzy stuff and when cowboys used horses and not helicopters.

 

[cletus]

"Scrunchy". That was easy. Because it is scrunched up and you can't trademark a common word.

What about the "loud, crunching noise"?

 

[Ukecaster]

I can't say that I ever heard it used as an insult. I suppose you can try to avoid trouble by not saying anything, but then people will be offended because you weren't speaking or perhaps because of the expression on your face!
"Hey, why are you looking at me that way?!"

Some people will interpret just about anything as an insult. Over the years, there have been times when teaching a group of kids and I compliment one student for doing a good job or for some extra effort. I have become accustomed to finding another student is now insulted, saying "What about me? You don't think I did a good job?!"

Sometimes you just can't win.

Yeah...participation medals for all. What a world

 

[Pyewacket]

What about the "loud, crunching noise"?

You can't trademark "scrunchy", but you CAN trademark "scrunchie" or "scrunci"

 

[Jerryc41]

Hello folks.

I was talking to someone yesterday and described simple, first position chords as "cowboy chords" after discussing a chord that was hard to play (Bdim, if you're interested, which is a proper knucklebuster). I was saying that in order to play them you really need to think about your wider form generally.

This person said I was being eltist. I apologised immediately - it was never my intention to imply that some things aren't accessible to anyone. I was just talking about chords. To my mind being elitist would be saying "this is not for you", but what I tried to say was "this is what you need otherwise you'll find it hard to learn this". Not the end of the world - you will offend people by accident all the time unless you say nothing at all - but I don't want to offend anyone so I won't use the term again.

I thought "cowboy chords" was just a name used to describe the first position chords that everyone learned first (C, F, G). If someone asks me how to play something, I will say it's just the cowboy chords and the key.

So, that's my question, hive mind. What do you think?

I've never heard that term, but your friend was out of line. It sounded like he was being the elitist.

Unit 1: Cowboy Chords | Master Guitar School

www.masterguitarschool.com

 

[dr_mitch]

I see the term as derogatory, but not offensively so - fun rather than being completely dismissive. That said, it seems a much more common term in the guitar world rather than ukulele world, and might for all I know come across worse there.

I suppose a neutral term is “open chords” but that’s less fun.

 

[John Colter]

Any problem with the term "cowboy chords" may arise from the use of "cowboy" (in the UK) to indicate work that is casual or slapdash, as in "cowboy builders".

In music, I hear it as a term of endearment. Three chords and the truth, and all that.

 

[SkeeterAB]

"Scrunchy". That was easy. Because it is scrunched up and you can't trademark a common word.

You can trademark a common/generic word, but usually only if you are using that common/generic for a product or service that it would not normally be associated with, which may be referred to as an “arbitrary” use, (e.g., “Apple” for a computer or “Greyhound” for bus).