[Dixielandjazz] Banjo vs. Guitar

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Responding below to this paragraph in Rick Jolley's  informative post:
But, the music actually EVOLVED so that the guitar was  appropriate.
Remember that Condon started on banjo -- Tenor Banjo -- and that  evolved
into tenor guitar.  I suspect that the banjo was too loud (just  like drums)
for the available recording technology.  Another important  evolution was 
the
cymbal.  Listen to Coon-Sanders and other bands of the  era and you hear 
lots
of stops and splash.  The hi-hat was invented  about 1930 -- until then, the
"off beat" (2 and 4) were played by the  banjo.  Tuba played the one and
three.  With the two and four being  played with a hi-hat, the one and three
could be more subtle.  String  basses played all four beats.  The music lost
that 20's  feel.   It became swing.
So, whatever "Dixieland" was in the 20's,  by the 30's it was SWING.

I believe Condon started with  a ukulele tuned ?, transferred that to 
plectrum banjo, and then 4 string  guitar tuned plectrum.  I've never found him 
being very clear about the  tuning he used, but I don't believe it was ever 
tenor with it's "open"  chords.
 
I found your comments about the high-hat very interesting.   It's long been 
my secret thought that it was the high hat and not the  guitar that 
way-laid the banjo as a rhythm instrument.  Many horns are  responding to the 
"beat" only and not also the chordal harmony as part  of the music and many 
banjoists don't sound all that different than a clanging  cymbal.  There I've 
revealed one more secret thought.
 
Ginny