Glossary of Folk Terms

From the slave fields to the minstrels, to the parlors, to picking parties, jam nights, and now concert halls and folk venues, the banjo is a staple in just about every form of traditional music ... despite all the jokes.

The bouzouki comes from the same family as mandolin and lute and is widely played in Greek folk music, although it's become increasingly popular in contemporary American folk and progressive bluegrass music. Learn more about the history of the bouzouki.

Sure, it's a fire you light at a camp, but in the folk world (particularly at festivals), it's even more than that.

A definition for Clawhammer

The coffeehouse has, since its inception, been a destination for activists, dreamers, writers, and folksingers.

This acoustic instrument was added to the Bluegrass band line-up by Lester Flatt in the 1950s. Learn more.

A definition of folk music.

This word is often misused, overused, and horribly misunderstood.

One of the most functional arts of human history

The Harmonica is, aside from the human voice and your own two hands, the most portable instrument used in traditional American folk music. Most harmonicas are small enough that they fit perfectly in any pocket.

The definition of Hootenanny

A definition for House Concert

International Bluegrass Music Associaion

Despite the Jew's harp's name, there's no apparent historical connection with Judaism. Many older cultures fashioned it out of bamboo, while metal bow-shaped versions came from throughout Europe and Asia.

The musical jug is the cornerstone of the jug band lineup, but when did people start playing the jug? How is it played? And what's the story of the musical jug? Learn more with this brief history and definition of the musical jug.

A mandolin is a small stringed instrument with eight strings in four pairs (two strings for each note) that are either plucked or strummed in a trill. It's a descendant from the lute, which has six pairs of strings (12 in total). Similarly to the lute, the body of the mandolin is oval or teardrop-shaped. Learn more about the mandolin.

A definition for Open Mic

Musical spoons are one of the oldest traditional instruments on the planet. When did people start playing musical spoons? How are they played? Learn more about the history of musical spoons in American folk music.

A definition of Scruggs Style banjo

For whatever reason, Unitarian churches tend to have monthly "coffeehouse" series wherein they invite Folk singer/songwriters and bands to perform

The musical washboard is a percussion instrument played by scratching or tapping the metal washing surface up and down in rhythm. Learn more about the history of the musical washboard and the zydeco rub-board (frottoir).

Washtub bass is a musical instrument that traditionally has one string that is plucked, using a metal washtub as a resonator. Learn more about the history of the washtub bass.