Guitar VS. Bajo

[David Gordon Burke]

As I slowly network around my hometown's music scene and do a little jamming, it becomes obvious that playing with Guitars is massively different than playing with a bajo. I would much rather play with a Bajo but there are certain advantages with the Guitar.

I was wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this subject. (I imagine that 99.9% would say they prefer the bajo, I agree.) But how do you accomodate other instruments?

The bajo has a more chunky downbeat style whereas the guitar is more commonly strummed. This causes great change in rythmn and is not really easy to play against in the Tejano or Nortena style.

To make the guitar work well with the accordion, you need to find a guitarist that plays a real syncopated style.

The main advantage is that the Guitar is a very in your face instrument that is heavy on Lead and Melody. So you can punch up melodies by doubling with the guitar.

Few Tejano or Nortena bands have given the guitar much of a chance. (Texas Tornadoes and Flaco have always played with both guitar and bajo)

Due to the extreme shortage of Bajo players, I will have to put up with guitarists.
Stoney

[Jr Salinas]

Hey Stoney Whats Up?

I For One Choose To Play A Bajo Sexto/Quinto. I Like Bajo Over Guitar But If You Can Make This Same Sound On Only 6 Strings Instead Of 12 Then Why Play Bajo.

I Know For A Fact That If You Know Alternate Fingering You Can Follow An Accordion. My Uncle Started Playing With A Guitar And Went To A Bajo Sexto. The Key Is To Just Keep It A Simple Strum Like A Bajo, Just Down. If You Can Switch Keys On The Guitar Its The Same Thing As A Bajo Playing In Another Key. Just Find The Key The Accordion Is Playing In And Thats That. I Hope This Is Some Sort Of Help For Guitar Players Wanting To Accompany An Accordion, I Dont Know Much About This But I Have Tried It Myself And It Works.

Jr Salinas

[Oscar]

HI, everybody,

Let me put in my two cents in this discussion. I been playing guitar for long time. The bajosexto sounds a lot better than the six string guitar backing up the accordian. But just like jr.Salinas says there are certain fingerings you can use to make the guitar sound just as good as the bajo.I like to use the chicano style of playing the rhythm and the bass at the same time,when only when two people are playing.

[Jr Salinas]

Hey Guys Here Are The Cords To Play On Guitar For The Key Of G. I Know This Cuz My Bro Learned That Key From His Tapes.
G
D7
C
G7
Am

I Played These Cords The Other Night And Man It Was Close To Being The Bajo.

I Hope This Helps Yall.

Jr Salinas

[jgb]

Freddy Gomez used to use a guitar instead of a bajo and like Stoney mentioned, used lead runs along with the accordion.
Try using bar chords instead of open chords, keeping the strum on strings 3 through 6. It seems to me the b and e string tend to get lost in the strum anyway. Also, try using the D7 fingering on the strings 5,4,and 3 for your seventh positions. Again, using the heavier bass strings will give it a sound closer to that of a bajo, while at the same time shortening the strum and possibly giving the accordionist the sycopated beat needed for tejano/norteno. It appears that one can use an open E major and open A major and still attain the same sound as these positions are concentrated on the top strings. For the minor positions I would suggest again, using bar chords or even a power chord. The bajo fingering is very similar to guitar bar chord fingering except that the way the bajo is tuned makes it possible to finger without having to bar.
Now, I am not an expert, and the suggestions I have made are methods that I have used and attained fair results.