Spent all weekend enjoying some old bluegrass picking at a get together my mother throws every year. I did jump in and play a bit later in the evening but it was late enough i can't recall if I was any good or not, if you all catch what I am throwing. :lol: Anyway early in the day I was just strumming away and one of the older fellers told me to quit using that rockabilly strum. I'm not a bluegrass player. I would if I could, but most of my time playing has more of a classic rock feel. I see and hear the difference in their bluegrass flatpicking strum and what they are calling a rock strum, but for the life of me can't grasp it when I'm practicing. Any tips, tricks, videos or websites any of you can direct me to so that I can practice some flatpicking bluegrass style.
All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff. ~ Frank Zappa
I've got blisters on my fingers. ~Ringo Starr
Music is spiritual. The music business is not. ~ Van Morrison
Check out this site.
http://www.guitarholler.com/articles/BluegrassStrumming.htm
Denny
Am sure you had a lot of fun. I am a huge fan of Bluegrass pickers. Do you mind sharing which songs you played ?
Well the only two I can name just from memory was 'Dig a hole in the meadow' and 'Pretty Polly'. As I was watching it alot of it was just standard D, G, C, F open chords. Nothing fancy for the Guitar flatpicker. Not me anyway. I was just listening and changing to the chords I believed they were on. Playing by ear so to speak. Something I've never done and probably wasn't doing that good at but they didn't mind and I was having the time of my life. I've listen to bluegrass and played somewhat with a banjo and mando but never got to far with them. I have pictures and videos I can upload if I can figure it out.
All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff. ~ Frank Zappa
I've got blisters on my fingers. ~Ringo Starr
Music is spiritual. The music business is not. ~ Van Morrison
pick and then strum. is what I hear. simialr, but less swingy than early country swing.
I think the diagram in the link shows that too.
pick the root note then strum. pick on the one strum onthe two?
or more like keeping the beat by rocking on the foot.
starting off...at the heel pick then roll to the toes strum
a fast one two one two
A couple of videos that I've found helpful are
Music Moose has a number of other lessons that could help out as well
Also
As for a book recommendation, I picked up
Teach Yourself Bluegrass Guitar by Russ Barenberg (Oak Publications)
It comes with a CD and several songs have a backing track as well as the break
Hope this is useful
Th two guys in the photos are Johnny and Turbo, Turbo being the bigger fellow. Johnny's, in yellow, last name being Schmaltz, I'm not sure of the spelling. Johnny I guess has played and recorded with the likes of Allison Krauss on her earlier CD Too late to Cry, plus he was on T.V. at the age of twelve playing banjo and done some commercials and such. The banjo he was playing in the video is what he called an All-american, every fret had an ivory picture and the whole thing was gold plated, weighed a ton. If you are ever at any of the mid-west bluegrass festivals, like Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom, here in Indiana. These guys run a camp called Camp Rude.
I'm in the last picture with my back to the camera. No good pictures of me.
Here's the link to the video.
http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r92/georgejw22/George%20Fest/?action=view¤t=HPIM0026.flv
Thanks for the reply guys. I've been playing with it. Just looking forward to next year myabe I'll play more with them if I get the chance.
All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff. ~ Frank Zappa
I've got blisters on my fingers. ~Ringo Starr
Music is spiritual. The music business is not. ~ Van Morrison
Looks like a great time! :-D
lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
