From: v_abadie@cox.net
Mitch,
Thanks for participating! While I agree that the ideal bluegrass band
should have a fiddle, I'm not so sure it should be the lead instrument.
In fact, I lean toward having the guitar as the lead instrument, the
bass as the foundation (the bass is really in SO much control, if you
think about it), and all other instruments being secondary. I've heard
good bluegrass without fiddle, banjo, or mandolin (that is, with any two
of those three present, but the third missing). But without a bass, it
lacks substance. Without guitar, it lacks direction. Just my opinion.
I'll even go for two guitars, if one is a really strong rhythm player,
as you described, and the other is a really hot flat picker. If I had to
choose just one, I'd take the rhythm guitarist.
Interestingly, after reading your comment, I tried to figure out who
leads our band. I decided it is whomever is singing lead on a particular
song. So, an arguement could be made for the lead vocalist being the
actual leader of the band.
Others...your comments are welcome. Jump in. Don't be shy!
Vince
Mitch Dickson wrote:
>Well that is easy Vince although this is gonna fire up a lot of off pickers
>out there :) You need a fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass. The band
>should be built around the fiddle, NOT THE BANJO! The banjo should be
>considered a secondary instrument like the mandolin. The guitar should be
>played like Charlie Waller or Lester Flatt or Jimmy Martin. Until you can
>play rhythm like one of these 3, you cannot play bluegrass guitar!!!! All
>references to guitar lead should be abandoned with the exception of Earl
>Scruggs fingerpicking on Carter style spiratuals until you master rhythm!
>
>Would you like a demonstration? Just drop in "The Bluegrass Album", it
>becomes real evident real quick :) Even with Crowe and Lawson and Rice,
>these masters know exactly how it is suppose to sound! Notice how Bobby
>Hicks rules the roost? That my friend is the way it is suppose to be done.
>
>Mitch
>"Vince" wrote in message
>news:vwQOf.179223$WH.52572@dukeread01...
>
>
>>OK...here's a question to generate some genuine BLUEGRASS DISCUSSION.
>>What instruments do you consider to be essential to a bluegrass band?
>>
>>Having asked the question, I'll tell you a little bit about my band.
>>It's a 5 piece outfit.
>>1. I play banjo most of the time. There are a few songs on which I play
>>guitar, and I can play mandolin a little, but I've successfully gotten
>>my band to let me play banjo on the one song I originally played mando
>>on. I sing lead on about 1/3 of the songs.
>>2. Our guitar player is a woman who plays mainly rhythm with lots of
>>"G-runs" thrown in. She doesn't play much lead or any fast flat pick
>>breaks, but she adds an excellent foundation to our songs. She sings
>>lead on about 1/3 of our songs. She switches to washboard or autoharp on
>>some songs (mostly when I play guitar, but not entirely).
>>3. Our Dobro player plays guitar on some songs, but he mostly plays
>>Dobro (probably the best in Baton Rouge) and sings lead on about 1/3 of
>>the songs.
>>4. Our mandolin player plays guitar on a few songs. He has a great voice
>>but, so far, won't sing. Grrrrrrrr.
>>5. Our bass player plays bass. He can play some mandolin, guitar or
>>banjo, but in performance situations, he plays bass. He either doesn't
>>sing or hasn't revealed this talent to the rest of us, yet.
>>
>>We play some traditional bluegrass, but we're not opposed to
>>"bluegrassing" other music. We will add things like "Knocking on
>>Heaven's Door", old Hank, Sr. or Merle Haggard, or even some Beatles
>>music done in bluegrass style from time to time.
>>
>>So, tell me. What do YOU consider to be the elements of a bluegrass band?
>>
>>Vince
>>
>>
>
>
>
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
|
