![]() ![]() Now, those little tuners make it so easy, a fully deaf person can actually tune an instrument perfectly. The small, inexpensive electronic tuners that became common in the 1980s have all but eliminated an eternal obstacle to anyone playing stringed instruments: tuning the darned thing! It used to be hard and require a good ear. I like to say, “The first rung of the ladder is very close to the ground.”īluegrass has a clear rhythm, a lot of repetition, and we do wonders with three chords! Vince Gill’s great song “The Key”, tells how his dad taught him: “Three chords on the banjo is the key to life.” Bluegrass songs are not always played in G, but they could be, with the G, C and D chords enough to play 80-90% of the repertoire of Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, and Jimmy Martin - a giant portion of the great, core bluegrass material. It’s a pretty accessible music, where it can be surprisingly easy to get involved as a player. ![]() These aspects deserve a close look.īluegrass starts with a wonderful advantage. Good teaching ought to make learning as un-discouraging as possible, as rewarding as possible, as motivating as possible. Learning an instrument can be difficult, discouraging, and unrewarding. That is similar to most music learning endeavors, excepting the zillions of 9 year-old piano students, who continue for years because they “have to”, and then give it up. One clue is that most people who try playing a bluegrass instrument end up giving up within a year or two. Since then (1964), I’ve made a study of how it’s done most effectively, going from “haven’t a clue” to “I have a lot of clues.” I started slow, but once I learned to play, it was natural for me to get into bluegrass teaching. As you will see, my approach varies considerably from mainstream teaching. This editorial speaks to how to make it easy and fun to learn to play. And truly, I think the world would be a better place if more people played bluegrass. I love the community, the grounding in honest, solid values, the spirit of both teamwork and independence… and … it sounds good! I think more people should play bluegrass and tap into what it offers. I love bluegrass and what it’s done for my life. That article has resonated powerfully with all of my students who have read it.” “My first new student after starting teaching full-time made me promise that I would teach him according to the ideas that you laid out in the recent Bluegrass Unlimited. ![]() Not just because bluegrass is a band, not a solo, form but because the social context is what drives everyone’s interest and motivation. Students will practice and grow increasingly involved, I promise! The social context is central. Teachers can and should organize basic jams, guiding and coaching until the group can jam on its own. As new skills are learned, they are immediately applied to the jam, building enjoyment and motivation. This is the beginning and the foundation of “playing real bluegrass” and comes with enough rewards to spark practicing and preparation. Novices should be taught basic rhythm playing right away on slow easy songs first, following simple chord changes by watching a guitar. The best bluegrass teaching is tuned to a student’s motivating desire to play music in a social context. If you take their advice, you’ll know you have at least one other person to pick it with! Take a look at the video below to see super-picker Bryan Sutton absolutely tear through “Salt Creek.This article by Pete Wernick originally appeared in the May 2004 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited as a guest editorial. Don’t be afraid to ask one of the more experienced jammers if they could suggest any tunes as well. Here are a few to get you started: “Old Joe Clark,” “Fireball Mail,” “Salt Creek,” “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” “Angeline the Baker,” “Big Mon,” and “Red-Haired Boy.” Pay attention at local jam sessions, as you’ll start to notice that certain songs might be called out more. From there, you can work up a solo by incorporating the melody and adding “ornaments” like some passing notes during rests in the melody or inserting a lick between phrases. Start by learning the chord changes, then the simplest form of the melody. ![]() Learning and working through these tunes will not only give you a great place to start building your musical vocabulary, but you’ll also know material when you roll up to a jam session. Every genre of music has its standards-the songs that define the sound and style of the genre-and bluegrass is no exception. ![]()
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