Re: [Harp-L] Bluegrass Harmonica

["Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Good ideas.  But you don't have to speed up Shenandoah.  It plays well in
bluegrass fast or slow.  Buffalo Gals can be found in bluegrass medium or
fast.  Bluegrass isn't all fast -- there are some beautiful slow stuff, too,
with the same energy and drive and conviction as the faster stuff, but
slower.

All that is really important is to keep it bluegrass, fast or slow, simple
or hard, etc.  Keep it bluegrass and they will enjoy having you in the jam.

One of my main suggestions to folks just getting into these situations is to
start keeping a notebook wherein you will note the common tunes and the keys
in which they are played and anything else along the way that you learn and
do not want to forget.  From these notes you can compose a tune/song list
and the keys for the tunes/songs (and positions) so that you can call a
tune, sing it, play it, and enjoy it with the rest of the group.  It is
usually a good idea to learn a few old standards, as well as bring some more
unique tunes, original tunes, or converted tunes to the jam.  If they are
not up for any of the latter, they will be up for the former -- and jams
usually always need lead singers and people who can call and start a tune
reliably.  Keeping a notebook is the first stage of learning to be prepared
for the jam.

Cara

On 8/9/07, MLeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Cara Cooke contributed a boat load of great info on bluegrass harp. I'll
> only respond
> to her final and perhaps most "actionable" gem of wisdom:
> > The most important things to know in bluegrass are: stay in time, stay
> in
> > key (and mode), listen to the other players -- how you blend with them
> --
> > and how you affect the overall sound, and have fun!!!
>
> I could only add some specific advice from my personal experience playing
> in
> a bluegrass jam group: Play some bass lines and rhythm harp to actively
> support the other musicians when it isn't your break (you might as well
> take
> advantage of the fact that the harp is a terrific rhythm instrument). With
> no drums and often no bass, in a bluegrass ensemble there is by necessity
> a
> lot of energy spent providing supportive rhythm. So think fiddle when you
> play a break, but, as a source of creative inspiration when playing
> off-break, imagine you are playing an upright bass or a mandolin. When the
> other musicians learn that you are there to support the group and not to
> just hang around waiting for your break, you'll have gone miles towards
> acceptance, regardless of what instrument you play.
>
> One other idea... Often when playing in a jam circle, you rotate who picks
> the next tune. That can be daunting if you are new to the genre. A cool
> idea, even if you haven't comitted the obigatory 20 or so bluegrass songs
> to
> memory, is to "bluegrassify" tunes you already know. Some well-known, even
> over-played 1st position tunes can become superb bluegrass tunes that way.
> Speed up your best "Shenandoah" to a bluegrass rhythm and get the other
> players going with you, and you're in like Flint.
>
> At least that's the way I see it.  8^)
>
> Michelle
>
>
>
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