[Harp-L] Bluegrass: thoughts and observations



I play a lot of bluegrass, so I'll weigh in. Like all genres, bluegrass has a hierarchy, people playing brilliantly, others getting by, others starting out. The difference with bluegrass is that all the players stand around and pick (play) in informal group settings, partly due to the portability of acoustic instruments. So, an inexperienced harmonica player can walk up to a session of seasoned bluegrass pros, pull out an instrument and start up.

And wreck it.

A bit like walking on to a stage unannounced, and joining in with a top class blues band. Bluegrass is a demanding genre. The good players have worked very hard to become good. Harmonica players can be included, the instrument does fit well, both for fiddle tunes and the singing. If you play well, then you will be welcomed by the good players.

How do you get there? Easy. And hard. Go to a bluegrass festival or two. Listen to the good players, but resist the temptation to join in. Then seek out the beginners. There are plenty, getting together their versions of "Old Joe Clark" and "Red Wing". Learn a few of the tunes (Steve Kaufmans 4 hour bluegrass workout from Homespun Tapes is a great source). I have an online course which outlines techniques for 1st position bluegrass tune playing. It's a long journey to become good, bluegrass is like anything else. However, bluegrass festivals are an excellent chance to find your peers, much more so than blues jams.

There are some great bluegrass harmonica players about, some on the list. Cara Cooke, Trip Henderson, David Naidich (chromatic, with a great new CD out). Check them out. Get to a festival. It might just be your thing.

Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
...everyone plays





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