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Help: Preferential Bluegrass
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Help: Preferential Bluegrass |
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Subject: Preferential Bluegrass From: pdbanjo Date: 25 Apr 02 - 03:40 PM So many of us enjoy bluegrass music but, just what is bluegrass? Is it the instrumentation or the vocal stylings? I play banjo for a band that plays almost exclusively in the texas swing genre however, folks come up to us at every show and say how much they love our style of "bluegrass". Our instrumentation is guitar, fiddle, electric bass, banjo, drums and brass. Additionally, I play banjo in a chromatic/melodic style for leads and do not incorporate any of the traditional backup licks associated with bluegrass tempo(ed) music and definitely not ala Scruggs. Can anyone lend a descriptive definition to what makes bluegrass bluegrass? |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Wesley S Date: 25 Apr 02 - 03:52 PM Someone once said that if the woman is still alive at the end of the song then it ain't bluegrass. Really - to the general public if you have a banjo then you're a bluegrass band. I guess it's up to the performers to educate the audience during the song introductions. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: GUEST,Midchuck downstairs Date: 25 Apr 02 - 03:55 PM I was on the Bgras-L mailing list for some years. I finally dropped off, in large part because they spent so much time arguing about that question, that I got sick of it. I don't think you can define it. You can list the necessary elements, but you can assemble them all and still have something else. It sounds like your group is not bluegrass, because you don't use Scruggs style banjo, and because you have drums. Some would also say because you have an electric bass and not a doghouse. This last point is a subject of much debate. Peter. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Steve Latimer Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:06 PM This has also been discussed here before. I believe that more than anything it is the vocals, the "High & Lonesome sound" that was started by Bill Monroe & perfected by The Stanley Brothers. Having said that, some of my favourite Bluegrass tunes are instrumentals. In a nutshell, I don't know, but I know that I like it. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: kendall Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:31 PM "Bluegrass" came from the old time string band music. In those bands, everyone played in unison all the way through. In bluegrass, each instrument takes a "break", sort of a mini solo, where it is featured as the dominant instrument. When the break is finished, it backs off, and usually allows the singer to be heard. The high lonesome sound also comes from Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass music. All he did was to take the old time string band music, re build some old folk style songs, write a few of the same genre' and call it "Bluegrass" for his home state of Kentucky. There is no place in a bluegrass band for any electric instruments, drums or horns of any kind. I dont know what you are playing, but, it isn't Bluegrass. Of course, if folks like it, let them call it what they will; the pay is the same, right? |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:22 PM Out of curiosity, I looked in Webster's Collegiate to see how they defined it. They say "country music played on unamplified stringed instruments (as banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin) and characterized by free improvization and close, rather high-pitched harmony." Not bad, but I would probably define the "country" a little more closely. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Burke Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:36 PM A friend described it as old time sting band on over-drive. I think it fits. For me the more OT the better, but there are a lot of groups that sit on the edge & could be either.
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Hrothgar Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:40 PM "An old time sting band" - close! :-) |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:51 PM If it ain't got banjo*, it ain't Bluegrass!
*5-string, of course. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: Allan C. Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:53 PM And now, from the "For What It's Worth Department", it may be interesting to note that the accordion was among the instruments in some of the earliest bluegrass bands. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Preferential Bluegrass From: GUEST,jonesey Date: 26 Apr 02 - 08:52 AM Would be inclined to agree with the post stating it's the banjo. Regardless of playing style the 'sound' of the banjo defines a band as being 'bluegrass' to most audience members. Unless, of course you play in a plectrum style then you're a 'Dixieland' band to most people. And if you're playing Texas as opposed to Urban swing the pulse of the music in more like straight country than say 'be bop'. As the other post suggests it doesn't matter what they call it as long as you get paid for playing what you love. |
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