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Joined: Jan 2006
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 317 |
Well, it is -25c with a stiff breeze, 6" of snow yesterday all caught up on outside and inside work and I am enjoying a hot cup of coffee and reading the forums. Note 4 current postings! This past Saturday I was invited to a Bluegrass jam. It was a most enjoyable time, the people were very hospitable and enthusiatic, and I was exposed to a genre of music I had not participated in before. The sets consisted of French Canadian and Acadian polkas and reels as well as bluegrass tunes. Although I could play backup for most of the changes and do a bastardized version of open string pickin, I had no idea as to the song titles, and melodies. I scratched out a swingjazzfolkcountry version of Amazing Grace and Will The Circle when it was my turn to perform. Here is my dilemna: I was invited back! And I would love to, but I need a crash course in Bluegrass exposure and I am wondering if it would be possible for any forum members to either list their 5 or ten favourite tunes with artist here on the forum, or pm me. If the reponses are good, there will be tunes in common and I will be able to initially focus on those. Also I am open to any other suggestions and direction that would be benificial to me. Thanks DennisD
There are only 3 kinds of musicians: those that can count, and those that can't!
PC AMD A4-5300 APU 3.4 GHz, 8gb RAM, 1T HDD, Windows 10,
Reaper 4.77, BIAB2018, PTPA12, RB2018, Roland VS-880 DAW
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Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 234 |
Hi Dennis, Glad you enjoyed your bluegrass jam. They're a wonderful way of practising: playing with others, learning new material, improvising, communicating when solos are coming up, finding appropriate parts when playing with others, encouraging others (especially beginners, or those with limited ability), timing and dynamics and sharing the spotlight. I take my resonator guitar and regular guitar, and they sure have helped my playing improve. There's a wealth of songs out there: tragic, touching, fun, and a whole range of styles when you get into it. Here are my recommendations. 1. Listen to all the "Circle unbroken" cd's from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. 2. Anything by Hank Williams - It ain't bluegrass but they'll allow and revere it. 3. Keep to the keys of C G D A - occasionally E 4. Capos are good. Always call out the key, and time if needed (4/4 3/4 sometimes 6/8 or 12/8) 5. Learn Nashville numbering for the chords. 6. Buy one of these books: Parking Lot Picker's Songbook - Dix Bruce - Mel Bay Bluegrass Picker's Tune Book - Richard Matteson - Mel Bay Bluegrass Fakebook - Bert Casey - Watch and Learn Inc 7 Google lots eg http://www.bluegrassnet.com/lyrics8 Youtube everything Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Carter Family, 9 Learn Fiddler's Shorthand for sections. AABB ABAB AABBCAA etc 10 My favourite bluegrass songs: Columbus Stockade Blues Precious Memories Don't This Road Look Rough And Rocky I'll Fly Away Red Wing Life's Railway To Heaven 11 Keep to 3 chords unless really needed Take care, Andrew 
Andrew Lloyd
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 317 |
Wayne thanks for taking the time for a response. I appreciate it, as it does give me some idea of direction. I found an Earl Scruggs book "Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo" in a used book store, It didn't have the LP with so was only a $1.00.It had a list of some 60 examples of which only two I recognized! However with your list and suggestions I hope to get a top 20 list of songs to focus on.Thanks again. DennisD
There are only 3 kinds of musicians: those that can count, and those that can't!
PC AMD A4-5300 APU 3.4 GHz, 8gb RAM, 1T HDD, Windows 10,
Reaper 4.77, BIAB2018, PTPA12, RB2018, Roland VS-880 DAW
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Expert
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Expert
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 886 |
If ya go to this ToneWay page you will get guitar & vocal demos, including lyrics, for well over 300 tunes. Tho not strictly bluegrass, there are a lot that are played at the jam sessions. And I can testify as to the "ToneWay" system for flat out beginners, it has workd wonders for the few I have worked on with it. They are SO happy to play along with the backing tracks I created in BB & give them. Anyway, hope this helps!
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,251 |
Dennis, It's hard to give you some specific songs because "bluegrass" consists of so many different genres of acoustic stringed music. The songs you hear at a jam session vary so widely based on region, age of the musicians, and especially the skill level of the folks at the jam session. It can even be affected by a certain "herbal" aroma that sometimes permeates the session.  The advice that Andrew gave was very good and would serve you well. If you'd like some very good book CD/DVD lessons on bluegras jamming, Homespun has an excellent selection by some masters of bluegrass music. Some of the lessons that focus on jamming can be found here: http://www.homespuntapes.com/shop/category.aspx?id=330Others can be found by clicking on some of the links. Some focus on instrumentals while others focus on old standards with lyrics. Good luck and have fun.
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Joined: May 2000
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Might be hard to give you specific songs, but you'd better learn, "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" in at least three of the Bluegrass common keys for starters...
Enjoy,
--Mac
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Posts: 317 |
Thanks for replies. I agree about the various genres of bluegrass. It does seem to be a type of music that can be more regionally and locally influenced than others. I've googled and utubed the suggestions and have come up with some tunes I can focus on. Something else twigged my "memory bank" so I went back into my BIAB program archives and found a set of 3.5's entitled the Bluegrass Band for Windows that I picked up in 1996! Bluegrass obviously was not on my radar at that time. In any case I loaded it up and it has 50 songs on it, so it is another resource for me as well. Thanks again for the support. DennisD
There are only 3 kinds of musicians: those that can count, and those that can't!
PC AMD A4-5300 APU 3.4 GHz, 8gb RAM, 1T HDD, Windows 10,
Reaper 4.77, BIAB2018, PTPA12, RB2018, Roland VS-880 DAW
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Apprentice
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Apprentice
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Posts: 234 |
Here's some common sense advice to add to it all Jam Etiquette Before joining an existing jam, listen to a tune or two in the background. Join in if you think you can keep up. If not, play quietly in the background. Ensure that your instrument is in tune. If you're new to digital tuners, be aware that they should be calibrated to A 440. The purpose of jamming is to make bluegrass music and have fun. It is not to play as loud as you can, as fast as you can, or to show off how good a player you are. Listen to others in the jam, and make sure you blend into the music and/or singing. Don't practise your break (solo) in the jam circle. If you're playing the melody when it's someone else's turn to take a break or when someone's singing, you're stepping on toes. (Note that this is a major difference between bluegrass and Celtic or Old-timey jams.) Don't hog the jam. Give everyone a chance to play. Be supportive. When it's your turn to pick a tune, let everyone know the name of the tune, the key, the form (if it's an instrumental) and if there are any odd or unusual chord progressions, timing or rhythm issues. It's best and most rewarding to do tunes in generally accepted keys. Songs, however, are usually done in the key selected by the singer. But, this being said, it's best to pick a key and tempo that suits the tune and the abilities of the other jam participants. If capos are being put on or taken off between tunes, wait a few seconds for people to recheck their tuning. If you don't want to take a break on a particular tune, make it obvious, such as by stepping back out of the circle, and letting the person on your left know. No one wants to start their break half way through. If you can't hear a break or the words of a song, you are playing too loudly. Tone is every bit as important as volume. If the volume is getting "up there" on a particular tune, don't play. Work on your harmony singing or listening skills. Listen for the rhythm of the tune or song, get in the groove AND STICK WITH IT. If you find you're not in good time, stop playing for a beat or two until you feel the rhythm again. It is next to impossible to pick up the rhythm again, without stopping first. Don't have your eyes glued to your instrument. Look around, communicate with your eyes and body. A lot of communication in a jam is very subtle and you need to be alert to catch the signals. Listen, listen, listen. Listen to the bass and the room as a whole. Don't just listen to your neighbours because they may be leading you astray. Familiarize yourself with the Nashville Numbering System & Common Bluegrass Chords to communicate chord changes to other players.
Andrew Lloyd
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I knew I was playing the spoons too loud.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,151 |
This is good advice for jamming in any genre. I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a bluegrass player, but I enjoy listening to it and playing along with it because when it gets in the pocket it feels REAL good.
And I've known a few spoon players in my time who could really get in the pocket too, better than a lot of other musicians I've had the fortune (or misfortune) to have worked with.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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