Good wee flatpicking lesson focusing on rolls and crosspicking.

Cryptid · April 2022

Enjoyed that lesson, thanks for posting. Not much of a bluegrass guy myself but I do use some cross picking for hooks and fills, along with my strumming when accompanying vocal groups. Paying more attention to what I'm doing, it's all DUDU, hitting the 2 and 4 with a little more forearm to keep the feel of the backbeat.

Rocker said:

Those two guys, impressive as they are, have very little actual music to offer. Their playing, on those videos, is really all technique. I would like to hear them playing a tune or two, something that will stick in the memory, something a bit looser and more improvised. They have the talent so let them play something that sounds like it has a start, a middle and an end.

The trouble I have with bluegrass in general (outside of a song format) is its intrinsic incessant nature - a lot of it seems quite flat dynamically, no space or rest, and as you say, doesn't really go anywhere or develop. I find much of it a little soulless, especially when everyone seems to be trying to out play each other, and therefore quickly tire of listening to it. However, it is dance music after all, right?

It's a generalisation, of course, and I'm happy to accept my ignorance not having explored the genre in much depth. Molly Tuttle, for example, seems to have soul and a respect for 'weaving what the music demands'.

I'm a big fan of Julian Lage and love the stuff he does with Chris Eldridge. For me it's refreshing to see the smooth beauty of cross picking employed in a freer setting outside the traditional bluegrass confines, with plenty of improvised development and each musician sensitively supporting each other rather than trying to out class.

They do look like they're about to kiss at one point in that video

Matt_McG · April 2022

@Cryptid ;I think Julian Lage is an incredibly sensitive and creative musician whoever he is playing with. I love his duet album with Nels Cline, too.

fretmeister · April 2022

bertie said:

fretmeister said:

Damn that first vid is banging.

I'm really going to have to look into this more.

there might be a Furch OM 33 in the offing......................... just what you need............ (if I can find an Atkin at the right ££)

Snappy name. Sounds like an engine part.

BigPaulie · April 2022

Rocker said:
Those two guys, impressive as they are, have very little actual music to offer. Their playing, on those videos, is really all technique. I would like to hear them playing a tune or two, something that will stick in the memory, something a bit looser and more improvised. They have the talent so let them play something that sounds like it has a start, a middle and an end.

I get what you're saying.

I prefer to listen to actual songs too. Fiddle tunes can be entertaining for a while, but the repetitive nature gets boring after a while. The concept of guitar competitions is entirely alien to me.

That said, the really great players are able to make the format interesting in almost any context. I never really get bored listening to Tony Rice, Molly Tuttle, Norman Blake, Ron Block or Kenny Smith etc.

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Good wee flatpicking lesson focusing on rolls and crosspicking.

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