Any tips for bluegrass jam?

[Ultra Turtle]

Well, it's not really a jam. My guitar teacher put together a bluegrass ensemble at a local arts center where he also teaches. The idea was to give his students, and anyone that wants to participate, the opportunity to play with others regularly (in a controlled environment) and get used to playing in front of people. We have six, one hour rehearsals of 3 or 4 tunes, and then we do a performance at the end.

I did the first three, 6 week sessions playing guitar. He said for the the next one he'd like to do some Bill Monroe blues tunes. It piqued my interest immediately and I said I'd like to play mandolin. He enthusiastically agreed!

We're doing:

Blue Moon of Kentucky
Watson's Blues
Got The Blues & I Can't be Satisfied
Evening Prayer Blues

Had our first practice last night and it went pretty good. I'm still new to mandolin, only been playing less than a year.

This is my first time playing mandolin in a group. It felt REALLY good to play a different instrument. My teacher usually plays mandolin in the ensembles, and I always love to hear that chop and melody on mandolin. He's playing bass in this session, and now... I'm the chop!!!

Any tips???

I don't plan on doing anything fancy, just playing the chords and melody, melody and blues scale for breaks. I guess sitting down and playing all day will spurn ideas.

In this group there are three guitar players, so it will be nice to stand out a bit.

Sorry for the long post, I'm just really excited!!

[sgrexa]

Tips? Learn the songs for the performance well until you can play them with ease and have fun! You mention doing nothing fancy, just playing the "chords and melody, melody and blues scales for breaks". What else is there? Good luck!

Sean

[LongBlackVeil]

You know, what actually helped me alot with the bluesier BG tunes is the homespun dvd (or digital download) by Steve James called Blues Mandolin.

Everytime a bluesy number in G comes up, i use the licks i learned in "Divin Duck Blues" for instance, theres alot of techniques that i learned in that DVD that can be easily applied to BG improv playing

[Denny Gies]

Sean is correct, just learn the stuff 'til you can do it in your sleep. The more you play the better you will get. Listen to some recorded bluegrass to get tips on different breaks, turn-arounds and endings. Have fun. If this doesn't work, take two aspirin and call me in the morning. Remember, the bottom line is........fun.

[Cecily_Mandoliner]

Have fun!

[Ky Slim]

That sounds like a lot of fun and you should be excited!! Your teacher is great for putting something like this together. Playing with people and in front of people are essential skills that can't be found in books or on videos. Great Opportunity!! My tips = Smile, listen, learn and have fun!!

[Marc Katz]

when you are chopping, really listen to the bass player. see if you can get him to notice how "locked in" you are without saying anything...

[Ultra Turtle]

@ Marc... That should be easy... my teacher is playing bass in this ensemble, and he sits in front of all of us

What I really like about these ensembles is learning the structure of tunes, arrangements... how solos are passed around, etc. I had no clue of any of this before. Some days, I still don't! He has really pushed us to become better players. It's not just, "here's a song, let's play it." We try different things and see what works. Although it has been frustrating at times, I can't thank him enough for the opportunity to do this.

All of us are intermediate players, and everyone can learn something from everyone. I know I certainly have.

[Timbofood]

Remember, "playing" music!
Have as much fun as you can.
Get the tunes in you head and the get your fingers to play what you hear in your head. You will be fine!