Last question before lessons

[taibhse]

I'm about to goto the places you kind helpful people have reccomended my last question is this.
If I'm learning the mandolin from a bluegrass place, will that mess me up when I want to play celtic tunes?

[mythicfish]

Nah. All forms of music are just One Big Tune.

Curt

[allenhopkins]

The main difference I can see is that Celtic music usually doesn't use the off-beat mandolin "chop" for rhythm. You play a more flowing style, chording with open strings in many cases, and you may play the melody (or whatever part you're playing) continuously, rather than playing rhythm until it's your turn for a "break."

Tell your bluegrass teacher that you'd like to learn some fiddle tunes -- the common ones that a lot of bluegrass bands play. Many of these spill over into Celtic music; they're either the same tunes, or show their Celtic roots.

Any skills you pick up in a particular genre, you can adapt to another. Keep your ears open, and get the basic techniques up to speed, and you can move fluidly from style to style.

[dj coffey]

Celtic tunes heard in bluegrass jams:

Fisher's Hornpipe
Red Haired Boy
St. Anne's Reel

Don't know that you'll get information regarding celtic ornaments from a BG specialist, but you never know...many people transcend genres!

[Avi Ziv]

To answer your question directly - I don't think it will mess you up.

Having said that - playing well within a traditional style often requires a period of immersion, in my opinion. In other words - you can be a classical player and play Irish traditional tunes. You may not sound the same as an Irish trad player at a session. Phrasing, emphasis, dynamics, ornaments, and many other micro-things can be very different. If you want to sound close to the Irish trad sound - you may have to spend much time *close*-listening to recordings and play with people who are already in that tradition - they don't have to play your instrument either. If you take BG lessons and want to sound BG, then you will probably immerse yourself in that. Technique is always good to have so it's not wasted time. The *feel* and the style is a different matter and has to be acquired, unless you are born into it and heard it all your life. I know some people who play both OT and Irish Traditional music. They sound great and you can tell that mix by their sound - especially the fiddlers. It's not a bad thing at all.

Best of luck. Taking lessons with the right teacher can be exciting and rewarding

Avi

[MandoSquirrel]

Jig (6/8) rhythm might take some extra work, too.Not much out of duple Meters in BG, other than waltzes, so I've always found 6/8 a challenge. Remember, DUDDUD.