Attacking Monroe (His Style That Is)

[KevinM]

I have been assembling materials (like the original "texts" if you will, in the form of some of the Bear Family records sets) and exercises to try to get an approximation of Mr. Bill's style going, and thought may be some folks would have some ideas as well for scales, exercises or other "tips" to share.

Lately, I have adopted the exercise of playing scales while holding the pick as loosely as possible, and trying toget up to speed, two things which I think are critical to getting to the "impressionistic brushstrokes" approach I have heard Mike Compton speaking of. And keeping that right hand moving - I keep playing the beginning "A" part of Monroe's Hornpipe as an exercise as well, to get that "chunka chunka, chunka chunka" rhythm thing going. To me, it sounds like even the slow stuff is played fast, in terms of hitting that note and moving on. An example would be David McLaughlin's Monroesque solos. Any value to working hard on pentatonic scales for Monroe?

It's mid-February - have you learned your Bill today? :^)

[John Flynn]

One thing I have noticed learning Monroe tunes is his use of the major pentatonic with the blue notes. I have yet encounter him using the minor penta, like Yank Rachell. So I think learning major pentas w/ blue notes would be good. He also did a lot of vamping on the melody, so learning the basic melodies of his tunes would be key also.

Don't forget his downstrokes !!! Downstrokes . Downstrokes..

[Mteresko]

My teacher has me pick every beat on tunes to help get the right hand wired.