When Am I Ready to join a Bluegrass band?

[stevedenver]

Ya quit drinkin

Ya quit smokin

And ya need to be in bed by 10pm.

"ah don't drink and ah don't smoke and ah dont wear no greasy coat
ah don't kiss and ah don't tell and all you sinners can go to hell'

well I don't smoke,
sometimes I make it by 10,

but, fer the drink well, I dont know about that.......
sometimes, with a banjo player, you NEED a lil sumthin to dull the senses

[Tom Morse]

I've always found this Paul Glasse video instructional. When you master that G chop chord you're on your way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkdvu5sX-xc

[Tom Morse]

On closer review, that video may have been created by the late John McGann.

[mando-tech]

Maybe I'm asking a dumb newbie question but at what point should I look for bands to join? I'm wanting to join a bluegrass band and I'm learning bluegrass mandolin. I know as a prerequisite for being able to play lead in Bluegrass music is you need to be able to play fast and know your solos really KNOW them and be able to play double stops. I can maybe only do one of those things I mentioned with much effort so I ask again: am I ready for a Bluegrass band? or should a practice a little more perfect my technique and then put myself out there?

...hope I can be of some help with a few tips:
...get a good quality instrument
...learn to chop in all 12 keys
...learn the minor positions
...learn the 'shuffle' pick stroke
...use a very stiff pick,...my preference is .88 mm
...try to play 1 to 4 hours per day
...compile a repertoire of tunes/songs that you are familiar with
...listen to tapes, radio, LPs etc. , watch videos
...try to avoid tablature (be able to read it, just don't depend on it)
...familiarize yourself with the chart numbers (for chords)
.....I could go on and on,don't want to over-do,...
glad to offer any help, you might want to google up our band...-MAPLE VALLEY BOYS for some listening !

[Timbofood]

So, time has passed, how have you done?
Thanks Mando-tech, for poking the bear.

[drbluegrass]

"[...1. getting my "speed" (flatpicking) down cleanly to where I could execute comfortably around 170 bpm or so...]"


Wow!! A hundred seventy BPM? I'm a pretty decent guitar flat picker and I think 140 BPM is really good. I can probably play up to 150-160 BPM on guitar but I'd be on the edge of crashing and burning. I can flat pick a mandolin at about the same speed, maybe a little faster.

But I would say if someone is flat picking a mandolin cleanly at 140 BPM they should be able to play 80% of bluegrass songs. That should also get you in most bluegrass bands that are looking for a mandolin player. Heck, I know of 2 "big name" bluegrass groups that have mandolin players who play chop rhythm only. The female mandolin player in my own group plays chop rhythm only......for the time being. But she has a great voice, harmonizes well, and is progressing on mandolin.

[Br1ck]

I once overheard a picker just back from a festival and complaining about most jams degrading into speed for speed's sake jumble.
All tasteful music making left behind, so he moved on. Now this guy is fast, and clean, and tasteful,no he's long left having to impress anyone.

I had a conversation with a very in demand drummer once. He said he couldn't do anything fancy, but could keep pretty goo time. Told him that was what 95% of players want in a drummer.

I think you just need to hang around a lot of music scenes and hope to find people like yourself to connect with. It's hard.

Maybe the hardest is singing. I find more people can play well than sing well. Some people can sing a lead but not harmony. Singing in pitch is an art in itself.

Then there is finding people willing to sublimate their individuality in the furtherance of a group goal. Think Golden State Warriors. Who knows how many MVPs Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are leaving on the table to achieve championships. This is rare, work in a band as well as sports.

[OlDanTucker]

Most of the Bands I've been in started out in a jam. After most for the folks had gone home, you look around and the four or five that are left are the band. Of course, even then you are missing some critical instrument, usually a bass or banjo. But it's hard to find a group of people who have a similar, or slightly better, ability and musical taste, with enough time and motivation to rehearse and play out. To say nothing of the ability to mesh well together.

As has been said previously. For a mandolin player 75% of the time you are just chopping or playing chords so rhythm's the most important thing. Playing in all keys is next. If you sing: singing and playing simultaneously. Then soloing. Then blistering speed and technical accuracy which necessarily follows from repeatedly practicing the first four.

But to answer your question directly. If you ask the question you are ready. The rest is logistics.

[jaycat]

. . . Mahavishnu melt downs. . . .

Oh, I like that! Can I steal it?