Counter-melody and crosspicking (for a beginner)

[MAlerding]

They say "there's no stupid question" but this one might be! So I'm starting to venture away from simple fiddle tunes and am trying to figure out my "style". I don't play in any sort of group, and I like the idea of playing solo and I've seen a few great versions of tunes played using a variety of cross-picking patterns. It seems to add a lot to a piece of music beyond a simply melody line, especially when unaccompanied. My instructor agreed, and said cross-picking is something that is usually done in an arrangement and not something many people improv. I'd like to "get into it" but the problem is that I don't really know where to start or how to add a cross-picking pattern (like a forward roll) to a melody. Any suggestions on where to start?

I'd also like to get into creating a duet with myself on audacity, and I understand the concept of counter-point (sort of). I'd like to be able to take a tune, and create a counter-melody for it. Again, I have no idea where to start! Any suggestions on some reading or listening would be appreciated.

[lenf12]

You might want to give this book a try.

https://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Mando.../dp/078662891X

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[John Kelly]

You mention moving on from simple fiddle tunes. There are lots of easy arrangements for fiddle harmonies in the Scottish music catalogue. What sorts of music are your main interests?

[MAlerding]

I'll definitely give it a look, thanks!

[MAlerding]

Everything under the sun. I like old-time, bluegrass, classical (Bach) and Irish/Scottish, and some jazz. I sort of fell into playing the mandolin with no really clear direction on what I wanted to focus on.

[Mandoplumb]

Crosspicking seems to mean different things to different folks. To me it means playing a “roll” like a bluegrass banjo. I know that sounds simple but it is not exactly what McRenyolds did on mandolin, closer to a Shuffler on guitar. I was raised by the best banjo picker no ones ever heard of and tried banjo my self for a short while, enough to affect my crosspicking. Dad always said the best banjo players had a free right hand, by that I mean he is not locked into one pattern. That is what I try to do with a flat pick. There is forward roll, backward roll, forward/backward roll, in/out roll, etc. you must learn to change to work out the timing and fit the melody. I try to never lose the melody when crosspicking, sometimes you deviate slightly but always close enough to “hear” or sense the melody. I can maybe not improvise to the extent of playing a break as quick as I could straight picking but in a jam I can a lot of times come up with an acceptable crosspicking break before the song is finished. The main thing in crosspicking is the time between notes should be constant. .When learning with flat pick just as with finger picks one has the tendency to think 1 2 3 I’m done start over so you get a gallop. 1 2 3... 1 2 3... 1 2 3 Instead of .1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 if that makes sense.

[dadsaster]

You might want to give this book a try.

https://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Mando.../dp/078662891X

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

This book is good but would have been amazing if they had included audio examples. I don't see why, after learning some of the basic cross-picking "rolls", you couldn't easily integrate it into your playing.

[Beanzy]

You may want to get into some chord melody playing which allows you to fill out a tune with accompaniment at the same time.


If you like it have a look at Aaron Weinstein’s YouTube channel,

He has a book explaining the approach in detail. It’s not a book of tunes to slavishly copy, rather a way to arm you to approach tunes that take your fancy.

An other possibility is to get something like the tune books Harper (Tiffany) has made available on here If you run the tunes until you’re familiar with them then see how you can fit the accompanying harmony lines. You’ll often need to shift up or across the fretboard to access notes that would otherwise be covered by the stopped melody note. The exercise of figuring this out really imprints possibilities on your brain, so later you end upmjust dropping them in on the fly on new tunes.

[MAlerding]

Thanks everyone! A lot of good information; I figured I'd get some good stuff about asking this question. Beanzy, I'll definitely check that out, that's another thing I've been wanting to look towards.