Mandolin, fundamental requirement?

[Hudmister]

Recently a local venue held a bluegrass weekend, Thurs, Fri, Sat. nights.
Thursday nights band was guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass.
Friday nights band was guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and bass.
Saturday night, guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass.
Only Friday was there a mandolin in the bluegrass band. I know you can't do without the banjo, same for the guitar which is a must have, Absolutely can't do without a bass so it seems like the fiddle and mandolin compete for a slot. I know anyone can play a bluegrass song. With Bill Monroe being the " Father of Bluegrass" how can it be that there is no mandolin in a bluegrass band?
I'm sure I saw Flatt & Scruggs on TV without a mandolin present, but I'm not sure.
Certain recipes have basic ingredients that must be included.

[vetus scotia]

Sounds like a question for the

[Mando Mort]

My only requirement for music is that I enjoy it. Don't get your blood pressure up over labels. Either enjoy the music or choose not to listen.

[MikeZito]

What, no dobro? What is the world coming to?

[Mark Gunter]

Local venue? Norfolk, Virginia?

Perhaps it could be a geographical anomaly? Some line-ups may be geographically based ... for instance, I heard that if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band.

[doublestoptremolo]

Flatt and Scruggs technically had a mandolin player, but he took probably fewer than 10 solos total on all their recordings. Stanley Brothers went long periods without a mandolin player.

[Br1ck]

With the many offshoots and permutations of what many would term bluegrass, I think we are way beyond rigid definitions. While I enjoy bluegrass standards with what most would call the traditional instrumentation, it seems that young musicians create music with whatever folks they have available to play with.

As for playing live gigs, how many ways are you going to split a couple hundred bucks? I say make the most with what you've got.


But, yes, the bass, guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin lineup is sweet, even if branching out and playing music that make purists cringe.

[jessedaniel1]

How do you start a new thread

[jessedaniel1]

My name is Jesse Daniel
my 1999 gibson F-5L Cremona master model was stolen. serial number is 90125019. Please help me find it. it is heartbreaking.

Please help me post this thread.
Warm Regards,


Jesse Daniel
256-605-4420
jddaniel@dekalbk12.org

[jaycat]

Jesse, go here, there is a Post New Thread button at the top of the page: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/f...in-Discussions

[MikeZito]

I heard that if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band.

Technically, isn't that country music, not bluegrass?


p.s. - I HATED Alabama, until I saw them live . . . incredible band!

[tiltman]

Did the bands at least have the good sense to apologize and let the audience know that they weren't really playing bluegrass?

(somewhat tongue-in-cheek...)

Kirk

[pops1]

Jesse, go here, there is a Post New Thread button at the top of the page: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/f...in-Discussions

There is also one at the top of the page. Good luck finding your mandolin.

[Hudmister]

Sounds like a question for the

Police. ahh! Thanks vertus scotia for the advice . I called them. They said "Call a lawn care company with a horticulturist on staff for a blue grass problem". I'm good now

[Mark Gunter]

Technically, isn't that country music, not bluegrass?


p.s. - I HATED Alabama, until I saw them live . . . incredible band!

I'm genre-challenged, and I confess it freely.

I think there are areas where mama sings bass and daddy sings tenor, as well.

[KGreene]

Local venue? Norfolk, Virginia?

Perhaps it could be a geographical anomaly? Some line-ups may be geographically based ... for instance, I heard that if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band.