Were you there?

**beidlerp** · Mar-09-2005, 11:43pm

I'm having trouble picking out Monroe's sick break in "Were you There?" Anyone have tab handy? I'd appreciate it. I know it's not that hard, but I'm not good at picking things offf the CD like that.

Paul

**evanreilly** · Mar-10-2005, 10:18am

Now, what is 'sick' about that break?? Just because it is split with the fiddle??
Think power down-strokes!!!

**AlanN** · Mar-10-2005, 10:47am

Evan, I think he means it's 'da bomb', to speak in the young'uns talk!

**Darryl Wolfe** · Mar-10-2005, 11:28am

Make sure you play all downstrokes until the last little diddly-dum

**beidlerp** · Mar-10-2005, 11:55am

Yeah, sick as in obscenely cool, sort of thing.

What's even more sick is his break in Little Maggie, which is practically pornographic. And not the airbrushed kind, either. Monroe plays with more energy and guts and sloppy joy than about anyone I have ever heard.

I think I can figure out the downstrokes--I'm just having a hard time figuring out where to put my fingers, and I thought someone might have tabbed it out. We're playing the song in church in a few weeks, and I'd like to be able to convey the same sense of writhing in my own vomit that Bill was able to convey--if possible, you know. There's something so spiritual about it. I realize that's a fairly ambitious goal, of course.

Paul

**Moose** · Mar-10-2005, 12:30pm

I must say.., what an interesting way to describe Mr. Monroe's "style" - I'm just now figure'n out not Monroe.., but, the poster. I think he loves the man - and his music.

**ShaneJ** · Mar-10-2005, 1:13pm

I'm not sure that writhing in vomit goes over well in church, much less pornography (airbrushed or not), but good luck with that....

**Tim** · Mar-10-2005, 1:20pm

...and yet this is more clear to me than someone saying a mandolin sounds dry and woody.

**neal** · Mar-10-2005, 4:08pm

Originally Posted by (Tim @ Mar. 10 2005, 12:20)

...and yet this is more clear to me than someone saying a mandolin sounds dry and woody.

Second that.

**tree** · Mar-10-2005, 4:46pm

Personally, I think this very break is where Chuck Berry got his inspiration to start rock and roll.

Long time lurker, this is my first post. Hi, y'all.

I love Bill Monroe and this break is one of my favorites - it is SO in your face. If I were gonna do it in my church, though, I'd have to do it more like Skaggs' version. He manages to tone it back, while still keeping the fire in it. That would probably go over a little easier in my church.

**Moose** · Mar-10-2005, 5:11pm

Hey tree!! - WELCOME! - Jump in any time! - you'll be in good company

**evanreilly** · Mar-10-2005, 5:14pm

Yep; Bill Monroe had a young Chuck Berry come out to work his farm. Monroe made him set fence posts all day, or plough using the mules, and at night, sitting by the fire, Monroe would say "Listen to a tune about that sunset."
Blink, blink...... oh, sorry.

Mar-10-2005, 6:10pm

I looked for you and i couldnt find it. Remember anything Monroe did was a sick, and awesome break. Thats my philosophy.

**evanreilly** · Mar-11-2005, 9:00pm

Just because I can...
here is Monroe's break, 1/2 speed: Were You There?
next time some one else has to dig out their 'turntable'....
or use the 'Amazing Slow Downer'...

**tree** · Mar-15-2005, 1:13pm

Sounds kinda like the break on Johnny B Goode to me . . .

**Moose** · Mar-15-2005, 2:39pm

Yep!! - *** see evanreilly post above!!

**KevinM** · Mar-15-2005, 3:33pm

Smokin Evan. (Maybe our original poster meant it was a "slick" break BTW.) I've always thought Monroe's absolutely "meanest" licks could found on his gospel songs.

**picksnbits** · Mar-15-2005, 3:56pm

Paul,

Can't help you with the tab, but if you wanna get sick, spend as much time as possible at jams, with 10 guitars and 5 or 6 banjos hammering away while you try to maintain some semblance of tone and emotion. You'll be writhing in no time at all. It helps if half the banjo pickers are stubborn, opinionated and hard-of-hearing and the other half are beginners (that's why they're not hard-of-hearing yet).

If you can't find good folks like that to pick with, try taking half the strings off your mando. I heard that's what they did to Bill.

**GVD** · Mar-15-2005, 4:00pm

Originally Posted by

It helps if half the banjo pickers are stubborn, opinionated and hard-of-hearing

A typical banjo player in other words!

GVD

**evanreilly** · Mar-15-2005, 11:49pm

I think Monroe's playing on his 'holiness' numbers is exceptional also, especially on a lot of songs that are just featuring guitar and mandolin. I suppose 'inspired' is a good phrase for his playing on gospel songs.

**tree** · Mar-16-2005, 11:45am

Bingo. #Cryin' Holy To The Lord is one of my favorites, and maybe the first Monroe tune our gospel group ever took on. Despite the somewhat offputting (for me) 1940-something recording, his picking just crawled under my skin and wouldn't go away. #I agree - the man didn't hold back on the gospel tunes.

**Moose** · Mar-16-2005, 12:23pm

Yup! - If Monroe's gospel numbers(i.e. "Bluegrass Quartet") - particularly his "early" Decca/Columbia material don't give ya' "goose-bumps', ya' better check yer' pulse....; you might be already dead!(just my .02)

**beidlerp** · Mar-18-2005, 2:22pm

Thanks, Evan! Very helpful. I need to learn how to do that slow-down thing. Enjoying the conversation!

Paul

**evanreilly** · Mar-18-2005, 4:12pm

Paul: here is a link to the 'Amazing Slow Downer' website. they have a demo you can download. it limits the workable portion of the tune to 1/3 of the entire file, but you'll get a good preview.
Evan

**csstanley** · Mar-19-2005, 8:21am

I've tabbed out a simple version of this. I got it on Micro Word.

Like I say, its simple and easy to work with. Maybe somebody could doctor it up a little more for me.

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