Go Bucs!!

[clintross]

hello fellow music lovers,
I'm a freshman at ETSU and majoring in bluegrass. any tips for the johnson city area/etsu?

[jdchapman]

Audey Ratliff! (http://www.ratliffmandolins.com/)
and read Charles Wright.

[Jordan Ramsey]

Hey Clintross,

Good for you! The time I spent at ETSU ('03-'07) really shaped me as a musician and human being. I'm sure things are much different now that Jack and Raymond are gone, but here are some things that helped me get the most out of the program:

Pick. Take advantage of the huge amount of players connected by the program and pick your tail off. Make some friends and get a regular jam going. This was the one thing that helped me really improve and excel. Bottom line... the more you play, the better you get.

Take initiative and book your school band outside of the required program shows, or start a band out of program kid jams and book some gigs. Even if it's a beginner school band, you can still practice on your own and do open mikes, nursing homes, etc. Preparation for real shows will motivate any group to practice and improve, and the more you play in groups, the better you get at playing in groups. This is a skill that will serve you well if you want to work in the future.

Study with everyone you can. Lot's of multi instrumentalists there; just because someone doesn't specialize in your primary instrument, doesn't mean you can't learn a ton from them.. (i.e. Will Parsons, Dave Yates, Dan Boner). Take vocal lessons.

If/when you are of age.... familiarize yourself with the bar scene. The Down Home and the Acoustic Coffeehouse were a couple of my favorites. It's always good to know bar owners/managers when it comes time to book gigs for your bands, and it's also good for your social life.

Definitely go see Audey. On top of being a fantastic guy, he's building some of the best mandolins for the money out there.

Tell all those folks Jordan Ramsey says hi. Good luck and have fun!