(Part 2) Top products from r/Bluegrass

> is someone who knows theory well actively thinking about tonics, dominants, subdominants, seventh's, etc on the fly? Or is it more like, the progression is "G, C, G, D" so I know I can play an E minor scale when G is being played as long as I resolve on G? Or am I way off base?

I guess yes and yes. You might get different answers depending on who you ask and their skill level. For me, after playing rhythm bluegrass for 6 months you start getting better at picking up chord progressions by ear, and the more you start practicing flatpicking notes vs just strumming, you slowly but surely start adding licks and recognizing patterns of notes over each chord. You start learning how some notes resolve better than others over a certain chord progression, pick up a few licks along the way, etc.

Learning theory only helps you understand what the hell you're doing and why things sound good sometimes and why the might not other times.

> So the question is if I learn enough bluegrass songs flatpicking style will that same concept show through? Like I can make sure the melody notes are ringing and I'm playing in the correct scale at the time, is that basically flatpicking?

I would say so. I'm not a finger picker myself (though I've always wanted to get better at it), but it does sound familiar.

> And once I have enough practice and a solid song repertoire it will all kind of come to fruition with the understanding of how I can jam with others?

Yeah - it takes a while to build up a good repertoire of songs. And to be honest, a lot of flatpicking songs can sound the same.

As far as building a repertoire of licks, I got this book when I first started out which I thought was helpful as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Licks-Bluegrass-Guitar-Orrin-Star/dp/0825602912/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467386209&sr=8-1&keywords=bluegrass+licks

Additionally, I have this video on VHS and when I had a VHS player, I remember enjoying it:

https://www.amazon.com/DVD-Bluegrass-Slow-Jam-Total-Beginner/dp/B000BGPL1G/ref=pd_bxgy_74_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3VQAGPQD7CW13S94N4QP

I also remember that DVD teaching good jam etiquette, which I thought was important. Going to a jam can be like playing golf in some ways. People always love new members in a jam circle, it's what makes bluegrass great, but I always thought having good etiquette is important (picking songs to play that most people are familiar with, not playing obnoxiously loud when others are playing a lead, when you play rhythm and take a lead, when to start and stop, etc.).

I just bought the intermediate DVD and will be here this weekend - I'm curious if it's good. I'll report back and let you know if it's any good. I've never paid for Banjo Ben's site before, but I've watched a handful of his free videos back in the day and just remember picking up a lot of info. I don't think you'd necessarily need to pay for an account if you're doing everything else mentioned above (learning songs, trying out the DVD, etc), but maybe it's more up your alley.

The first song I got half decent at improvising to was Foggy Mountain Special, a really good song to practice improvising to IMHO if you're starting out. Here's a video playing this 7 years ago when I was starting out. The two leads I play are mostly a combination of licks I've learned, put together over the I-IV-I-IV chord progression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzPYLk_LME0

Hope that helps! All that aside, if you just practice flatpicking a lot, practice with a purpose, and practice often, it doesn't matter whose advice you listen to, you'll get better.

I love the discussion these questions always create - but to me, it's a question that is impossible to answer.

It's like asking "what is the best food of all time" or "what is the best colour of all time." Some people cant' stand spicy food. I personally can't stand mushrooms. And no matter what food or colour your find disgusting or can't stand - there is likely another person out there that loves it. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Even with an artist, it's really difficult to pinpoint there "best album" a lot of times. Take Flatt and Scruggs. Foggy Mountain Jamboree is probably their quintessential album. But for banjo players, Foggy Mountain Banjo is just everything you need to know about Earl's banjo picking. And there is something so special about their live from Carnegie Hall album that was already mentioned.

When John Hartford's Steam Powered Aereo-Plain album came out, it was a flop. Now it's considered incredibly influential. I know people that still hate it though. And personally, I like Mark Twang more. So which is the better album? I know which one was more influential.

In short there is no "best bluegrass album of all time." Music isn't like a race where you can crown someone the best because they were the fastest or the strongest.

And it's funny - everyone mentions "Rounder 0044," which I think is an INCREDIBLE album. But personally, I love this untitled JD Crowe and the New South album more

Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe - Back in the 1970s, Kenny Baker (Bill Monroe's #1 fiddle player) put out an album of Monroe's best instrumentals. It is considered to be one of the standard albums for bluegrass instrumentals. This past year, Noam recorded a tribute to the album playing Kenny's fiddle lines note-for-note on the banjo. Joining Noam are Bryan Sutton on guitar, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, and Mike Bub on bass. Definitely a new standard album.

Skaggs & Rice - This isn't recent (1980), but is considered a timeless tribute album consisting of 10 standard Bluegrass duets by Tony Rice and Ricky Skaggs.

Everything by the Bluegrass Album Band - Once again, the B.A.B. records aren't recent, but at least give a 2nd generation slant on the standard tunes. Tony Rice, J.D. Crowe, Bobby Hicks, Jerry Douglas, Doyle Lawson, Todd Phillips, and more.

Chris Eldridge & Michael Daves have been putting out some Stanley Brothers covers on SoundCloud.

The Earls Of Leicester (Lester) - Possibly the best for last. This is a supergroup made up of Jerry Douglas on dobro, Barry Bales on bass, Tim O'Brien on mandolin, Charlie Cushman on banjo, Johnny Warren on fiddle, and Shawn Camp on guitar/lead vocals. This is a straight up Flatt & Scruggs tribute band: everything from the arrangements to the bowties. They have an album coming out in September.

These are all great suggestions. These were all some of the songs I learned to play guitar to as well. May I suggest these songs as well;
"Sitting On Top Of The World", "Whiskey Before Breakfast", "High on the Mountain", "Old Home Place", "Whitehouse Blues", "Me and My Uncle". Or better yet, just buy the Bluegrass Fakebook. (http://www.amazon.com/Bluegrass-Fakebook-Favorites-Gospel-Mandolin/dp/1893907376)

When I started playing fiddle my teacher recommended the american fiddle method book by brian wickland; it's great! It has angelina baker, old joe clark, cripple creek, and a bunch of other common tunes. It has chords with it as well as finger diagrams for playing the violin chords so you can take turns playing the melody. The book also has variations of the songs with slides and double taps.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Fiddle-Method-Vol-Book/dp/0786652519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420945852&sr=8-1&keywords=american+fiddle+method

Here's one great album: The Bluegrass Album Vol. 6: Bluegrass Instrumentals

And this old thread has more great recommendations: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bluegrass/comments/136nb1/instrumental_bluegrass_bands/

Having listed to First Time Together for like the 3 dozenth time last night I highly recommend it. Jimmy Martin & Ralph Stanley - 1980

Books;
Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo: Revised and Enhanced Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0634060430/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_H.ArDbGBY9Q57

The Complete 5-String Banjo Player https://www.amazon.com/dp/0825603552/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_laBrDbDE9THKJ

Or

Tony Trischka Master Collection of Fiddle Tunes for Banjo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0109O79WS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EaBrDbRF753TS

Videos:
YouTube BanjoBen
YouTube Homespun banjo lessons

Site:
Banjohangout.com for lessons, info about banjos, tabs, and more.

Technology:
TablEdit is a free tab editor where you can find lots of downloads for songs on the previously mentioned website

Perhaps not a direct answer to your question, but this book is a good set of "standards" that parking lot pickers should know some/most of.

edit: Perhaps I can be more helpful. I actually have a copy of the book and snapped crappy pics of the table of contents.

http://imgur.com/a/DkACi

I think my favorite is Skip, Hop and Wobble, Jerry with Edgar Meyer and Russ Barenberg.

I've been seeing a lot of Sam Bush talk here so here you guys go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cTscRKAdgk

https://www.amazon.com/Revival-Sam-Bush-Story/dp/B07GQ8VBCM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541601586&sr=8-1&keywords=revival+sam+bush

These are a sneak peek to the movie and a place of purchase on Amazon.

I second LightWolfCavalry's list and recommend the Real Bluegrass Book (a Bluegrass fakebook with over 300 instrumentals and vocal standards).

all the standards of most styles can be found in this book