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Thread: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

  1. #126
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    I'm not a bluegrass player - the closest I've been has been depping as a bassist on a couple of bluegrass gigs, but it's not really my inherent style there either. On mandolin and related instruments I mostly play folk tunes of Scotland, Ireland and England, and also draw a little from assorted British folk-rock. And perhaps a few other European and American tunes that I've picked up from people I know.

  2. #127

    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    This has been an enlightening thread. With all discussions on $10k instruments and scrolls I'd assumed bluegrassers were here in much greater numbers. For about 15 years I largely played Celtic (specifically contradance music which is a bit genre-bending in it's own right). The last two mandos I built were voiced for a more throaty growl to drive dance music.

    Lately I've circled back around bluegrass instrumentation, but mostly newgrass and Americana as that's what being played in a couple circles of good friends. There are a lot of amazing players out there that bend the genre or bounce between them which I enjoy. I guess I'm more of a Tim O'Brien kind of guy.

    Of late, the mandolin has taken a back seat as I've been bitten by the flatpicking bug. In the past year I've bought a Custom Shop D18 and a Bourgeois D Vintage dread, talk about expensive MAS!

  3. #128
    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    I’m in three bands but I can only think of a couple BG tunes that we play. So the answer is no. I do, however, play a lot of BG licks in the folk, rock and country tunes that we play.
    Living’ in the Mitten

  4. #129

    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    No wonder bluegrass bands have such trouble finding a mandolin picker.

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  6. #130
    Bluegrass Mayhem marbelizer's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Yes. Bluegrass.

    Some Irish tunes and old timey
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  7. #131
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    My reason for posting is twofold. I see it's been more than two days since anyone posted, so the thread has dropped off the recent posts list. Posting to the thread will bump it up in case someone might see it and contribute to it. And if not, then this will be my final tally.

    I'd thought there would be at least 100 votes cast, but if all we get is 97, so be it. The breakdown is 75 no, 22 yes, with a 3.4:1 ratio.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  9. #132
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    All right, I'll add a "no". Took me a while to decide 'cuz the first band I was in played a lot of bluegrass.
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  10. #133
    Registered User Ky Slim's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Shaking my head yes and saying "no".

    I'm not even sure I can accurately define bluegrass anymore. Can anyone define what bluegrass is exactly? Can we all agree on what bluegrass is? I think we can more easily tell what it is not.

    Anyway, count me as a no.


    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    ....... I never thought there was any doubt that bluegrassers would represent a considerable minority, since the history and future of the mandolin and bluegrass are intricately intertwined. I am pleased to discover how many players have embraced the variety of capabilities of the instrument.
    I disagree that bluegrass is a "considerable minority". I don't think it's a minority at all. What is the make up of the 75% that do not consider themselves bluegrass players?

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  12. #134
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Sometimes...if there are grassers to be found, or at our local festival. I also play old-time, Irish (my main thing for 20+ yrs), Canadian Maratime, and "Americana" and "singer-songwriter" songs (many of which are Bluegrass-ish or end up that way). I'm more of a fiddler who also plays mandolin. Although I feel like I'm finally starting to reach the same level on general mandolin playing, I'd probably be the weak link in a strong Bluegrass jam.

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  14. #135
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Quote Originally Posted by Ky Slim View Post
    I disagree that bluegrass is a "considerable minority". I don't think it's a minority at all. What is the make up of the 75% that do not consider themselves bluegrass players?
    Hence the survey, to dispel this - as it turns out - mistaken assumption and find the truth.

    I counted as "yes" those who answered so, and "no" as those who did so, as well as included more genres. This relates to how respondents define themselves, and if it's not straight-up as a bluegrass player, then it's a no. I'm not doing an in-depth statistical analysis. Feel free to do so if you wish. Just remember - it's really up to Willi, the OP, how the data collected should be interpreted. I'm just trying to help out. Again, feel free to do so if you wish. I suggest you read through the thread and see what you find.

    To use a sports analogy, when asked if you pick So-and-so versus the field to win, take the field.

    And now we've reached 100, with 78 saying "yes" and 22 saying "no." That's a 3.55:1 ratio. Seems pretty clear that bluegrassers are in the minority - a considerable minority, mind you - in fact, I'll wager they represent a plurality - but a minority. That's 22%.

    If this proves anything, it's that many mandolinists have realized that there are many other types of music they can play on the mandolin and they are venturing far afield from the antiquated assumption that it's only for bluegrass. Vive la difference!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  16. #136
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    No!
    Most of the time, I am noodling, then comes whatever crosses my mind with some bluegrass, blues, jazzy stuff, as long as it is not to complicated for me.

  17. #137
    Registered User pit lenz's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    on the mandolin: YES!
    on the blues harp: R&B
    on the pedal steel and dobro: Honkytonk country….

  18. #138
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Quote Originally Posted by pit lenz View Post
    on the mandolin: YES!
    on the blues harp: R&B
    on the pedal steel and dobro: Honkytonk country….
    What? No polkas?!
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  20. #139
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    And now we've reached 100, with 78 saying "yes" and 22 saying "no." That's a 3.55:1 ratio. Seems pretty clear that bluegrassers are in the minority - a considerable minority, mind you - in fact, I'll wager they represent a plurality - but a minority. That's 22%.

    just a note that that was 78 "no" and 22 "yes" at that point.

    As for what the non-bluegrassers play, looks like a lot do Americana/folk music that may have ties to bluegrass but aren't bluegrass, at least in their view, and a lot of Irish/Scottish traditional music. On a personal note, I'm about 95 percent ITM (and yes! polkas!) and the other 5 percent is a mix of classical and -- very slightly -- choro and klezmer.

    For record-keeping purposes, just a reminder that the score is merely the percentage of those who answered the question, not the percentage of everybody on the cafe.

    Fun to see, though. thanks for asking!
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  21. #140
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    No, I am not a Bluegrass mandolin picker but I play one on TV.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  22. #141
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    I love bluegrass (as well as many other genres) and play mandolin in a bluegrass band. I also play in a band that is half old timey and half bluegrass. I've played in an Irish band as well as a band that included electric guitar, piano, etc. - not sure of the category that one fit in. I guess I'll always consider myself a bluegrass player 1st.
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  23. #142

    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    I wonder what the result would have been if the question was “are you a white male over the age of 50”

  24. #143
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    93%?
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  25. #144
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Seems to me, following this thread, that the answer is not often 1 / 0

  26. #145
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    Seems to me, following this thread, that the answer is not often 1 / 0
    No, it's not. But it seems the yes votes tend to be pretty direct; the no votes often include a fair amount of qualification - which tends to make it clear they are not yes votes. This is not a seriously scientific research questionnaire, just a casual survey based on how people define themselves or their musical preferences. I've explained the methodology I employed to interpret the results. Anyone who is so inclined can do the same, using whatever approach he or she wishes. YMMV.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  27. #146
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Never, not ever. Not that there's anything WRONG with it...
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  29. #147
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    No.

    Again qualifying that by saying I do play in BG jams when I can, but it's not my focus & in a band I do we can never find a banjo player to do a decent BG part of our set, so just knock out some fiddle tunes & sing some of the BG songs where they work without a banjo.
    Eoin



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  30. #148
    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Quote Originally Posted by OldSausage View Post
    I wonder what the result would have been if the question was “are you a white male over the age of 50”
    Sorry. Tell me what would be appropriate and i will perform my own punishment.

  31. #149
    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    No, it's not. But it seems the yes votes tend to be pretty direct; the no votes often include a fair amount of qualification - which tends to make it clear they are not yes votes. .
    Well the OP did say, "Feel free to name your preferred genre/style. I might include it in the subsequent evaluation..."
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

  32. #150
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: To be or not to be (a bluegrass player)

    Outside of the house, yes.
    At home I like to work on jazz, Dawg, choro, Bach. But that's just for my enjoyment. I live in NC so if you want to play with other folks you better play bluegrass.
    Drew
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