hi, my name is Jairo and I'm from Cali, Colombia. I'm studying mandolin since three months, basically the Rich del Grosso method and Ray Valla bluegrass mandolin method. In my city, and in my country, there is not mandolin academies or teachers, so the self study is the only way to go.
The method of Rich del Grosso is more easy, the melodies are in a more easy pace, but the method of Ray Valla is more harder. I have begun to study the first lesson, the beautiful melody Liberty, fundamental in bluegrass style. For practice I have downloaded the backing tracks in The Flatpick Apprentice site, very popular in this forum. The backing tracks came in different bpms, from 150 to 240. I´m not sure the bpm of Liberty in Mr.Valla method, it is not indicated, but I believe is 200 bmp or more.
Practicing with the backing tracks, I have begun from 150, then 160, and now I am practicing Liberty at 170 bpm. I believe, practicing and practicing, that may be I can achieve this melody at 200 or maybe 190, the first part of Liberty is more easy and I can play this part at 200 bpm, the second part require more practice.
The question is, is there a sort of canon about the pace of the bluegrass melodies, do I must to try to achieve this 200 bpm, or I can be happy with 180 bpm as a correct and normal pace?
The second question is: I have heard a lot of Liberty versions in this forum and youtube, and each version has a different B part, I mean, there are subtle differences in each version of the B part. I had learn the version of Mr.Valla in his method, is required that I must to learn the other versions? I mean, what is your advice for a student about all that different versions.
Thanks in advance for your help
greetings from Colombia
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