bluegrass help

[mike phillips]

im goin to a bluegrass open jam tomorrow night. i have absolutly no idea of bluegrass structure. is there a method to bluegrass bass? i know blues has its 12 bar. i dont want to look like an idiot so can anybody give me some advice on bluegrass bass? thanks, mike

[Jim Carr]

Are you playing electric or upright?

[VroomVroom]

This should get you through quite nicely:

http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/

In my experience, the only real area of concern is when going from a I chord to a V. Here's hoping you have a blast and you get to share the stage with some great players. The only other advice - keep your mind open to palm-mute and other techniques that may help you nail the timbre.

[mike phillips]

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

Are you playing electric or upright?

electric.

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by mike phillips

electric.

OK.

Most (not all) things are in G, or A (C and D are distant 2nds). "A" is common when the fiddle is in charge. Play roots on beat 1. Meters and feels vary a lot, but avoid accenting weak beats, a lot of syncopation, and playing the wrong flavor of triad or seventh. Think major scale, not mixolydian for most things.

Basically you want to stay in the lower positions, playing root, fifth and walkups, though there is a significant amount of walking into upper registers possible in certain tunes.

Most important of all: totally solid time. if it is really bluegrass, like you say, there will be no drummer. You, the guitarist, and mandolin are the rhythm section most of the time. You must lock with them unerringly.

Also, if you play a lot of walkups/downs you will probably step all over the guitarist's fills. This is going to cost you a call-back.

[Jim Carr]

Almost forgot:

Stand on the right of the guitarist so you can see his/her left hand on the fretboard (assuming a righty guitarist here).

Why?

Even if you don't play guitar or recognize most open position guitar chords, you will at least see the rhythmic shape of things just before they are heard--useful stuff for following a song you don't know. It will also help you with cues, endings, and avoiding stepping on the guitar's bass lines. BTW, synchronizing with the guitarist's bass line CAN be a good thing, if done well and in moderation.

[mike phillips]

thank you for all your help. as a bassist i dont go hoot wild with walk ups or fills. so gettin in the way of anybody probably wont happen. i play like dusty hill, simple and to the point.