Double Bass Stupid Newbie Question: counting rhythm in Bluegrass

[LEUllman]

The vast majority of bluegrass is played in “two feel,” i.e., half notes on the 1 and 3. Playing “four feel,” (four quarter notes per bar) normally only occurs when you are walking, and even though a few bass players like George Shuffler walked, if you try it at a jam expect the stink eye.

 

[Jason Sypher]

The vast majority of bluegrass is played in “two feel,” i.e., half notes on the 1 and 3. Playing “four feel,” (four quarter notes per bar) normally only occurs when you are walking, and even though a few bass players like George Shuffler walked, if you try it at a jam expect the stink eye.

You just have to pick your spots and make sure the other players can play against four on the floor. I spend the first couple of tunes finding the band's rhythmic/melodic parameters and slowly push them out until I feel them wobble. Then I recede back a few steps and spend the next few hours trying to convince them that they can be more musical if they listen and trust themselves and each other. Every relationship has capacities and it's usually pretty easy to find.

 

[BarfanyShart]

I count in 4 and play on 1-3. My impression is that it is more traditional to count in 2 and play on the downbeats of 1-2. But it is exactly the same thing, whatever way you choose to count it.

 

[Papageno]

Been around bluegrass all of my long life, and I've never heard the term "cut time". What am I missing?

For more info on "cut time".