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Double Bass Why isn't Bluegrass more popular?

#61
Itzayana said:
Okay, I think that I am catching on now.
So if someone, you for example, tells me I am ignorant then that means I must be.
Since you pointed it out to me it must be true.
Thank you.
I might have gone on a long time thinking that I was entitled to my own opinion if you hadn't pointed out how ignorant I am.
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Just like ignorance is no excuse for not knowing the law, ignorance is no excuse for an opinion.
At least an opinion that is obviously ignorant to someone else...
you for example.
 
#62
My theory on the popularity of Bluegrass as with most traditional forms of music is that the more grit and passion in the music, the less popular it will be. A lot of people don't have a feeling for passionate music and they have been feeding on the bleched white bread of our pop music all their lives. In the case of Bluegrass you can add to that the perception that the people who associate themselves with Bluegrass are backwards hillbilies, a perception promoted by popular media consistantly. The truth ofcourse is just the opposite as is usually the case in our society. Up is down and black is white. It's part of the American paradigmn.
 
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#67
jeffbonny said:
LOL! I'd never seen that one before. Thanks!
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lol - that is hilarious.

The question "what is bluegrass" rages on and on over at www.mandolincafe.com . Bill Monroe definitely did it his way, and to many of us that has the problem of the "high and whiny" vocals - others of us love it.

But people (or at least mando players) are reinterpreting bluegrass all the time. Here's one I like. Nothing fancy about the bass part, but the mandos and fiddle are nice:

Invalid Link Removed

again - I'm biased as mando is my other instrument.
 
#68
First of all I agree with MT Spaces that it doesn't matter whether bluegrass is "more popular". We see a number of posters saying that the music seems to have a following where they are (and these opinions are coming from all over the country). So the next questions would be, "why do you think that the current level of popularity (obviously nothing like Whitney Houston's bellering or whoever the latest processed lacquered starlet with pitch-correction software and a cadre of top studio folks) - is somehow a problem?" - and then maybe as a follow-up, "and what would be the level of popularity that would ease your mind and have you not ask that question", and finally "why do you think it's important for bluegrass to be more popular?" If the answer is "it's important to be more popular because it's important to be more popular", then be careful what you ask for; you might get it.

We can increase bluegrass' popularity if we get rid of the acoustic instruments and replace them with electrics, add drums and keyboards, lose the rural themes and Southern-sounding singers and replace them with tattoos, shaven heads, and Michigan accents, get a new reportoire on the theme of "I'M SO ALIENATED AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME WHILE I LIVE IN MY MOM'S BASEMENT AT AGE THIRTY AND PLAY VIDEO GAMES ALL DAY", smoke pots and a laser light show.

NAAAAAHHHHHHH.
 
#70
I think it's the sonic character of bluegrass. It's mostly high-end tones and it's very busy music. I think the average music fan, even if open to the style, might run into ear fatigue pretty quickly.

My $0.02.
 
#71
Itzayana said:
My feeling is that Bluegrass has no groove, no soul.
It is music that you listen to but doesn't have much feeling.
Kind of like marching band music.
Ever see anyone dance to bluegrass?
A genre developed by uneducated white hillbillies.
Somebody pass me that jug o' moonshine while I tune up my tub bass.
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I don't think "Bluegrass" means what you think it means.

I've seen plenty of people dance to bluegrass- they clog, looks sort of like "Riverdance" only you can hear it.
 
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#73
jake3 said:
The question "what is bluegrass" rages on and on over at www.mandolincafe.com . Bill Monroe definitely did it his way, and to many of us that has the problem of the "high and whiny" vocals - others of us love it.

But people (or at least mando players) are reinterpreting bluegrass all the time. Here's one I like. Nothing fancy about the bass part, but the mandos and fiddle are nice:

Invalid Link Removed

again - I'm biased as mando is my other instrument.
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Bluegrass is a living music form, so it is ever evolving. I consider Newgrass to be a part of Bluegrass. I think some feel it is something different.

But let's get something straight: Bill Monroe and Doc Watson invented Bluegrass, and if you don't like the "high lonesome" sound then you don't really like traditional, undistilled Bluegrass. Which is fine, but let's not mince words. There was another post saying Bluegrass is more than just "Bill Monroe tunes". I agree, but Bill Monroe tunes are a freakin' cornerstone of what Bluegrass is.

Like rock n' roll is more than just Chuck Berry tunes- but let's not forget what Chuck did. He was one of a very few people who put it on the map.
 
#74
There is more going on in Bluegrass than many realize. First, the "high, whiney vocals"...

Bill Monroe, the father of modern bluegrass, epitomized the "high and lonesome" vocal style popular in bluegrass, and it became the standard. Not much different than the muted tone of jazz guitar, with flatwound strings, using a neck humbucker, with the tone rolled down became the voice of jazz guitar.

There are no drums in bluegrass, but the various instruments provide what a drum kit would do. The upright bass provides the kick, and the chopping on a mandolin provides the snare.

There is incredible musicianship in bluegrass, typically with instruments holding back, while each in turn take a solo verse.

It's great fun, and I've also seen incredible dancing where bluegrass is played.
 
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#75
Zoa said:
Also seen plenty of square and contra dancing done to bluegrass.
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Around here people contra dance to old time or contra dance music, a specific genre. Some folks might square dance to bluegrass, but bluegrass is usually too fast to be called.

I get the feeling, like MT's post, that what some consider Bluegrass is here in VA called Old Time. Bluegrass is pretty narrow, specific, and more modern than that. The instrumentation is identical, and bluegrass bands may play some old time fiddle tunes, but they play them faster and more aggressively. Blurry line to be sure, but it seems there is a distinction that may vary regionally.
 
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#76
MT Spaces said:
Myself .... I have No-Use for all the New Youngsters (Get the Hell off my Lawn) / Jam Bands / Bands with a Banjo & Fiddle that claim to be "BlueGrass" :D . I am not-sure that they ever listened to the roots of The Music and I think that is an Insult to the Founders. Don't get me Started. Carry On ;) .
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:D Awesome post, Bob, the whole damn thing. Thanks! ;)
 
#77
HolmeBass said:
Around here people contra dance to old time or contra dance music, a specific genre. Some folks might square dance to bluegrass, but bluegrass is usually too fast to be called.

I get the feeling, like MT's post, that what some consider Bluegrass is here in VA called Old Time. Bluegrass is pretty narrow, specific, and more modern than that. The instrumentation is identical, and bluegrass bands may play some old time fiddle tunes, but they play them faster and more aggressively. Blurry line to be sure, but it seems there is a distinction that may vary regionally.
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The NC contra circuit is pretty weird, a lot of people are obsessed with it and as such there's a lot of innovation and evolution. There are several bands down here who advertise themselves as bluegrass called dance bands. In general they are more newgrassy and a bit slower.

You are right though, people do tend to lump all Appalachian string band music under the umbrella of bluegrass.
 
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#79
Bluegrass music has more commercial value now than it ever has, but it's a shallow pond, and there's only room enough for so many big fish... you *can* make a living doing it, but unless you are in one of the few successful mainstream bands, it won't be a comfortable living. I did it for about a year and a half in my twenties, and never regretted a minute, had a blast. But I'm much happier (and wealthier) these days as a weekend warrior, making my hobby support itself instead of paying bills.
 
#80
Bruce Lindfield said:
If you asked the average Briton - they would have no idea what Bluegrass is - the word is just not in our vocabulary. :eyebrow:
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There is a Bluegrass scene in the UK. I recently attended Sorefingers bluegrass weekend and they do a week-long residential course Invalid Link Removed

There's also a good London bluegrass band with a slight punk sensibility called Foghorn Leghorn http://www.foghornleghornmusic.com/
 
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