I'm trying to enhance my Bluegrass rhythm playing.

[prsplayer12]

Hey all,

I've been jamming a lot lately with my friend who plays banjo, and have been really getting into playing Bluegrass. That being said, I have been practicing a lot and am comfortable with keeping an alternating bass pattern in my rhythm strumming and am trying to build up my technique and enhance my playing now.

I have purchased two different lessons (one from TrueFire and one from Homespun Tapes) and they cover the generalizations, and give a few examples so I have a few basic ideas of two different C runs and G runs and some walking bass patterns. I'd like to expand and learn more runs and get more proficient with walking bass and just generally make my rhythm more interesting.

I've been playing around and have been having some problems incorporating the few runs and patters that I already know into the rhythm playing as well and was generally just wondering if anyone has any advice for learning new licks and then with incorporating them into my playing?

[ericmeyer4]

I would also be very interested in this topic as well.

[Mtn Man]

Always remember, the number one role of the rhythm player is to make the soloist sound better. Always keep this in mind when playing rhythm. Listen to the soloist, and work to support and enhance what they’re doing. The best rhythm players don’t just play the same rhythms over and over. You will hear them vary their rhythm based on who’s soloing, the lineup, etc. I always like to point this out whenever rhythm comes up, because it rarely gets said but it’s sooooo important. Understanding this concept will really help you hone in on what you need to learn as you develop your rhythm chops.

I’m not sure what Nick’s schedule is tonight, but he’s a heck of a rhythm player. I’ll see if I can get him to weigh in on this. I’ve actually wanted him to do a little instructional video on rhythm for a while…

Here’s an example of Nick backing himself up on a Norman Blake tune. This is an old video, but I’ve always been proud of his rhythm on this one: Green Light On The Southern Cover

We’ll hopefully post more tonight. Thanks for asking the question.

[jcmccorm]

Not exactly what the OP was looking for but I'm working through the same thing myself. I'm comfortable with bass-strums and working on adding bass-walks.

I'm working through the "Flatpicking Essentials" books and find them to be excellent. Volume 1 starts with learning bass-strum and constructing bass walks.

http://www.flatpickingmercantile.com/

Cary

[jwing]

Gather as much Flatt and Scruggs music as you can. Eliminate all distractions, including your guitar, sit down and listen to the rhythm guitar. Pay special attention to just one aspect of the rhythm guitar - lets use the G-run as an example. Study how Lester plays the G-run, when during the song he plays it, when in a measure he starts it, when it ends, how it interacts with what the other musicians are doing. Get to the point where you can predict when he will play a G-run on songs you've not heard before. Now, pick up your guitar and play along, just simple boom-chuck plus G-runs where they belong.

Notice that G-runs come in different lengths, so you'll have to start them at different times.

Repeat the exercise using different guitar players.

Repeat the exercise using different aspects of rhythm playing, such as instead of playing just a G on the first beat, play an F# and hammer-on the G.

Do this enough times and you'll develop your hearing ability so that you can pick up lots of other things that guitarists do.

Most people want to make their rhythm playing more interesting by making it busier. That's OK, but be sensitive to the tune and what other musicians are doing. Also, for very fast tunes, the only way to keep up is to go simpler; keep your ear open for that, too.

[oldhippiegal]

Originally Posted by prsplayer12

I've been playing around and have been having some problems incorporating the few runs and patters that I already know into the rhythm playing as well and was generally just wondering if anyone has any advice for learning new licks and then with incorporating them into my playing?

I don't know a lot, but if you get more specific about "some problems," I imagine good teachers can help you better. Video or sound file might also help them advise. In general, are you practicing with a metronome, slowly and until the lick or riff is clean, and working your way up in speed? You may simply need more months of working the style to become more comfortable.

[ek_jeep0]

I just recently found this little mini series on you tube. I think it is gear for a beginner but I thought he had some pretty cool insights on Lester Flatt style guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avQW9j8boao

Plus he has a pretty cool vid where it looks like he swap guitars with Willie Nelson for a little strumming

[jwing]

Originally Posted by Mtn Man

Always remember, the number one role of the rhythm player is to make the soloist sound better. Always keep this in mind when playing rhythm. Listen to the soloist, and work to support and enhance what they’re doing.

Mtn Man and I have touched on this point before, and from his perspective of supporting his son in flatpicking contests, I fully agree with him.

However, from my point of casual bluegrass jamming with not-ready-for-contests old-guy pickers, the most important role of the guitarist is to establish a groove and keep it. Also, the other players often rely on cues from the guitar player to let them know where they are within the song and when the next chord change is about to happen and even what the next chord will be. All this can be done by skillful and solid guitar-playing. A wavering guitar player will cause many derailments, and solid rhythm from the guitar will avert many trainwrecks. I've caused enough wrecks to know that other players appreciate simple but accurate backup far more than interesting backup that's even a little bit off time.

It is up to the break-player to craft a break that will fit into the tempo and flavor of the tune as it is being played by the group at that moment and not necessarily what he memorized from a TAB book.

At skill levels higher than mine, I suppose all that I have said is taken as given; thus, Mtn Man's advice becomes more pertinent.

[Mtn Man]

I don’t see how our advice is at odds, at all. Like I said, the rhythm guitarist’s role will change depending on who he’s backing up, and the lineup he’s part of. If a simpler, stronger rhythm is more appropriate, a good rhythm player should know that. Be sensitive to those around you, and constantly be thinking about what is needed to make the situation better.

Flatpicking contests are just a very small part of what Nick does. His favorite pastime right now is jamming, and as you probably know not all jams are created equal. He currently attends two regular jams. One is a circle jam, which is sort of a low level, all inclusive bluegrass/old time jam, the other is a bluegrass jam, which is much higher level, and you basically have to earn a spot in the middle. [BRAG]Nick earned his spot the first night.[/BRAG]

By the way, these jams are where I think Nick first realized how much fun music could be. I highly recommend them.

The other thing that Nick’s doing right now is playing guitar and mandolin in a youth band, with a variety of skill and experience levels represented. Here, they rely heavily on him for the rhythm. I hate how the rhythm just kind of falls out whenever it’s his turn to take a lead, but that’s what we’re dealing with. They are getting better. But he does have to keep things a little more simple for these guys.

My point is, a rhythm player should play whatever is appropriate based on the situation, which constantly varies, sometimes within the same tune. There are a million different situations a rhythm guitarist can be faced with. Does that mean you need a million different rhythms? Of course not, that’s not what I’m saying. You just need to play one that’s appropriate. If you only know one? Play that one! The more experience you have, the more sensitive you can be to what's needed.

[Mtn Man]

By the way, I just remembered this old video. These are some of Nick’s jam buddies. They saw him in the crowd and invited him to join them onstage because they knew he could keep up. They basically just jammed up there the whole time. In fact if you watch carefully you can see that the singer gives the fiddle player the first break, and he passes it off to Nick, just like might happen in a jam. You can hear Nick’s rhythm pretty well here. It might be a little louder than it needs to be at times, but he didn’t quite have the experience he does now. I do like the fact that you can actually hear him…

It’s so funny that most of Nick’s buddies are older than his grandparents. Not sure if that’s healthy or not…doesn’t seem to have hurt him any.

Old Home Place

[Toby Walker]

I can't recommend this book highly enough.

http://www.littletobywalker.com/links.html

[815C]

It always helps to hear it done right. I've always enjoyed David Bromberg's guitar playing and his rhythm playing on this clip is so tasty. Listen to his bass lines and how it really flavors the other instruments he is playing behind.

http://youtu.be/bmTp-egtaH0

Also, if you listen to the Kentucky Colonels, you will hear Clarence White doing some great rhythm playing/bass lines.