Author: Matt Merta/Mitch Matthews

Musician and writer (both song and print) for over 30 years. Primarily interested in roots music (Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk). Current contributing writer for Fiddler Magazine, previous work with Metro Times (Detroit), Ann Arbor Paper and Real Detroit Weekly, as well as other various music and military publications. As songwriter, won the 2015 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (Bluegrass Category, "Something About A Train," co-written with Dawn Kenney and David Morris) as well as having work performed on NPR and nominated for numerous Detroit Music Awards.

Categories
Songwriting

Woe, the Songwriter: Part 1

“It all starts with a song.”

This statement is all too overused in the music industry, particularly in Nashville. It seems that every association that is related to songwriting in Music City waves those six words like a patriotic flag. It is a good statement, but in my years of working as a songwriter, it seems that an extra word needs to be put in – “polished song.”

By “polished” I mean that it seems that no publisher, song shopper, artist, producer, or manager will listen to a song demo unless it is presented as a pro-studio demo recording. A quick but complete recording of vocals backed by guitar or piano is unheard of these days. No, it must include a basic backing band (guitar/piano, bass, drums, lead instrument), backing vocals, professional arrangement, and all done at a reputable studio.

That cost money. We are talking hundreds of dollars. Hundreds of dollars on one song. Hundreds of dollars that a starving songwriter doesn’t have. In the music industry food chain, when it comes to payment, the songwriters are the last to get their share, and most times, the share comes way late and is way less than promised (if anything at all).

As far as publishers and those people in search of songs for artists, they have become less of song listeners and more of production listeners. They aren’t listening to the actual song what story is coming across, where are the lyrical hooks, or how the words work with the rhythm and tempo of the song. No, they have to have something polished. They are looking for production creativity, perhaps to give the actual artist and/or producer so that they can take credit for the “sound.”

This is happening even in the field of bluegrass. While established songwriters can get away with basic demos, those starting out in bluegrass songwriting are orphaned unless they have some expensive recording to present. This is not just for presenting to artists and publishers, this is also true for simple songwriting contests and auditions. I stopped entering my solo writing compositions into such contests a while back (if I do a co-write, and my partners want to enter, I won’t hold them back) due to this situation. I do not want to spend money on a demo that may not go anywhere instead of paying my utility bill.

It comes down to “how much are you willing to invest in this song financially” rather than “how much you are willing to invest in this song mentally/emotionally/spiritually.” Song hunters and publishers become lazy, expecting the songwriters to do much of their work. These hunters and publishers are doing less listening to songs. Why? Because it’s easier, with less investment from their end.

I have had a few songs that have become notable. I’m more successful than many, but not that successful. I still have to keep my day job. However, I have reached a point that I cannot keep investing in recording professional demos in order to get my foot in the door. I will continue to write and co-write, put rough demos on my ReverbNation page (www.reverbnation.com/mitchmatthews), and hand over one of my demos to someone who I think may appreciate it and perhaps move it forward.

I hope to blog more on how songwriters get screwed over in the music industry, especially now with streaming and the fall of the CD. That is in the future. In the meantime, chew on this and comment.

Categories
Singing

The Lost Art of Public Singing

Here’s an interesting video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkVed6OLe5l

I fell in love with it the first time that I saw it, and have watched it dozens of times. A group of Russians singing an old Ukrainian folk song in a train station in the eastern city of Blagoveschensk. Young, old, men, women, children, all joining in to sing accompanied by an accordionist. Almost everyone is singing, or at least clapping hands. Everyone is enjoying themselves. For a brief moment, all of them have forgotten their own troubles and are singing together as one.

My question is – Why can’t we do this here in the U.S.? If someone were to walk into a train station or airport terminal and start up an old folk song, would anyone join in? It is difficult to say, but there are a lot of factors that seem to dissuade the idea of a “musical group hug.”

As years go by, we have become more divisive. Very few people declare themselves as Americans; it is always prefixed with some other culture (African-, Asian-, Irish-, among many others). With that, there is no identity of an American culture. It is strange that so many other countries look to the U.S. for influence, especially in the entertainment industry, yet we as Americans born here refuse to recognize a culture of our own.

Almost all of us had some form of music program in elementary school. The teacher would bang on the piano while the students would sing old folk songs like “Polly Wolly Doodle” or “Shoo Fly.” They were simple songs that everyone could sing. As time passed, it may have inspired one or two students to pursue music as a major study, while the rest sought entertainment elsewhere. Interest in music became more pop-oriented, and simple folk songs were looked down upon. Sad, really, as these simple songs were what all of us could do well together.

Before radio and phonograph records 100 years ago, musical entertainment was live, and that involved public singing a lot more. If you read history books, we learn of soldiers singing around camp or on the march, choral singing being a part of almost every Christian religion, and so many social circles. There were hundreds of songs that everyone knew the words to. A few of the most popular have stood the test of time. Old folk standards like “Yankee Doodle,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and “America (My Country Tis of Thee)” are still familiar, but how many people would join in if you broke out with one of them in a public place?

Today, some people won’t even stand for the National Anthem, so how can you expect them to join in on a folk song that celebrates being American? Stephen Foster wrote some fantastic tunes in the mid-19th century, many we still recognize today such as “Oh Susanna,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” and “Camptown Races.” However, due to certain words in the lyrics that today are considered racist, these songs are pushed aside. The sad part of this is that ALL of Foster’s songs are being ignored because of this narrow-minded attitude. There is that whole ignorance of these songs being written during a different time in our history, as well as that there are a number of Foster songs that have absolutely no cultural reference that are lumped into the prejudicial bag. I implore anyone to listen to his songs “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” or probably one of the most beautiful songs ever written, “Hard Times Come Again No More.”

The decline of religion has also had a factor of lost public music. There was a time not so long ago that everyone knew the words and could sing non-denominational Christians songs like “Faith of Our Fathers” and “Amazing Grace.” Today, someone is going to be offended by a group singing one of these songs in public. With the acceptance of different religions into our society, the U.S. of old has been looked upon as offensive.

We don’t really have to go back too far to find American folk songs, or at least songs that could fall into that category. Many songs by Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and The Weavers are simple yet effective. But instead of being aurally satisfied, we look to bright lights and hundreds of dancers on stage to tell us what is good music. And what message is this sending? For example, we have been inundated with messages of how women want equality and respect, yet this year’s Superbowl halftime show was showcasing two women in revealing costumes shaking their booties and pole dancing. But I digress …

Unfortunately, I don’t see it going anywhere but down even more. I hope that I am wrong. I would love to see the people of this country appreciate the good things that we have experienced, quit worrying about offending a small minority, and sing together something simple that can please everyone.

I will stop for now, as I may get too worked up. Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass Bass: Part 2

So you thought about what I said last month. You went and got yourself a beginner electric bass to start off practicing bluegrass bass. Good for you! If you got the bass at a really cheap price because it was all that you could afford, and are ready to buy a small amp, let’s hold off on that for a while. I would hate to see you buy an amp that turns out to be not what you needed. Save your money and get a good 20-watt bass amp made by a reputable company.

So what do you do in the meantime? Well, you could buy one of those headphone amps. Since you want to practice a bit on your own before trying out with a group. However, many of these headphone amps are about as much in cost as a small regular amp, so consider that. I wouldn’t spend more than $20.00 on one of these, since the money that you save can be put into the regular amp. If you check on eBay, there are a few out there by NUX and Lisheng that can do the job. The Lisheng LH-380 comes with a built-in speaker, but I would advise not using it at all and go straight for the headphones. The speaker is cheap and will blow out at the first plucked note. NOTE: Make sure that you are using over-the-ear headphones (you can probably get a decent pair at a Five Below stores) and not earbuds. Earbuds will not handle the low frequencies of a bass guitar. Also, make sure that your volume control on the bass is not maxed out at 10. In order to cut out distortion, bring it down to 8 or 9, then adjust the volume on your headphone amp.

If you want to save that money for the amp, there is a way to play your bass and hear it at no cost at all. While playing the bass, take the headstock (where the string tuning gears are) and lean it gently up against a wall or large piece of hardwood furniture (like a large chair or bed frame). Voila! You just boosted the sound of the bass to twice as much. The low frequencies of the bass can reverberate better than high frequencies. This is sort of like when a low-flying airplane rattles your house or when some schmuck driver has his bass speakers loud enough to vibrate his whole car. It won’t be THAT loud, but you will be able to hear it much better than the bass alone. And this amplifications didn’t cost you a cent!

Now let’s talk about your first lessons. I won’t talk about getting a teacher here. If you feel that is the route you want to go, then make sure you let him/her know that you are looking to learn bluegrass bass. Otherwise, you may be paying for lessons into jazz and rock that you may not want.

As for books, Mel Bay (the patron saint of beginning musicians) puts out a number of quality choices. Probably the most popular book is Electric Bass Method Volume 1 by Roger Filiberto (ISBN 1-6097-4843-3). While the photos may look dated, the information is still relevant, and it shows the very basics of playing bass as well as introduces the player to a number of genres and the basics of music theory. There are a number of other books from Mel Bay (www.melbay.com) as well as Hal Leonard (www.halleonard.com). You can probably find these at Guitar Center or any local musical instrument store. There are also bass guitar books in the Dummies and Idiot’s Guide series, but these usually lean more towards learning rock and beginner jazz styles.

The same goes for videos. Mel Bay and Hal Leonard both put out some quality beginner bass guitar vids (most of these are online, although you still may find some DVDs available). There are also some good videos from Watch & Learn Inc. as well as Alfred Books. Just make sure that you are getting one that teaches the basics and not going into Rock or Jazz (you really do not need to work on slapping and popping at this time). For the cheapest route, there are always a bunch of beginner bass videos on YouTube. Go ahead and search until you find one that you actually like and can learn from.

Once you have the basics and a little theory under your belt, you probably want to be a little more skilled at being a bluegrass bass player. Unfortunately, almost all books and videos dedicated to bluegrass bass deal with the upright bass. However, there are a few books and videos out there that deal with country music bass guitar that can be of use. One of the best is The Lost Art of Country Bass by Keith Rosier from Hal Leonard (ISBN 9780793569922). The thing to remember is that playing bluegrass bass is not so much knowing technique of the instrument, but to know the song itself. A bluegrass band relies on the bassist to move the song in the right direction and at the right pace/tempo. Once you have the idea of root/fifth movements and walk-ups, you need to know about the Nashville Numbering System, Circle of Fifths, and the chord structures for the most popular bluegrass songs. Don’t worry, this comes with time. You won’t get there right away, but you WILL get there with the right amount of patience and determination.

The best teacher is your ear. When you have the basics down, start playing along with bluegrass records. Listen to where the bass is going, what key the song is in, and get used to the tempo. Those recordings by Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers and Reno & Smiley are the best teachers you could ask for when it comes to learning bluegrass music.

I will get more into getting a good bass guitar amplifier in a future blog. In the meantime, chew on it and comment.

Categories
Musicians

The Roadie

Yeah, yeah, Jackson Browne gave tribute to the roadie in his song year ago. Of course, that was for the roadies that work the big shows. What about the ones that work for bands playing small dives and house concerts? Don’t they deserve some respect?

I guess that it depends. In all of my years as a musician, I’ve also done my time as a roadie for various bands. I’ve also seen thousands of shows over the years, and have always observed how the roadies operate. Recently, I went to see a touring acoustic band at a small venue, and the supposed “roadie” seemed like he was just there for the ride. The band was setting up their own equipment, and this hipster was just standing there with his hands in his pockets. Maybe he helped carry in some stuff beforehand, and maybe he helped set up the merch table, but it was the band selling stuff afterwards.

Why would a band have someone like this tag along? Is he a good driver? Is he a good luck charm? Hmmm …

Now I have also seen on many occasions small-time roadies who have gone above and beyond. Carrying equipment, tuning guitars, setting up amps and drums, getting towels and water, running the soundboard AND running the merch table all at the same time! However, I have also seen many musicians take someone like that for granted, and become deer in the headlights when Saint Roadie is not there any more.

Bands can learn a lot by being their own roadies. Respect for the worker bee is obvious, but here I will talk more about the technical side. For any project with two or more members, one person should have the basic knowledge of musical instrument maintenance. If you are touring solo, that means YOU! So take time to learn a few things about your acoustic guitar besides neat-o alternate tunings.

First off, take a look at your instrument and see what parts of it are solid versus those parts that are moving. If we are talking a guitar or other stringed instrument, this includes strings, tuning gears, bridge pins, volume/tone controls, whammy bars, string saddles and more. These are parts that can and will wear out over time. Strings break and corrode only after a few gigs. The same goes for any electronic equipments such as amps, effects, and cords/wireless transmitters. Take a look at what could easily fall under Murphy’s Law and be prepared. Know how to repair or at least temporarily fix during a gig.

There are many useful books out there on guitar maintenance. One recommendation is Guitar Setup & Maintenance by Chad Johnson (Hal Leonard Publishing ISBN 978-1-4584-1824-1). The book is smaller so that it can fit in your gig bag (if you don’t have a gig bag for accessories, GET ONE!). This information can also be used on other stringed instruments, and I am sure there are reference books on banjo, mandolin, fiddle, synthesizer, and amplifier maintenance as well that you can find with a quick internet search. There are also a bunch of YouTube vids that show some basics on maintenance of musical instruments.

But there are a few things to purchase right away:

  • Guitar tuner (this is a gimme)
  • Screwdrivers (both straight and phillips), for strap buttons and case hinges
  • Set of jeweler’s screwdrivers, for pickguard and gear tuner screws
  • Set of allen wrenches, both standard and metric (if you don’t have the ones that usually come with the guitar)
  • Needle-nose pliers, for grabbing, loosening, tightening stuff like jacks
  • Wire cutter, if you don’t have a cutter on the pliers
  • String winder (this is obvious, but I still know people who don’t have one)
  • Small flashlight (ever lose a bridge pin on a dark stage?)
  • Duct tape (on the eighth day, God created duct tape!)
  • Extra set of strings
  • Extra guitar and mic cord (if used)

Keep these in your newly purchased gig bag and always keep it with the guitar case. Most importantly, learn how to use them!

If there is one rule that stands out among the others, it is this: Learn to change your own strings! I have actually seen a few performers who broke strings and asked someone in the audience to help out. In addition, learn how to change strings fast (if you aren’t smart enough to have a back-up instrument). Nothing says “amateur loser musician” more than someone taking 10-15 minutes to change a string. NOTE: If you are part of the warm-up act, and you have a mishap like a broken string, the time that you take to fix the problem is on YOUR clock. If you have a 10-song/40-minute set, and it takes you five or more minutes to change the string, then YOU have to cut out one of your songs. The audience (minus your parents) is there for the headliner, and they do not need to put up with your garbage. At least they will respect you for your courtesy.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Why Define Bluegrass?

“There is a difference between rock and rock & roll; beware of inferior imitations (avoid contact with any musician who doesn’t know how to play Chuck Berry music).
– Cub Koda (The Book of Rock Lists)

Ask 100 bluegrass fans to define “bluegrass” and you will probably get 101 different answers. Some are reference book styled that are definitely written by someone who has never really been to a bluegrass festival (check out this computer female voice defining the music on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9EVJOLSfhQ). California fiddler Kat Bula goes on and on in her 13+ minute video to describe bluegrass (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCC3XPEx7D4&t=167s), of which I personally disagree with a lot of her statements. There are many other definitions out there on the internet, be it a blog, video, or excerpt from one of tons of books on music.

But why does bluegrass need a concrete definition?

Define a “house.” Four walls? Roof? Doors, windows? But if you gave a dozen people a pencil and paper, and told them to draw a house, there would be 12 different interpretations. So, it is the same for bluegrass.

What gets my goat is the fact that so many people attempt to make these concrete definitions, even in the most minute form, to state what bluegrass is:

  • It must have a banjo (and only Scruggs style)
  • It should not have an electric bass
  • No drums
  • No horns
  • Singing must be that high lonesome sound
  • (Insert your favorite bluegrass gripe here)

Yes, in 1945, Bill Monroe had “something” when he walked on stage with Lester, Earl, and the rest of the Blue Grass Boys. It would knock everyone who was listening on their butts. But he didn’t call it bluegrass at the time. It took more than a decade for the term to get established by people in the music biz so that they could market it as such. Once that happened, bands suddenly were or weren’t bluegrass, despite how audiences reacted previously.

Bluegrass isn’t baseball. It shouldn’t have a certain amount of players or use specific instruments to make it acceptable to go forward. Bluegrass, like really any musical format or genre, is based on the attitude and emotion it creates and how the listener reacts to it. Bluegrass can include guitar, banjo, mandolin and so forth, but there are plenty of instances where those “rules” are broken and the “feeling” of bluegrass is still there. How many times did Dr. Ralph Stanley sing a capella? How many times did you hear Doc Watson play solo or maybe with a second guitar? Some would argue that these instances are NOT bluegrass, but don’t these instances bring forth the same listener emotions and responses as the typical bluegrass band performance?

Bluegrass music, like any art form (be it music, painting, sculpture, architecture, or whatever) has styling, but should never be put into a concrete position. It should be allowed to continually grow and experiment. Bill Monroe tried accordion and xylophone into some of his recordings. The Osborne Brothers had drums and electric instruments throughout the 1970s. One of my favorite “bluegrass” bands of today, the Steep Canyon Rangers, has a percussionist. If it weren’t allowed to grow, the dobro would not be a part of it. Nor would lead breaks by guitars be acceptable. Pickups on instruments, even the use of separate microphones for each band member, would be prohibited. What about the songs? If the subject matter wasn’t dealing with a farm or coal mine or mama praying, it would be scrapped.

In short, the bluegrass society needs to stop putting the music into a box. It should be allowed to breathe, try different sounds, explore outside of the three chords. Who cares if there’s no banjo? As long as it still moves me the same way other bluegrass songs do, then it’s bluegrass. Try to refrain from using the words “must,” “should,” “never,” and “supposed to” when talking about bluegrass music.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

The Lost Art of Bluegrass Singing

So you go to see a local or regional bluegrass band. They seem to know their instruments really well and start off their set with a bouncy instrumental. Then one of the musicians steps up to the microphone and starts a vocal number. He/she is more out of tune than a piano that’s been sitting in a damp basement for 50 years and is attempting to sing in a key that is way out of range.

It is great that bluegrass musicians will practice their instruments intensively on their own outside of band practice. They know that people want to hear professionalism from the player. However, it seems that there is little care in giving the same amount of intensity to singing. Most think that if they sing in the shower or in the car along with the radio, that is enough practice. Think again.

Bluegrass has always been about the singing. Its roots come from the vocal choirs at the country churches, as well as performing on the back porch of a shack where the singer had to compete with a few stringed instruments. Bill Monroe knew that, and he worked hard to make sure that he or any of his other lead singers were in good form. Even today, if you pick out some of the top traditionally influenced bluegrass bands, the vocals are what makes them just as much as flashy banjo or fiddle solos (if not more so). Think about those voices that stand out, both past and present – Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman, Hazel Dickens, Del McCoury, John Cowan, Peter Rowan, John Duffey, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Russell Moore, Dudley Connell, James King, Danny Paisley, Alecia Nugent and Dan Tyminski to name a few.

Those above mentioned, as well as hundreds more well-known pop, country, blues and jazz vocalists (I won’t even get into opera singers here), consider their voices as a fine musical instrument. Thus, they treat it as such, with regular practice and care. When I performed in bands years ago, I never thought that I was a great singer — I was good, and had a decent ear for harmonies, but not lead-singer quality. However, I saw (heard) other people in my bands that were usually worse at singing than me, and it was because there was no concern on vocal techniques. Because I did vocal practices on my own, I usually got stuck with lead singing whether I wanted to or not. In one of my last bluegrass projects, I tried to get everyone in the band to commit to every 3rd or 4th practice being dedicated to just our singing and harmonies, but that didn’t last long. One of the reasons that I have stopped playing in bands is that lack of commitment from others.

If you as a bluegrass performer want to be the best that you can, you have to practice regularly, and singing is just as much a part of that as guitar, bass, banjo or other instrument. You shouldn’t have people wince when you step up to the mic, but that can only be cured by work from you.

Record yourself and listen. Don’t sing along with an already final recording (which is easy to auto-tune your voice to) but to a track with no vocals, be it guitar only or a full band. Then seriously critique yourself, or have someone you can trust give an unbiased answer. If there are some flaws, then be honest with yourself and practice your vocals. Even if you have a great sound, it doesn’t mean that you can’t dedicate some weekly rehearsing just to your voice.

Unless you are planning on being a full-time performer in the near future, you really don’t have to spend the big money and get a vocal coach (but if you have the bucks, by all means). There are tons of books out there for strengthening your singing voice, including ones from the Dummies and Idiot’s Guides series. A decent book/CD/Audio Download series from Hal Leonard that should be easily found at either Guitar Center or Barnes & Noble is FastTrack – Lead Singer Method Books 1 & 2 by Blake Neely. One that I recently picked up for myself on the cheap ($6.95 through hamiltonbook.com) is How to Sing by Carrie and David Grant (Carlton Publishing). Of course, most of these books are geared toward pop-music singers, but the exercises and suggestions provided are extremely helpful to all genres of music.

If reading is not your thing, then there are also a number of videos out there that may be of interest. One that I find very good and is great for a starting point is The Ultimate Beginner Series: Vocal Basics by Mike Campbell (Alfred Publishing). This one is easy to follow, has simple exercises, and works with both male and female voices. It is also inexpensive compared to other videos. I have this on DVD, but I believe it is now only offered as a download (unless you can find one used somewhere). Alfred Publishing (alfred.com) has a number of other videos in this series that are dedicated to rock and blues vocals as well. Another good website that lists helpful books and videos for singers is singers.com./instructional .

If you have worked on your vocals for a while, strengthened them up, are satisfied with how you have improved, then you may want to check out the video Vocal Techniques for Old-Time Mountain Music with Cary Fridley put out by Homespun Videos (www.homespun.com). In many of today’s bluegrass bands, the high lonesome sound has been lost, with softer pop vocals becoming the norm — Alison Krauss sort of began this. I am definitely not blaming her, as she established a unique voice on her own. Unfortunately, many singers went in this direction and considered it bluegrass. Cary has a true Appalachian voice and gives some great suggestions on how to sing more like that. If you are singing and playing an instrument at the same time (which is pretty much a gimme in bluegrass), Homespun puts out a few other videos geared toward this. One of particular note is Lead Singing and Rhythm Guitar with Peter Rowan.

The thing is, you could buy one or more of these videos, watch them once, and think that you have it! NO! These videos are like any other exercise video like aerobics or pilates. You need to continue to watch them and practice the techniques regularly. You need to quit treating bluegrass vocals as an afterthought – Bill Monroe would be offended. I hope this information helps, and I plan on talking more about vocals, especially harmonies, in future blogs.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass Bass: Part 1

One of my biggest pet peeves regarding the bluegrass music scene is the disdain for the electric bass guitar in a typical ensemble. A good-sized chunk of the bluegrass pack, be they fans or musicians, feel that the electric bass has no place in bluegrass music, and the upright doghouse bass is the only choice. Some stalwarts even go as far as to claim that they would rather have a washtub bass in the group than an electric bass (check out some bluegrass chat groups online if you don’t believe me).

The reasons these critics put forth are numerous, but can be easily rebutted:

  1. There should be no electric instruments in a bluegrass band. Well, then the band shouldn’t be using microphones and speakers of an electric PA system. Additionally, many bluegrass musicians are using
    transducer pickups on their guitars, mandolins, banjos and fiddles.
  2. No good bluegrass band would use an electric bass. Did you know that one of the first recorded uses of an electric bass was with a bluegrass band? Reno & Smiley recorded in the 1950s with an electric Fender bass. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Osborne Brothers as well as Jimmy Martin used the electric bass. In the 1980s, two of the most influential bluegrass bands, Hot Rize and New Grass Revival, used an electric bass in their arsenal, as well as the Seldom Scene when Michael T Coleman was in the band (he also used an electric during his tenure with Doc Watson). Lately, bands such as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Lonesome River Band, and Lou Reid & Carolina regularly have an electric bass.
  3. It doesn’t have the upright bass sound. Yes, and??? The main job of a good bluegrass bass player is to keep the rhythm and tempo (as long as the banjo player doesn’t get too crazy with the Scruggs rolls). He/she can do that with the simple 1-5 note progression and some walk-ups/downs to set a groove. Bass solos in a typical bluegrass band are a rarity, and mostly seem to be done as a courtesy to
    the musician (I am not referring to great acoustic bands such as The Punch Brothers and Hawktail that are occasionally lumped into the bluegrass fold). True, the upright has that woody, non-sustaining sound when the string is plucked. But Jaco Pastorius is not the intent here. With the correct playing technique and instrument set-up (I will cover that in an upcoming post), the electric bass will come close to the upright sound and to the job.

If you check the chat groups discussing the bluegrass bass and using an electric, most comments are coming from adults discussing the sound of the upright versus the compact carrying of an electric with a small amplifier. What is agreed upon by all is the cost of an upright bass. That is my biggest concern, particularly if we as a bluegrass community want to see this music continue with future generations.

Ten years ago, it was hard to find a playable acoustic instrument under $250 unless you lucked out with a garage sale find. Today there are plenty of quality beginner guitars, mandolins, and fiddles for under $100. A good starter banjo can be had for under $200, and the same goes for dobros. However, an upright bass cannot be had for under $500, and it will surely need a set-up that will cost about that much more. What is there in that situation that will convince a young bluegrass enthusiast (as well as his/her parents that are fronting the money) to consider pursuing the bass? Surfing eBay, one can find a decent electric bass with gig bag for about $80, and adding in a small amplifier and cord will cost another $50. These can all be found cheaper if you shop around. Replacing strings on an electric bass can be done for under $25 easily, and that is less than the price of one string for an upright.

Then there is the acoustic bass route. You know, those bass guitars that have a bass neck on an acoustic guitar body. These start at about $150, and vary in quality from horrid to great, but will still require a small amp if played with a group. However, jamming with one or two others should cut through without amplification. Some brands like Martin charge almost as much as a good upright for their models. Tacoma used to make some great acoustic basses, as well as quality ones under the Olympia name, until it ceased operations around 2008. If you can find one of these used under $300 and it is not beaten up, get it. I still have mine and record my demos with it unplugged with a microphone at the soundhole for a great upright sound. Dean also makes a decent acoustic bass guitar (model EAB) that can be had for well under $300, even less if on sale at Guitar Center or if you can find a used one.

My point here is that the argument to not allow an electric bass into the bluegrass setting is foolish. Professional bluegrass bands can make the choice because of their status. Jam sessions and amateur bands copping such an attitude only discourages beginning musicians, especially of the young generation, and will make the bluegrass community look offish with the rest of the music scene. I plan to talk more about the bass in bluegrass in future posts, so stay tuned.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music Uncategorized

Happy 2020! Introduction to Luegra

Hello and welcome to Luegra, the blog that hopes to take the B.S. out of Bluegrass. In all seriousness, I plan to use this blog to talk about music, particularly Bluegrass and Americana, and post my raves and gripes whenever they come to mind. There may be a few non-music rants along the way, usually related to my writing or other work that I do, but they should be few and far between. Hopefully, I can put up a post weekly, but no guarantees. Some posts may be complete, some may be in parts. You can agree or disagree with me, that’s part of the reason. I want to stir up intelligent talk amongst the readers. So check in when you can and let me know what you think.

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