I've always known it as either upwards or downwards pick slanting. Never heard of this "escape" term before. Usually players naturally are better at one or the other, personally I'm an upwards pick slanter, comes more naturally to me but you have to find what is better for you.
@@HayesGriffin What kind of wood and appointments? Is it an Om? I hope this is flattering and not creepy 😂 but I want to spec out a guitar just like this.
How in the hell can you hate Billy Strings??...ohhhhh I know, jealousy is a real thing...I'm so glad this young man is in bluegrass music, I love his music
Thanks! They were having fun on that original cut. Good times! I could have heard a couple choruses from everyone but I know that's not really appropriate in a big session.
Anyone who hates Billy is jealous as hell. I've been playing for fifty years and he knocks me out. I play finger style and really wanted to learn flatpickng, but I've discovered the fast repetitive up and down motion is not something my old hands can do. I can fingerpick very fast, but flatpicking will have to wait til my next lifetime.
At 1:19 you look as if you're playing a C note (5th fret 3rd string) - please correct me if I'm wrong. Not strictly pentatonic, but it works well - I do this. The C note is the 4th of the G scale, so no clashes playing over a G chord, and the C is of course the root of the C chord.
busted...lol. Yeah, I couldn't resist playing the 4th -- of course the full G major scale works too, but as Hayes stated, the pentatonic is always safe note choices! In the lick that I improvised in this video I'm always following the 4th (C note) with a quick half step slide into the 3rd which creates a little 3rd enclosure type of sound.
Some versions of Billy have vastly different melody phrases over the "F" chord in the B part. In fact, I think even the F chord itself is a variation as the old-time rendition goes to an Am chord just like A section. But, as far as my interpretation of the B part melody, I like how it makes both phrases almost identical except for the first note (A instead of G). It sounds melodic and authentic. If I were to jam out over the chords (C lick to F lick) it totally would work but wouldn't bring out the cool extensions over the F like the major 7th and the 9th. Hope this helps!
@@MickeyAbraham2022 Changing from an F to an Am makes a lot more sense - I can imagine it as a more modal version. Playing an E over the F root is too dissonant for me - I love chromatics, but not on the downbeat! I should make a version in Strum Machine like this. Do you have any recommended recordings with the old-timey version? (Noting to myself that I also tend to play a Bb grace note over the F chord, before descending from the A - that would not play well over an Am.)
@@MickeyAbraham2022 Also, thanks for all your wisdom you’ve shared online! The five-note phrases idea was a revelation to me - I use it to break down tunes now, to find new ways to play without losing the melody. You and Stash Wayslouch… my touchstones for how to bend melody into interesting new shapes!
That's it! If it works as the melodic content of old-time tunes then it must work to create melodic bluegrass solos :) it is of course also necessary to target the individual chord centers too as this is just one possible approach to creating compelling melodies
Excellent! The key is primarily the way I’ve always thought about improvising a solo. In my (very) recent exploration of bluegrass, it was a major realization to hear players soloing in the key of the chord as opposed to the key of the song. Very cool!
That subtlety is very cool, though I must say I like Doc Watson's BitLG going to the F, on one play through, but maybe not every play through. It is a useful bit to keep in mind on an unfamiliar song. Especially when verse, and chorus are different, and you're just left of the caller.
Thank you, I needed to hear you say this. I have been playing a straight G major pentatonic over all three chords and it always sounds right. Whenever I try to strictly change with each chord it doesn't always sound correct.
I feel you Jim. One really needs both approaches. David Grisman once told me in an interview "sometimes you want to outline the changes, and sometimes you want to pretty much ignore them"
@@MickeyAbraham2022 I guess the next step is learning how to train your ear to do what sounds best. I would assume that primarily requires listening. Figuring out how to make the best sounding improvisational choice that doesn't sound like simple outlining the chord or noodling through the scale is what I'm trying to focus on at the moment.
It sure works. The times when you have to play the changes more than other times is when you're solo and having to improvise in a way that still links to the melody. But you're absolutely right that if you have a backing, you sure don't have to hit every change, though there are some where it's really good to to hit them to surprise the ear with a change of key. Good points though, and a nice lesson.
Thank you! Sometimes, by "ignoring" the changes you end up playing more flavorful notes. I think both are important (playing the changes and ignoring them). It's a delicate balance.
Kind of feels like a waste of bandwidth watching this video on 1080p. Y'all got any more of dem pixels? :P Great message, though! And for anyone who doesn't have access to contests (or they're to daunting to attempt), a "light" version of that is online jams. *cough* insert shameless plug for The Bluegrass Coalition here *cough*. You get to plan and arrange your break in advance and once it's done, you get to compare yourself and draw inspiration from the rest of the participants. Helped me grow and advance my vocabulary a lot. PS: what's the tune that plays in the background from roughly 6:15 on? I'm so bad with names :D
Thanks for the lesson, Hayes! What does your right hand feel like when you're cross picking? Do you find it's an arcing motion or something else? Thanks for any insights you might have :)
You’re welcome Ian! I definitely feel some arc/swooping action. More recently I’ve been experimenting more with kind of a quick “dive” motion to get my hand from a down stroke on the high string over the middle string to a down stroke on the low string. Doubt that makes much sense but happy to continue the conversation lol
The world of competitive musicianship would actually make a really great episode for one of you podcasters. This is a sporting area I've been hearing about my entire life but know almost nothing about it. And I don't think many people do. Even musicians, like myself.
I don't have access to contests, and would be no where near good enough to join, but the recording idea is one I'm pursuing. I think the composition you're doing is a kind of improvisation, just that you're remembering some of the ideas you come up with and reusing and expanding on them. Having done that, it's like you have another set of ideas you've explored that can turn up in your improvisation. If nothing else, it gives you the motivation to work hard on exploring the space, and honing it to be ready for an audience.
You could have filmed this gem in the style of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ and I would still consider it to be stellar content. Gentlemen, many thanks indeed.
It's such a pleasure doing these with Hayes. I think it's because his mind doesn't always go in the predictable directions. Sure makes it more fun to talk about a subject some folks find uninteresting because it contains the words "contest" or "competition" alongside the word "music" Believe me. I get it. Love ya Hayes. Keep it up man!.
Nice shout out to SPC and Munde's Camp Bluegrass in Levelland, TX! I just got back from Camp Bluegrass a week or so ago, and I had a great time! It was fun, nerdy, educational, and wonderfully exhausting. Will do it again next year!
Great interview. Love the history of Bluegrass Music. I grew up in Southwestern Ohio with lots of bluegrass in the 60s and 70s. We listened to WPFB. I look forward to listen to your show. Keep up the great work!!!
Yes! Excellent lesson and great reminder to explore augmented more. I just stumbled over this augmented triad yesterday and thought I'd contribute to the augmented convo here for los nerds de bluegrass: Alex Hargreaves drops Augmented triad at 2:08 over a brilliant break on Sugar Tree Stomp: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bcTsGgJV1no.html Thank you, Hayes and Mickey! Hope we can all get in the same studio one day and pick
Thanks Stash! Alex is a genius. Great example spotting the augmented in the wild! I look forward to the day when we are all in the same place and we will most definitely play music 🤘🙌🙏
Thanks Stash! I always learn something when I'm hanging with Mickey. That Hargreaves lick is 🔥 thanks for sharing! Maybe we'll just have to carve out some time and a meeting spot for all of us. Have guitar, will travel 😁🎸
