The Bluegrass Tao

A PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION TO THE ART AND CUSTOMS OF BLUEGRASS JAMMING [Note: This is the first of the Bluegrass Tao series] INTRODUCTION Although the terms “jam session” and “jamming” have their roots in the jazz culture of the 1930s, humans … Read More

Hey Mister Bassman

by Doug Marcus Thoughts on playing bass; Bluegrass, Blues and Beyond I love playing bluegrass bass, however I am not strictly a purist when it comes to being the traditional bluegrass/rockabilly slapper. My approach to bluegrass bass is a result … Read More

A Banjo Teacher’s Diary

I just had my seventh year teaching at Banjo Camp North in Massachusetts, and it was, as always, wonderful. Camp ran from noon Friday May 15, 2009 through Sunday afternoon May 17, and included dozens of classes for both bluegrass … Read More

The Nashville Number System

  by Wayne Fugate History and background The Nashville Number System is an informal method of transcribing music by denoting the scale degree upon which a chord is built. Since the middle ages, musicians have substituted Roman numerals for chord … Read More

Songwriting Part 1

Ah but what to write? If you have the luxury of not being a nine-to-five Nashville songwriter (Whew! wipe your forehead, that was close!) have some more ice tea!  A song idea will come along sooner or later.  As a … Read More

1 22 23 24 25 26