excellent idea. There was some discussion of this on the Comando list: Tune of the week was salt creek and many people compared the Monroe version to the more 'conventional' versions. It seems absolutely clear when you compare the two, but then you (or at least I) try and do it on something else and it's not working! Best
On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 1:42 PM, <sec...@bellsouth.net> wrote: > The one topic that I think would benefit me most is not necessarily just > the review of tunes that Monroe wrote or made popular, but an exploration of > improvisation in the Monroe or Compton style. I think I saw this mentioned > in conjunction with the Compton seminar being hosted by Jim Richter. I would > be curious to see an instructor take a modern bluegrass tune, remove the > linear, neutering aspect of the modern mandolin style, and then show how you > might construct a Monroe-esque break in its place. It would be interesting > to define the difference--I know what my ears hear, but sometimes breaking > things down like that makes it click for me in a new way. Just my 1 cent. > > -------------- Original message from mistertaterbug < > taterbugmu...@gmail.com>: -------------- > > > > > > Okay, okay, the speculation regarding Monroe and Scotland is good, but > > back to the topic...What is missing from the headings list regarding > > Monroe Camp? What has been overlooked? What has not been looked at > > closely enough? Any other old/new fusion ideas(reasonable, of course)? > > It needs to be understood that there is a lot of this that I take for > > granted because I don't necessarily need to actively think about to > > play "Wheel Hoss" or "You Won't Be Satisfied That Way" or whatever. > > There may be whole topics for discussion that lay buried in the info > > that would really help explain the style better to all of us, just it > > has not been recognized so far. Come on, this group page is for us all > > to use to talk about this mandolin music obsession we have. I know > > there's more of you here than are responding. I know there are > > opinions and questions not being voiced. > > > > Jump in the fray. > > Tater > > > > On Jan 22, 6:33 pm, taurodont wrote: > > > I have been to all three Monroe Camps. > > > > > > Although I learned from all the previous instructors I got the most > > > out of Tater, Butch Waller and Skip Gorman. All three had classes > > > where you walked in, there was a brief introduction , then they > > > started to pound a song into your brain. That is good learning. > > > Frank is an amazing picker but is so scatter brained that you can > > > hardly get a straight thought out of him. I had to verbally pin him > > > down to show us a break to Blue Moon of Kentucky. > > > > > > I enjoy the history and lore but am mostly there to get better in > > > that style. Repeatedly I overheard fellow students say they wished > > > more songs or techniques were taught. People get irritated when they > > > sit through a class and never get to remove their mando from the > > > case. > > > > > > My foremost complaint was that some instructors clearly had given no > > > thought to what they would teach. Students appreciate when an > > > instructor has given the class some thought ahead of time. I can > > > remember several classes where the instructor came in and said > > > "Monroe's Timing? I'm not sure how to approach this". Then by the > > > time they figure something out to teach the class is over. I think > > > parameters or suggestions along with the class titles may help guide > > > them. For instance the class title may be "Monroe's blues" and the > > > objective to present several songs that illustrate his use of the > > > blues or themes that recur that are "blue". Or maybe a class that > > > touches on a few songs that use the downstroke and tremelo. Or maybe > > > one devoted to Gospel turnarounds. > > > > > > I don't see any probllem rehashing some of the previous camps concepts > > > except with different instructors. > > > > > > I would like to see David McLaughlin, Ronnie McCoury, David Davis. Or > > > how about some fiddlers that can also play mandolin, especially those > > > familiar with Monroe's fiddlers. Perhaps Aubrey Haynie or Mike > > > Cleveland. Although all talented I have no idea how good of teachers > > > they are and that is an extremely important skill to have when in > > > charge of a class. So many excellent musicians are not efficient > > > teachers. Tater is an exception. > > > > > > Enough for now. I'm sure it will be a good one if Tater is at the > > > helm. > > > > > > John > > > > > > On Jan 19, 11:49 pm, mistertaterbug wrote: > > > > > > > I agreed today to take the administrative (uhm...or was that > advisory) > > > > duties for the International Bluegrass Music Museum's Bill Monroe > > > > Mandolin Camp 2009. I understand that Mike Lawing doesn't work at the > > > > > museum anymore, so that leaves a gap. From what I can gather thus > far, > > > > the camp will basically be similar in format to the last few. It will > > > > > be on/around Monroe's birthday and will be Friday/Saturday/Sunday. > > > > There will be at least 5 instructors and the topics will be somewhat > > > > similar, but I am looking at other aspects of KY style bluegrass > > > > mandolin that have not been touched on so much before. > > > > > > > I know some of you on this here list have been to the camp, whilst > > > > others have not. What I would like for you to do, beings we have this > > > > > forum, is to think about what it was you didn't get last time that > > > > would have been welcome knowledge. What aspects of Bill's music did > > > > not get looked at, either at all or adequately? Is there something > > > > slipping through the cracks that I'm just not thinking of? What have > I > > > > left out? Are there artists currently working that have not worked as > > > > > instructors at the camp before that either loosely base some of their > > > > > work on Monroe's mandolin style or whom you'd like to see tackle KY > > > > style mandolin with a more contemporary flair? The camp is, of > course, > > > > devoted to furthering and explaining Monroe's work and music, so I'm > > > > not saying we need to get too far out on a limb. I am also looking at > > > > > possibly having the "before bluegrass" idea actively pursued, as well > > > > > as the black mandolin culture. Maybe we should go to Arnold Schultz' > > > > gravesite. > > > > > > > Anyway, I would welcome any suggestions/requests/complaints that may > > > > be floating around. I think there needs to be some other activities > to > > > > do besides classes too, but right now at this early stage in the > game, > > > > I'm drawing a blank. Now's the time to have your say. > > > > > > > Tater > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to taterbugmando@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
