Concert Pitch - Sitting on Top of the World.pdf Nashville - Sitting on Top of the World.pdf

Bluegrass Guitars ​In bluegrass music, the guitar plays an integral part of the ensemble as the basis of rhythm and chord-structure for the songs. That's one reason why many bluegrass jams tend to follow the guitarist. As bluegrass music has formed over the years, the guitar has taken on more of a role as a melody instrument as well. Due to these roles in the ensemble, bluegrass guitarists seek guitars that are loud and have a lot of bass response - for the rhythm guitar - as well as treble presence for solos to cut through the mix of other instruments. ​ Far Left - The Martin D-18 is an iconic bluegrass guitar. This standard model of the Martin lineup features a solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, and ebony fingerboard and bridge. It is made in Martin's "dreadnought" size and has forward-shifted scalloped bracing to give it a robust sound. This guitar does not have a ton of complexity to it, so it is a good choice for the bluegrass ensemble. 2nd from Left - The Recording King RD-328 is modeled somewhat after the Martin HD-28 . It pairs a solid Adirondack spruce top with solid East Indian rosewood back and sides. The Adirondack spruce is a very stiff wood that can be played hard and responds well in a bluegrass setting. The rosewood back and sides are a very "reflective" wood that add a lot of complexity to the sound of the guitar. This is another great option for a bluegrass ensemble and is another color on your sound palette. Middle - Pono DS-20 - This is a variation on the typical square-shouldered dreadnoughts listed above. Whereas those guitars have the body meeting the neck at the 14th fret, this style moves the bridge back into a more centered position in the lower bout of the guitar. This gives it a loud, full sound but also makes the neck of the guitar shorter - meeting the body at the 12th fret. This guitar can be a good choice for musicians who want the large body size, but have difficulty reaching the neck of a 14-fret dreadnought. While it isn't as ubiquitous as the D-18 and D-28, there is some tradition of 12-fret dreadnoughts being played in bluegrass music with Norman Blake being a notable example. 2nd from Right - The Recording King ROS-11 is modeled after the Martin 000-18 and while it isn't a "typical" bluegrass guitar can be a good option for certain guitarists. It still has a relatively large body shape but the more narrow waist can make it more comfortable to play, especially for musicians with shoulder issues. It has a very balanced tone and is more commonly seen in Old Time ensembles. Far Right - Epiphone Olympic - Definitely not a typical bluegrass guitar, an archtop guitar can be a good choice for a bluegrass jam that already has a number of guitarists. The arched top and f-holes give it a sound that is punchy and occupies a different aural space than the dreadnought guitar does. That's one reason the Epiphone Olympic - made famous by Dave Rawlings - paired so well with Gillian Welch's Gibson J-50. *It is important to note that Epiphone released a modern version of the Olympic , which lacks some of the definition of its namesake.

< Back Sittin' on Top of the World Previous Next Sitting on Top of the World - Transposed .pdf Download PDF • 42KB Sitting on Top of the World - Concert Pitch .pdf Download PDF • 36KB Sitting on Top of the World - Nashville .pdf Download PDF • 50KB

< Back We Live in Two Different Worlds Dear Previous Next We Live In Two Different Worlds Dear - Transposed .pdf Download PDF • 40KB We Live in Two Different Worlds Dear - Concert Pitch .pdf Download PDF • 34KB We Live in Two Different Worlds Dear - Nashville .pdf Download PDF • 43KB

Banjo Capos Paige Original Banjo Capo - This "yoke" style capo works particularly well on banjos. Since most banjos have a flat fingerboard radius, the centered yoke style puts equal pressure on the strings. This capo stores behind the nut when not in use. It usually requires two hands to operate effectively. It is a simple design, but works very effectively on a wide variety of instruments. Paige Clik Banjo Capo - A similar style to the original, this capo has a built-in tension release - their "Clik" system. It is similar in function in all other ways. Strum Hollow 5th String Capo - Since 5-string banjos have a short 5th string, they need a separate capo for just that one string. While some techniques are tried and true - like tapping in miniature railroad spikes that the 5th string can be hooked under - this little device requires no modifications to the banjo. The string slides into the brass slot and the thumb wheel is tightened to keep it from moving. The thumb screw is white plastic, but can be colored in with a permanent marker to make it less conspicuous. When not in use, it can be stored past the nut - attached to a string. *Not pictured - Shubb C5b Capo - This lever-action banjo capo is loved by many but lacks the ability to be stored on the banjo when it is not in use.

Concert Pitch - Old Train.pdf Nashville - Old Train.pdf

Nashville - Head Over Heels.pdf

The Sandy Spring Bluegrass Jam! If you're in the Washington, DC/Central MD area, come join the Sandy Spring Bluegrass Jam. We usually meet on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2pm-4pm at the Sandy Spring Museum. All ability levels are encouraged to attend! Advanced registration is strongly encouraged. ​ Jam Etiquette Sandy Spring Bluegrass Jam Archives

Banjolele/Ukulele Ukuleles are not part of the typical bluegrass ensemble. Due to a renewed popularity in the United States, they are becoming more common at bluegrass jams. A major hurdle for ukes is the ability to be heard in such a large group. The combination of the small size and nylon strings makes projecting the sound quite a challenge. One solution to this is playing a banjolele. It is the same size and tuning as a ukulele but being built on a banjo body means that it is typically louder and projects better than a traditional ukulele. If a banjolele isn't an option, then using larger ukulele sizes like tenor- or concert-sized ukuleles could be helpful. Left - Stella Banjolele - This banjolele was built in the heyday of banjo ukes in the 1920s. It has been upgraded with Ratio Tune-A-Lele Ukulele Tuners . The original "friction" tuners did not hold the tension of the strings very well. These upgraded tuners are "geared" but have a very small footprint. Right - Harmony Baritone Ukulele - Baritone ukuleles are tuned like the top 4 strings of a guitar - DGBE. This one has been upgraded with Grover geared ukulele tuners .

< Back Ninety-Nine Years Previous Next Ninety-Nine Years - Transposed .pdf Download PDF • 40KB Ninety-Nine Years - Concert Pitch .pdf Download PDF • 35KB Ninety-Nine Years - Nashville .pdf Download PDF • 45KB

Instrument Tuners Being in tune with everyone else in the jam session is of the utmost importance! Checking your tuning often is essential as environmental changes like heat and humidity can change your tuning over the course of a jam session as well as putting on and taking off a capo. There are a wide variety of tuners available. As a multi-instrumentalist, the D'Addario Micro Tuners are appealing because they are small and discreet while providing a consistent tuning experience across instruments. They also tune using the vibrations of the instrument so a noisey jam session doesn't interfere with tuning.​ D'Addario Micro Guitar Tuner - For attaching to the headstock of various instruments - not just guitar.​ D'Addario Micro Soundhole Tuner - For attaching inside the soundhole of most guitars. D'Addario Micro Banjo Tuner - For attaching under the brackets of the banjo pot. D'Addario Violin/Viola Micro Tuner - For attaching to the body of a fiddle. D'Addario Eclipse Tuner - Great for multi-angles, especially on a dobro. Snark Super Tight Tuner - Another great option for a variety of instruments.

< Back If I Lose Previous Next If I Lose - Transposed .pdf Download PDF • 40KB If I Lose - Concert Pitch .pdf Download PDF • 33KB If I Lose - Nashville .pdf Download PDF • 43KB