Bluegrass practice ideas, make the changes/outline the chords, Dixie Hoedown

[@JPMGuitarPicker]

You’re doing what Stash Wyslouch calls finding the skeletal melody, or the chord tones that define that melody and then practicing connecting them. Sounds awesome!

[@davestagner]

Yeah, I was thinking of Stash Wyslouch too! For those who don’t know him, he’s the most “out” bluegrass guitarist there is, an absolute genius. He has a unique approach to understanding melodies. First, strip out all the eighth notes, just play the quarter notes, whatever’s happening on 1-2-3-4. Then strip it to half notes - the 1-3. Finally, just the whole notes, the first note in each bar. Stash then argues you can play virtually anything within that stripped down melody - you can play ANY chord or arpeggio that contains the note in question. This allows him to play way, way outside, while keeping the core of the melody intact. It’s almost shocking to listen to what he does. Another Stash exercise I find really helpful is to play fiddle tunes on just one string - jump up or down an octave if you must, but only play the melody on one string, up to the 12th or 14th fret.

[@shuklajayant]

Such a beautiful playing ❤

[@67ratsrule]

Love the cat walk across! Great playing. Wish I could keep up.

[@dwightzinfandel8077]

Nice video! You mention a lot of things that echo my thoughts for sure. I think when a lot of people say "play the melody" they're not saying "outline the chords". It just so happens that this tune is one that especially reflect the chords with arpeggio stuff, especially in A part. There's really all sorts of ways to harmonize. People want improvisation to not seem random or canned or lackadaisical. When you incorporate key aspects of the melody into your improvising you are showing that you can do two things at once. You can adhere to a tune at the same time as exploring. You can present the melody in new ways or get down to the ideas that it's made up of and showcase how much it's been integrated by what you play. Them's the rules to the bluegrass game!

[@alexgraf8417]

I think what you’re saying is spot on!

[@tymarshb]

😊😊

[@kevindiemermusic]

This is fantastic! Since watching your vids and shorts I have picked so many new ways to practice! Thank you brother and keep rocking!!

[@alexgraf8417]

I love to hear that. Glad you’ve found the videos valuable.

[@antidepressantscale4675]

Dude you are brilliant. So much energy

[@alexgraf8417]

Cheers!

[@makeitcount179]

Alex, I like your theory talk. Just describing how you map out the arrangement and the goals. Now, I accept that the execution may have some variation...that's not a big deal for me personally...but I like this video. Thanks. I find something good in each one.😊

[@tonalambiguity3345]

Very good lesson

[@daningram3143]

New sub, great instruction!!! You’re so right about this practice technique!!!!

[@alexgraf8417]

Glad you enjoyed this!!!

[@johnreilly9748]

Nice Alex!

[@PrawitSiriwat]

yeah man! I found practicing playing the changes on bluegrass tunes was surprisingly more difficult for me (or maybe just different), coming from a bebop background. Staying on I IV V and avoiding leaning on chromatic approach notes creates a stricter rhythmic placement of notes and places where you can voice-lead lines are less abundant. I can't just stick in a bunch of passing tones to push the R 3 5 6 or 7 onto a downbeat in this practice. Also phrasing 3 notes from a triad over a 4 beat phrase creates interesting pivot points. It's fun.

[@alexgraf8417]

Heck yeah I’m so glad this is getting around to folks like you with the bebop background! Cheers.

[@keek1337]

I enjoyed this :)

[@alexgraf8417]

Glad to hear it!

[@mattandrews1981]

I like it

[@Emmetgriffin9]

🎉🎉🎉🎉❤

[@mareepmusic958]

This was really helpful to watch. From what I understand, when you are playing in this manner staying away from licks/cliches, you are primarily connecting arpeggios and scale line/patterns together as the chord changes. So in the B section, you play some G arpeggios or scale lines followed by Bm followed by Am etc. And in order to get better at this, you do lots of little improvising exercises using the song. Like sticking to one position of the fretboard, focusing on enclosures or approach notes, targeting certain chord tones, simplifying as much as possible, etc. Am I understanding this right?

[@alexkoble9303]

What do you mean when you say “outline the chords?” Like c major scale over the c chord? Or the 1,3,5 notes of c major ?

[@alexgraf8417]

Chord tones (root , third , fifth) of each respective chord in the progression.

[@alexkoble9303]

So do you play the 1,3,5 of g c and d all combined?

[@theocurtis02]

Great video! Thought you were Joe Keery at first 🤣

[@alexgraf8417]

If I had a dollar for every time…

[@Shawn15Kirkpatrick]

Are you playing a D-18? Also what style bluechip do you have?

[@alexgraf8417]

D 18. I like the TAD 60 3R

[@ShockwaveZero]

This was awesome man. Could you do a video on phrasing? Like leading into the chord changes/changing the "fretboard map" for each key. Would you say just keep practicing improv to get a feel for the intervals subconsciously? I come from a rock/ metal background and can solo but bluegrass is a different beast in a lot of ways. Thanks man!