Improvising A Break When You Don't Know The Song! - Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

So you're at the local bluegrass jam and someone calls a song you don't know. They start singing, you start strumming but then they give you the dreaded nod. What do you do? How can you take a break if you don't know the melody? How will you structure your improvisation? I'm going to give you an approach for that situation and hopefully we can keep you out of hot water.
#bluegrassguitar #bluegrassimprov
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[@midnighttoker8663]

Not everyone talks about the process instead of just giving out arrangements. Really appreciate it.

[@benthorn3752]

I don't even play guitar but this is so helpful for understanding music theory in general.

[@davidzelonka9739]

Great lesson! I love how you break these concepts down. Can you do a video on classic vs. modern rhythm playing? How do Flatt, Rice, and Tyminski approach playing backup differently? How do you move beyond boom chuck to work in those modern accents, stops, and stabs? Thanks!

[@guysaul6212]

Id like to hear your thoughts on that also Marcel

[@conn9600]

Your teaching is so clear and to the point it's just amazing! It brings it all together into an comprehensible task. Other teachers have much to learn from you regarding a logical and effective learning process. Thank you very much for your basic bluegrass videos.

[@MyBackHurtsALittle]

Simple yet genius...just the simple thing by dividing in half, very useful for intermediate level players. Something for every level in this one.

[@doing60]

Another great lesson... that light bulb of understanding is starting to flicker... I've gained so much from your lessons.

[@chrisjohnson9755]

God bless you Marcel you put so much effort into making these videos with such a niche audience!

[@05jmattyred]

Thanks for the lesson it really helped me visualize the chord progression and timing. I learned how to play guitar out of chord positions and not scales BUT we speak the same language. Thanks Again

[@sandys9596]

Awesome lesson Marcel! I’m on my second run through it...and will probably be back for a third. Thanks!

[@ArchieRLib]

Nice. Exactly what I needed. Thanks Billy Goat.

[@JustinHollandFitness]

Great breakdown 👍🏼

[@Emmetgriffin9]

Thanks so much tab king🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤

[@anne-marieforer]

Really loved your approach-especially the metronome exercise. Can’t wait to try it. Also I play fiddle and can use your same approach for playing breaks on the fiddle. I can use shuffles and chops instead of chords and strumming. Thanks for the great lesson!

[@gordonbrackett7220]

Good morning Marcel.

[@andyquinn1125]

A very good lesson!

[@bryanhain969]

Very good lesson

[@albinoninjamonkey8967]

Thank you so much man youv helped my music so much

[@mikeritchie6237]

Marcel, just started really listening and absorbing...so much great stuff. thank you!!

[@biggirlbigfella9646]

Big badd Billy goat of the barnyard totally enjoyed the lesson Really great material how you mapped out possible soloing ideas mixed with strumming.. Metronome drill was very cool also

[@scerni37]

Thanks for the vid. I like how you explained the elements, and how to develop and enhance skills. Really appreciate it as a basic level player. Lots of great stuff from the big bad Billy Goat.

[@tomcoryell]

I’m an electric player primarily and am trying to emulate Jon Herrington, Larry Carlton, Wayne Krantz etc., but I also love killer flat picking. Your lessons are the bomb Marcel! Thanks for breaking down the process. I dabbled in flat picking 40 some years ago and never kept at it so I pretty much suck at it, but you have helped me a lot.

[@Tracks777]

nice video

[@JosephusDalrymple]

Marcel, Definitely love this lesson - all of yours actually. I really am in need of some guidance on strumming patterns. Can you do a contrast between traditional patterns and some of the patterns more commonly used by modern players? Thanks!

[@atakurt6055]

This might actually be your best lesson on improvisation and should have improv somewhere in the title imo. If it did I'd watch it earlier!

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

Good idea!

[@waltdelong4959]

Enjoyed this very much. Didn't you reference the Orrin Star lick book in an older video? It has very similar concept.

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

I think I mention it in the "Bluegrass Bible" video. There's also an article on my website all about that book! Excellent example of this method of thinking.

[@Steve-si8hx]

Never heard any of these tunes, except for how Mountain girls can love

[@wes7600]

Hey Marcel, I'm curious how you put together those chords for each tune just using the melody. What rules/tricks did you use? The melodies are pretty simple so like wouldn't most chords work? Like if the melody note is the root, a IV or I would work right? And in some of the V chords the accented melody note is the third of the scale. Thanks for your help and cheers.

[@midnighttoker8663]

So it looks like you can use G pentatonic over G, but do you also use it over C and D chords, or do you switch to their scales. Bit confused

[@LessonsWithMarcel]

Hey Rob, quick answer is I generally want to switch pentatonic scales for every chord. This approach kind of avoids that problem because we're mostly improvising over G chords! The one time we do improvise over another chord is at the end, there's a strong precedent in bluegrass improv to ignore these changes and just play a strong ending phrase. That doesn't mean people ALWAYS ignore the changes at the end of a break but someone like Tony Rice frequently does. We tend to hear a lot of personal statements that lean towards a bluesy or 'hot' sound. Lots of information on note choice over chords in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqjXlXhpn6p7fLM Hope that helps!

[@thatellipsisguy8984]

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