Re: Monroe Camp 2009

[secsc2]

 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
> -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
>