I've recently gotten interested in learning to play bluegrass and need some direction for how to use previous knowledge and experience to pick up this style as quickly as possible. A summary follows to help the answerer know my starting point:
- I have good music theory knowledge, a good ear for learning songs by listening, can read charts, but have very rusty sightreading skills.
- I have played guitar for over 30 years including classic rock, pop, blues, new country, contemporary jazz, and soul/funk, and I studied classical guitar for 3 years but have all but lost that skill. I hybrid pick. -I listen to bluegrass classics as well as more modern pieces.
While most songs seem to be in Major keys, it is the melodic phrasing and improvising that are puzzling me, despite my experience. In addition, the number of beats per measure seems to vary, or just when I expect the song to go back to the top of the verse, another measure is inserted. It's befuddling!
I'm starting to think that my blues/rock roots might be getting in the way of my picking up this more traditional music form.