Bluegrass Duets FAQs

FAQs

These frequently asked questions are more to advise you that we have addressed these questions in our instruction manuals, video and audio CDs. We are certain you understand these questions can not be answered in a sentence or two. The section called 'Answers' covers most of these questions and is found in the back of all our 'Old Favorites' and 'More' series instruction manuals.

1. How do I tune my banjo, guitar and/or mandolin?

Ans:	'Tuning Your Instrument' from 'Answers'. Also, our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) and our introduction guide sound track CD both contain audio 'tuning your instrument' instructions.

2.How do I read tablature?

Ans:	See 'Reading Tablature' section in 'Answers', additionally see our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) for a more detailed answer to this question.

3. Why use tablature instead of standard written music?

Ans:	See 'Chart 1' in 'Answers' plus the paragraph: 'Chart 1 - All the notes.........uses only one staff.'

4. How does one count musical timing?

Ans:	See 'Counting Timing' found in 'Answers', also this topic is covered in our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) in the Introduction Guide set.

5. How do I count 2/4^th musical timing?

Ans:	See 'Counting Timing' found in 'Answers', also this topic is covered in our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) in the Introduction Guide set.

6. How do we play together?

Ans:	See the 'Counting Timing' section of 'Answers'.

7. How do I play banjo chords?

a. How do I play the chord itself?

Ans:	See the banjo chord picture section of this website.

b. What do I do with the chord once I know where it located?

Ans:	Our 'Introduction Guide' contains written and audio instructions for using banjo chords, both where they are and how to use them.

8. How do I play guitar chords?

a. How do I play the chord itself?

Ans:	See the guitar chord picture section of this website.

b. What do I do with the chord once I know where it is located?

Ans:	Our 'Introduction Guide' contains written and audio instructions for using guitar chords, both where they are and how to use them.

9. How do I play mandolin chords?

a. How do I play the chord itself?

Ans:	See the mandolin chord picture section of website (Note: these chords are using a mandolin tuning of ADAE, a tuning used throughout the Bluegrass Duets series.)

b. What do I do with the chord once I know where it is located?

Ans:	Our 'Introduction Guide' contains written and audio instructions for using mandolin chords, both where they are and how to use them.

10. How do I play guitar accompaniments?

Ans:	See 'Guitar Accompaniment' of 'Answers', also our instructional video contains a complete highly detailed example of a standard alternating bass with runs guitar accompaniment.

11. How do I know which chord to play and when to change chords?

Ans:

Often the alphabet name of the chord is written above the first measure after a chord change. Also see the 'Guitar Accompaniment' section. Additionally our instructional video contains a complete highly detailed example of a standard alternating bass with runs guitar accompaniment. See the 'Shorthand Chord Progressions section of 'Answers'. This method is extremely useful for field picking.

12. How do I play alternating bass guitar accompaniments?

Ans:	See 'Guitar Accompaniments' section of 'Answers', also our instructional video contains a complete highly detailed example of a standard alternating bass with runs guitar accompaniment.

13. How do I add single note runs to my guitar accompaniments?

Ans:	See 'Guitar Accompaniments' section of 'Answers', also our instructional video contains a complete highly detailed example of a standard alternating bass with runs guitar accompaniment.

14. How do I guitar accompany singing?

Ans:	See the section 'Guitar Accompaniments' found in 'Answers'.

15. How do I play lead picking hand rolls on five-string banjo?

Ans:	See the answer to question 17 below.

16. How do I play lead picking hand rolls (cross-picking) on guitar?

Ans:	See the answer to question 17 below.

17. How do I play lead picking hand rolls (cross-picking) on mandolin?

Ans:

The answer to these questions require more space than this Q & A section has to offer. Our teaching video has a complete explaination, video and sound and will answer these questions. All our publications contain a 'roll page' for the instrument covered. The rolls presented are the best possible to learn and to perform. We have used only those rolls that flow naturally and avoided the remainder. The 'roll pages' contains every roll used in all our instructional manuals.
Here is a hint: There are only 24 rolls for 2/4^th timing. You should use less than half of them. Found in 'Answers' see 'Using the Chart of 24 to Construct the Banjo Roll Page' and see 'Using the Chart of 24 to Construct the Guitar and Mandolin Roll Pages'. Again, our instructional video ( Introduction Guide Video) has a completely detailed answer by example to the question of playing banjo, guitar and mandolin rolls.

18. What is cross-picking?

Ans:

Note:

Cross-picking emulates the five string banjo sound on both the guitar and mandolin by using picking hand rolls across three strings at a time. Found in 'Answers' see 'Using the Chart of 24 to Construct the Guitar and Mandolin Roll Pages.'

Figure thirteen (Fig.13) from 'Answers' plus its caption are required to answer this question. Also note that our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) contains a completely detailed answer by example.

19. How do I cross-pick guitar?

Ans:	Found in 'Answers' see 'Using the Chart of 24 to Construct the Guitar Roll Page'. Also, furthur note, that our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) contains a completely detailed answer by example.

20. How do I cross-pick mandolin?

Ans:	Found in 'Answers' see 'Using the Chart of 24 to Construct the Mandolin Roll Page'. Also, our instructional video (Introduction Guide Video) contains a completely detailed answer by example.

21. What is accent? Or, how do I put rhythm in my music?

Ans:	See 'Immediate Results' section of 'Answers'. Refer to the section starting with 'recall from old western movies....' and ending with 'if a solo, would be without rhythm.'

22. How do I achieve rhythm in my music?

Ans:	See the 'Immediate Results' section of 'Answers', starting from 'recall from old western movies...' and ending with 'if a solo, would be without rhythm.'

23. How do I arrange music in this style of picking?

Ans:	Found in 'Answers' see the section titled 'Abstract Melodies'.

24. How do I know a good, i.e. playable, used instrument?

Ans:

Site down he edges of the fingerboard, both top and bottom . If there is too much of a warp to it, the strings will not fret easily. Expensive instruments masy even exhibit this flaw. Many cheap instruments often do not exhibit this flaw. This is the single most important feature to be checked.

Please refer to web site topic of same title. This section along with news and dealer and other sectional updates will be available soon. Please keep checking back.

25. How are keyboards and fret boards related?

Ans:	Found in 'Answers' see 'Chart 2' and 'Abtract Melodies' for a means of conversion.

26. How do I know in which key a song is written?

Ans:	See 'Chart 2'. Also, often the alphabet key is written above the first measure of the music.

27. How do I convert a song from one musical key to another?

Ans:	See 'Chart 2' and 'Abstract Melodies' for the means of conversion.