The Bluegrass Shack

Beginner's Jam Class

2008-06-24T20:12:00.002-06:00

The Monday night Beginner's Jam class is going strong. We still have a whole roomful of folks for this second group of beginners that come every other week.

Now, instead of me singing everything, the individual members of the group have started picking their own songs to sing. Some of the songs we are currently working on include Worried Man Blues, Hot Corn Cold Corn, I Saw the Light, Jambalaya, Go Tell Aunt Rhody, and Roll in my Sweet Baby's Arms. Kudos to Mike and Marian for singing at the last two sessions.

We have been working in the keys of G, A and D. We have also been working with the Nashville Number System, capos, transposing, beginnings and endings, basic jam etiquette, and more! We've had some really great questions from the participants, and already there has been a lot of improvement.

Banjo Tip - Right Hand Technique

2008-06-24T20:01:00.002-06:00

I got an e-mail from Steve last week asking about right hand banjo technique. He was having the problem of his middle finger hitting the top of the banjo head when he was picking. I decided to post a short video covering some of the important right hand techniques so that hopefully he would have an answer to his question. I hope this will help you as well!

Gospel Music Sunday!

2008-05-31T11:33:00.003-06:00

Just a reminder that we will be having gospel music at The Bluegrass Shack on Sunday, June 1, starting at 2:00 p.m. At 3:00 p.m., we'll be having a play-along, so if you play an acoustic instrument, bring it! Hope you see you there.

Peekaboo Waltz

2008-05-31T11:22:00.004-06:00

Hi Kabbie - I hope this will work for you. This is a soundclip of Peekaboo Waltz.

Click here for Peekaboo Waltz

Custom, Hand-Tooled Leather Straps

2008-05-31T11:03:00.002-06:00

We now have custom, hand-tooled leather straps that are being made right here at The Bluegrass Shack. If you have been wanting something like this, now is your chance to get one! Or give one -- they make great gifts! If you'd like to see some pictures, click here.

Bluegrass Music at Eckert's in Belleville

2008-05-24T12:23:00.002-06:00

Just a note to let you all know that The Chris Talley Trio will be playing at Eckert's Orchard in Belleville, IL on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. We hope you can come out! It's a great time for families and friends. Good ice cream, too!

Kids at The Bluegrass Shack

2008-05-22T11:09:00.004-06:00

Here are some of the latest pictures I've taken here at The Bluegrass Shack. This first one is Zoey and her dog, Grace. Grace just got back from the dog groomer and was showing off her new haircut!

The last picture is my favorite! This is Joy playing the fiddle. She came in with her family (Mom, Dad, five other siblings plus one on the way!). I gave her the fiddle to try out, and she actually set up everything you see in the picture herself. She is 4 years old.

American Made Fiddle

2008-05-22T11:01:00.003-06:00

One of my students brought in this nice fiddle that her father made. It has some beautiful wood, and was very nicely crafted. Even the tailpiece was handcarved from bone! Here are some pictures and also a video clip so you can hear how good it sounds. Thanks for bringing this in, Shirley!

Brendan in the Newspaper

2008-05-21T12:26:00.002-06:00

The Messenger Journal came out today and there is a terrific picture of Bluegrass Shack student, Brendan, in it. Brendan is a student of Chelsea's. He plays regularly in his church and for other local functions. We are very proud of him! Click the picture to enlarge it.

Encouragement - A Most Important Factor

2008-05-20T11:35:00.002-06:00

Hi Everyone! I want to write about encouragement today. It is such an important factor in learning and in motivation. I think it is often overlooked. Encouragement is even more important than natural talent. It goes along with what I've been saying for years: "It's how much you want to do something, not how much natural talent you have, that makes you successful."

What makes one person stick with something and another give up? I think it is the ability to see past where you are currently, to what you might become. I also think it is having confidence in yourself. Some people are naturally confident, and others need a lot of encouragement to remain confident or to even become confident.

As a teacher, I see this on a daily basis. My role as a teacher is as much about instilling confidence as it is teaching music skills. I can teach until I'm blue in the face, but if you don't think you can do it, or if I can't explain it to you in a way that you can do it, you won't get it. Every student is motivated in a different way, too. That's one of the things that makes teaching such a challenge and so much fun for me. There's not one size that fits all!

How can you help someone who is learning to play music? Be encouraging! And be specific! When a student is working on a particular point, it doesn't really matter if everything else is "up to par." Music is worked out on a point by point basis. For instance: If someone is working on making their banjo rolls even, but the left hand chords are not quite clear, focus your compliments on the evenness of the rolls. When the rolls get even, then the student can work on note clearness.

One more thing -- If you are complimenting kids, remember that behavior is more important than talent. I try to compliment both by saying something like, "You have really improved on this song! You are so talented, but do you know what I really like about you? You are a good person. You are [nice to others, share, etc. whatever you see in this child...]"

Also, compliments that are overheard are especially sweet. Who doesn't love to overhear someone say to someone else "Wow! You should hear the improvement in (insert name)'s playing!"

The Chris Talley Trio at Eckert's

2008-05-17T14:56:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that The Chris Talley Trio will be playing at the Eckert's Orchard in Belleville, IL on Sunday, May 18, 2008, from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. It's supposed to be a beautiful day, so come on out and bring the family, too! We hope to see you there!

Beginner's Instructional Jam is Packed!

2008-05-14T12:43:00.004-06:00

We had our second meeting of the new Beginning Jam Class this week. It is definitely a full class! Everyone is picking their songs to sing for the next session. We are going to start with those who sing in the key of G because it is the easiest for everyone to play in. Then we'll try some other keys like A and D.

Some of the things that we covered included a review of last session's topics (like the Nashville Number system, endings, breaks, order of songs, tags, kick-offs, etc.). The fiddle players learned "safe" notes for the G, C & D backup chords, and how to incorporate notes that aren't "safe" in a way that will work for any song. All the participants will now receive CDs of the songs we are working on, lyrics, and other things pertinant to what we are studying. It was a great session!

REMINDER: There will be no class on Memorial Day!!!! Come to Eckert's Orchard in Belleville from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. and see The Chris Talley Trio. It's FREE!

Jamming Until Midnight!

2008-05-14T12:38:00.002-06:00

Tuesday night was another late night out at The Bluegrass Shack. We had our bi-monthly jam session and just couldn't get enough music! Those in attendance included Danny, Den, Elsie, Nicole, Mallory, Diane, Brad, Earl, John, Verlan, Larry R., Jess, Lori, Terry L., Shirley, Steve, and I think that's everyone! Diane took some video for me, so I'll see if I can get some of that up in the next or so.

Gospel Bluegrass Hour at The Bluegrass Shack!

2008-05-12T10:15:00.002-06:00

We hope to see you for the very first Gospel Bluegrass Hour here at The Bluegrass Shack on Sunday, June 1, 2008. We will be having a one-hour gospel sing for everyone who would like to participate from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., followed by a one-hour gospel jam for all musicians who would like to participate. I have posted the flyer below, but you will need to click on it to enlarge it. Thanks!

July Youth Fiddle Contest

2008-05-05T17:06:00.002-06:00

It's just about time for our 3rd Annual July Fiddle Contest! This is a youth only (up to age 18) contest with three separate divisions. I've posted the flyer below, but you'll need to click on it to make it larger (and readable). Hope to see you there!

Chris Talley Trio at World Shooting Complex

2008-05-03T09:16:00.003-06:00

The Chris Talley Trio played last night for the U.S. Open Shooting Tournament at the World Shooting & Recreation Complex in Sparta, IL. Special thanks to Paige and Nicole for their guest performance. The SkyReport was there and took this video of The Chris Talley Trio playing Orange Blossom Special.

First Meeting New Beginner's Jam

2008-04-29T17:10:00.003-06:00

We had a huge crowd for our first Beginner's Instructional Jam last night. In attendance were Bobby, Fred, Annie, Carlee, Christina, Rebecca, Carl, Dennis, Denny, Craig, Shirley, Dolton, Marian, Bill, Cyndi, Sylvia, Linda, Mike, Amelia, Earl, and two other girls from Oakdale Baptist Church. (I'm sorry, I've forgotten your names!) I hope I didn't forget anyone. The session was absolutely great! We covered the Nashville Number System (which we're sure to cover again); tags; lead; breaks; kick-off; boom chuck, boom chuck, boom chuck chuck ending with long fiddle note on end; fake breaks (banjo players); vocals vs. instrumental keys; order of vocals; difference between verse and chorus; and a little bit about 7th chords. The songs we played were Skip to my Lou, Hot Corn Cold Corn, Worried Man Blues, I'll Fly Away, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken. Several more experienced and brave individuals took breaks for a few of the songs and did very well! We also did some group regular breaks and group fake breaks. Almost everyone participated in singing along with the choruses of the songs. I am super pleased with the turn-out and with the willingness to try that everyone showed. Can't wait for the next session!

Chris Talley Trio in Sparta Friday Night, May 2nd!

2008-04-29T12:08:00.002-06:00

Looking for something to do Friday night? The Chris Talley Trio will be playing at the Shooting Complex in Sparta, IL from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. There is a tournament all weekend, but you don't have to be part of the tournament to come out and enjoy the music! We will be playing at the restaurant there, so come have some dinner, snacks, or a few drinks! Hope to see you there!

Kay Bass for Sale

2008-04-22T15:28:00.002-06:00

We finally picked up the Kay bass that we bought last year and have it here at the shop. If you are interested in purchasing a great sounding vintage Kay bass, take a look here.

Tuesday Night's Jam

2008-04-15T22:01:00.003-06:00

We had another nice crowd for our regular Tuesday night jam session tonight, with a total of 21 people in attendance. We played until about 10:30. Terry L. sang In the Pines, and Ron did the really high vocal melody break. I just love it when he does that. It sounds so good! We had some great fiddles tunes from John, Charlie, Chelsea and Ron. It's been a while since we had so many fiddlers here at one time. Nicole picked some great banjo breaks on John Hardy and Cripple Creek. I was very happy to see Gary G. come by. It's been a while, but he picked a lot of guitar and even sang a few songs though he said his throat was scratchy. I wish I could remember the name of the song Anna played on her dulcimer. I know it but I guess I'm getting older. It was a sacred song that I have never heard her play before. It was really wonderful on dulcimer. I could go on and on, but I'm afraid I'll say something about everyone except maybe one person, and I don't want to accidentally leave someone out! Here is a video clip so you can listen for yourself. Nicole had to leave early, so unfortunately you won't see her in the clip.

First Kid's Jam

2008-04-15T21:52:00.002-06:00

Our first ever Kid's Jam went so well tonight! I think everyone had a good time. Participants included Mallory (guitar), Julia (guitar), Nicole (banjo), Jaclyn (guitar), Emily (mandolin), Makayla (fiddle), Haley (fiddle), Veronica (fiddle), Charlie (fiddle & guitar), and Rosemary (mandolin & guitar). I played the bass tonight, but the participants will have a chance to play bass if they want to learn. Some of the songs we played tonight included I'll Fly Away, Get in Line Brother, Cripple Creek, Bile Them Cabbage Down, Flop Eared Mule, and Old Joe Clark. We went over the Nashville Number system, song format, key changes, kick-offs, back-to-back vocal breaks, capo usage, lead breaks, endings, and singing into a microphone. I'm looking forward to the next session! We should have a few more kids at the next session, but we'll also be losing a few for a couple of sessions due to ball games. Great job everyone!

Tuesday Night Jams at The Bluegrass Shack

2008-04-14T11:46:00.003-06:00

In an effort to make the Tuesday night jam information available to everyone any time they need it, I am posting all the information (hopefully) you will need for the rest of 2008 right here.

Every other Tuesday, we have an acoustic jam session that is open to the public. It is free and is open to all levels. (We are very beginner friendly, many times even having someone available to sit next to you for help if you ask.) The jams start at 7:30, and there is additional parking available at the landscaping business next door to us. Feel free to bring something to drink with you. We have coffee, tea and water available for no charge.

Here are the dates of the jam session:

April 1st, 15th & 29th
May 13th & 27th
June 10th & 24th
July 8th & 22nd
August 5th & 19th
September 2nd, 16th & 30th
October 14th & 28th
November 11th & 25th
December 9th (only one in December)

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or e-mail. Thanks!

New Group Classes Starting!

2008-04-11T09:55:00.003-06:00

We have had many, many requests for new beginning jam classes. I am very happy to announce that they are finally starting. The two new classes are Beginning Jamming and Kids Jamming. Look below for more information and starting times:

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Beginning Jamming - This is an instructional jam that covers everything that you will need to know to learn to play with others. You will learn jamming etiquette, very basic music theory including the Nashville Number system, how to tell what chords a song might have, hearing chord changes, using a capo, singing lead and harmony, how to play backup, how to go from backup to lead, what common terms like "kickoff," "turn-aound" and "tag" mean, order of songs, common differences in songs, and more! Participants will get materials, including CDs, chord charts, lyrics, and tab or notation, to help them with the songs that we will study. The songs that we study will be dependant upon what the participants choose, so you will have a voice in this! (Everyone will pick one song.)

This class will meet every other Monday starting April 28. It goes from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the cost is $10.00 per session, payable at each session.

To participate, all you have to know is a G, C and D chord on your instrument. This is a BEGINNER's class. Instruments that may participate in the jam include fiddle, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, upright bass, mandolin, and dobro.

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Kids Jamming - This class is open to kids 16 and under who want to participate. Participants need to know G, C and D chords on their instrument. Please do not send your child to this class if they don't want to come, or if your child is not able to follow instructions in a group setting for one hour. We will cover all topics that are listed in the Beginning Jamming class (see description above). Some students will have the opportunity to learn how to play the upright bass during this class.

This class will meet every other Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. starting April 15th. The cost is $10.00 per session, payable at each session. Our public jam session meets immediately following this class and is free and open to all ages and levels.

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To participate in either of these classes, please just show up on the first day of the session. If you have questions, feel free to call the shop at 618-475-3678 and ask for Chris. You can also send me an e-mail.

Jenny Plays Cincinnati Rag

2008-04-11T09:49:00.002-06:00

I wanted to feature Jenny this time on her fiddle. Jenny is 16-years old and is a student and a teacher here at The Bluegrass Shack. Her contest record this year has been very good, including two First Places, a Second Place, and a Grand Champion. Jenny is a great teacher and we are very proud to have her here. I think you'll enjoy her version of Cincinnati Rag.

Violin and Fiddle Setup Differences

2008-04-10T16:58:00.005-06:00

I had a phone call from Coy yesterday asking me about different bridge curvatures for fiddles. He had mentioned taking his fiddle to a violin shop for a repair, and the repairman commented on the curvature of his bridge. Coy told the luthier that he was learning bluegrass, and that was probably why his bridge was curved a little bit differently. Coy wanted to know a little bit more information about this, and since this isn't the first time someone has asked me about this, I thought it would be a good time to elaborate on this. It is one of those areas where people have some very specific likings; many times it depends upon what kind of music they play.

Let me start out by saying that a fiddle and a violin are the same instrument, but that the setup on them can vary depending upon what kind of music you will be playing. Here are some very general and common differences:

Classical Violin -
More curved bridge, which helps with playing individual strings.
Perlon or gut strings, which produce a softer (not necessarily quieter) sound than steel strings, that blends better with all the other stringed instruments in an orchestral setting.
Classical players generally look for an instrument that will blend well with others, with no hint of harshness.

Bluegrass, Country & Folk Fiddle -
Flatter bridge, which makes it easier to play two strings at the same time (double stops).
Steel strings, which produce a sharper tone that helps cut through in acoustic settings. Steel strings also stretch less, which is a good thing since most of these musicians will be playing in many different settings that include indoor, outdoor, high humidity, sun, high heat, cold, etc.
Non-classical players will many times desire an instrument that has a bit of an edge to it and is loud. This allows the instrument to be heard over the rest of the instruments in an acoustic setting.

Now, having said all this, it does not mean that everyone who plays will agree 100% with what I have said. This is certainly not meant to be a blanket label that will fit all musicians.

Common strings for classical players include Dominant (which is probably the most common) and Helicore. Some players still use gut, though I haven't personally met anyone yet. Probably because I don't play classical music much.

Common strings for bluegrass players include Super Sensitive Red Label (the most economical string and probably the string of choice for many old time fiddlers), Pirastro Chromcor, and Prim. I have met bluegrass players who also use Helicore, Zyex and Dominant. So you see, there can be a lot of different strings that many people like.

Too bad fiddle strings cost so much. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to try a bunch of different brands? It isn't fair that you can purchase a set of guitar strings that are actually decent strings for $5.00 or less, but you certainly could not purchase a decent set of fiddle strings for that. (Mom always told me life wasn't fair!)

As far as bridge curvature goes, there is a "proper" curvature that is taught in violin making school and also listed in violin repair books. They even sell templates to help create this ideal curvature. The height of the bridge is also an exact science, though I like mine lower so that the strings are closer to the fingerboard. The height of the bridge will be in direct proportion to the neck angle of the instrument and thickness of the fingerboard. (Of course, there are "ideal" heights for all of these, too!)

Many instruments will not fit these exact measurements, but that does not mean that they are not decent instruments. In fact, they can sound mighty good! Setup can also be a personal preference, but that is usually more for non-classical players. If you have taken your instrument to a nice violin shop and had someone "shoot it down" so-to-speak, don't worry. As long as you are not preparing for your solo debut with the orchestra, your instrument will probably do just fine!