I'm at my first ever live bluegrass concert with a friend.

[bloke]

They should use this stuff to teach entry level ear training for people that just don't have a clue. This would build confidence, and such students could move on from here.

[humBell]

For clarity's sake, does that mean all the other bluegrass concerts you went to by yourself?

Likewise i've had less experience in the bluegrass than i'd like. Someday maybe i'll fix that.

I had a long stretch of overlapping banjo pickin' friends high school past college, who'd occasionally rope me into tryin' my hand at a bass line.

Good stuff.

I do kinda assume all music has something to learn from, but that seems like an underlyin' philosophy more than any advice i can offer.

[bloke]

People who just seem to zero out at ear training can be taught at base level with bluegrass music with the task of figuring out which of the three keys (ie. pretty easy multiple choice question) a tune is in, and then (again: multiple choice) identify chords with the root of one, four, or five. Once they can do this, add Foggy Mountain Special, so they can be taught to identify chords with the root of six.

[Charlie C Chowder]

This is what I do with the "Banjoliers". They are into the Traditional Jazz music. The banjo players like the Keys of C, F, Bb, or G.
I get to make up the bass line to fit the song. One Melody for songs use the same cord progression for a lot of pieces. I just change when and how I play the note in the cords.

Have a string bass, but have not found any blue grass. All of mine is green or brown and full of dandelions.


CCC

[prodigal]

This sounds like a great performing application of ear training, plus you'd probably get more gigs than playing Wagner.

I'd rather play tuba than mandolin, though!

[Flong7]

I completely agree. My first bluegrass show was the first time I could truly pick out the bass line from the melody. It's a game-changer for understanding how music fits together.