Bluegrass Music

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that bluegrass songs are played with each melody instrument switching off playing the melody each time through, while the others revert to backing; in contrast to old-time music, in which all instruments play the melody together at the same time rather than solo. The author points out that, since the people lived in rural areas, the songs were written about life on the farm or in the hills; this type of music was known as "mountain music" or "country music". The paper relates that the rigid characteristic of the bluegrass genre is usually limited to the traditional, five, acoustic, rather than electric, instruments: banjo (5-string); guitar (flat-top); fiddle; mandolin; and bass.

From the Paper:

"Bill Monroe learned much about melody and timing from his uncle, and from the singing school classes he attended at church each summer. A middle-aged black man named Arnold Schultz who worked for a local coal company in Bill's neighborhood also helped his musical education. In Schultz's country blues, Bill found a new way to approach music - to allow his emotions to influence his playing and singing. Schultz impressed Bill with stories of music contests he had won throughout Kentucky, and one Saturday night when he was hired to play fiddle for a dance, he took Bill along to play guitar behind him. They were still going strong at dawn."

More papers on Bluegrass Music:

• Term Paper # 124886 : "Old Time Bluegrass Music"
• Comparison Essay # 121345 : "Jazz and Bluegrass"
• Essay # 102305 : "Women Of Country Music"

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