Hey Chris, do you have any plans to teach any of Tony's more jazz influenced stuff? The Acoustics album, Mar West, Backwaters, etc. I find I have a very difficult time with the chords in those tunes. It's very difficult for me to hear what is being played. Do you have any tips for that? 

Thanks for the great lessons,

Caleb

Hey Caleb, 

I hadn't planned on teaching any of those things, although I certainly could. The nice thing about Tony Rice's guitar playing is that a lot of what goes on in the left hand (chord shapes, melodic phrases, etc) are modular. So if you learn a few of his chords in one "spacegrass" song, it will be much easier to figure them out in another. 

Are there any songs in particular that you are interested in learning?

Cheers,

Chris

p.s. Neon Tetra is the first piece of instrumental music that I remember absolutely flipping out over when I was a young boy. I was always partial to the version on Hot Dawg by David Grisman.

Thanks for the reply, Chris. No, don't alter your planning-- I'm sure you know what you'd like to cover. I was just curious. I've been really into those old albums lately. I'd be interested in any discussion or teaching of those old "spacegrass" tunes, but as I said don't change up your plans for that. I'm mainly interested in learning some of those chords and a good way to learn chordal progressions of that nature by ear. I find myself learning some of the tunes, but I get lost when I try to learn the chords. 

Great site you have here. Very happy to support it. I used to play in a bluegrass band out of Dothan, Alabama and we played some festivals with the Stringdusters back when you were with them and waiting on that first album to be released. You guys were always a lot of fun to talk to and put on some great shows. 

Thanks again for the reply!