We're re-issuing one of Chris's most popular lessons with new sheet music, re-mastered video and updated loop points. From Chris:
The second solo in Gold Rush employs a classic Tony Rice up-the-neck position. We'll learn a slick way to transition from open position to the 7th fret using an open string as a "pivot point." We'll also learn a few more classic open-position Tony Rice-isms.
Chris
Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Bluegrass
Print Chords & Tab
Loop 0:58 Breakdown of Soloing Up the Neck
Loop 5:52 A Section Solo (First Part)
Loop 6:14 Solo Breakdown
Loop 14:44 Closing Thoughts
Comments
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Thanks for the great commentary, Chris! "There's an extra G and a D that you're leaving out" -- that totally decoded the timing of the up-the-neck lick for me. (Or so I think, you tell me. ;-)
I cranked the speed down here to a leisurely 70bpm. I felt like I needed to take it real slow if I was going to get through a complete take. I'm playing along to a backing track I got online (flatpickapprentice.blogspot.com) rather than the metronome -- less pressure that way. The backing track's in A, hence the capo.
I recorded the two sections that you flagged (that hammer-on exercise was also really helpful, thank you), then I played a verse I'm working out from a Kenny Baker version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF8vtEMpdok), and finally the A and B section from weeks 1 & 2.
I apologize in advance for the sharp D string. Ouch.
Sounds great Dan! I loved hearing the Kenny Baker verse too! It can be so cool to bring notes and phrasing from other instruments back to the guitar. And you're really pulling a nice sound. Well done.
The next thing I would work on is finding a nice consistent flow in your right hand between up and downstrokes. I'd be curious if you shifted the guitar just a tiny bit to your left relative to your whole body - like maybe an inch - which might allow the angle of your right forearm to be a tiny bit more horizontal. Usually with a forearm orientation that is *slightly* more horizontal than vertical, up and down strokes flow more naturally. To be clear, you're actually making a lovely, musical sound, but this would be the next place I would look for improvement.
Cheers!
Chris
That was great Dan!
Thanks, Robert!
Hi Chris,
Ok, first video post; first time video-recording myself, actually, and I'm stunned by how hard it was. In the end I gave up on getting all the way through it in one pass, so the three verses are separate clips back to back. Verse 3 got pretty sloppy as it went on, but I left it in.
I see I've got to work on relaxing. Part of it is finding a comfortable position -- standing, sitting, I just carry a lot of tension. Also, I've (unintentionally) started planting where I used to use more of a floating fist, and I can hear my fingers tapping the soundboard. I think I started doing this as part of learning rest strokes ("You Don't Know My Mind").
I'll be really interested to hear your comments. Gold Rush is a great tune and I've loved the progression of difficulty from lesson to lesson. And getting a window into Tony Rice harmony is just fantastic (especially this week!).
Yeah, Denny, I had wanted to do a video of me playing this and make it my first post on SJ, but this is SO sad. Fretboard Journal has a link in their Tony obit to video from the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival in 1986. At 3:25 he launches into a cookin' Gold Rush very much like what Chris is showing us (and then some):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMm38GGxZmk
Dan, thanks for that link - that's an excellent piece on Tony, and as for the Gold Rush clip - "and then some" is right.
If you'd care to, email me at symbolic418@gmail.com. I'd like to compare notes with you on your approach to this song.
As I've been working on this Tony Rice arrangement, for some reason just yesterday I started thinking about how lousy it would feel not to have Tony in this world any longer. Little did I know that that was already the reality. Tony is the only celebrity whose death could make me feel the way I do today. I'm glad that there's not another.