Bluegrass for Beginners

Hi people out in uke world!
I have have a question: I love bluegrass music, but most of the strumming techniques I find are really complicated, and i'm a pretty mediocre player Any ideas?
Thanks!
Emily

Do you have the Bluegrass Uke book? http://www.amazon.com/Bluegrass-Ukulele-Jumpin-Jims-Songbook/dp/1423493168
Then there is this
[video]http://ukuleleunderground.com/2010/08/uke-minutes-97-simple-bluegrass-strumming-for-the-ukulele/[/video]
and then- everything Ken Middleton does

I like Bluegrass quite a bit too....
Learn the Stanley's Angel Band first- top tune and easy to play for when you get frustrated...

emily95 said:

Hi people out in uke world!
I have have a question: I love bluegrass music, but most of the strumming techniques I find are really complicated, and i'm a pretty mediocre player Any ideas?
Thanks!
Emily

Click to expand...

Emily

Bluegrass strumming doesn't have to be that difficult. You can actually use pretty much any strum you want as long as it fits in with what the person playing the tune is doing.

All of the videos and arrangements I have done are bluegrass picking, not strumming though. If can already play the uke and read simple tabs, some of my free arrangements form my website should be easy enough to learn.

Ken Middleton said:

Emily

Bluegrass strumming doesn't have to be that difficult. You can actually use pretty much any strum you want as long as it fits in with what the person playing the tune is doing.

All of the videos and arrangements I have done are bluegrass picking, not strumming though. If can already play the uke and read simple tabs, some of my free arrangements form my website should be easy enough to learn.

Click to expand...

Which of your tabs free or from your books would you recommend to the beginner? OK, maybe not a beginner, but which are easiest to start with?

iDavid said:

Which of your tabs free or from your books would you recommend to the beginner? OK, maybe not a beginner, but which are easiest to start with?

Click to expand...

Maybe try these

Old Joe Clark
Soldiers' Joy
Grandfather's Clock
Bluegrass Fills and Endings

emily95 said:

Hi people out in uke world!
I have have a question: I love bluegrass music, but most of the strumming techniques I find are really complicated, and i'm a pretty mediocre player Any ideas?
Thanks!
Emily

Click to expand...

i play with a bluegrass band . i use mostly a down up strum with adding some chunking.

Yeah, Ken Middleton is a great source for this. A lot of the blue grass patterns can get broken down into finger picking pattern and strums (and combos of those), then speed the whole thing up double time!!! I get cramps in my right forearm at high speeds with some of that breakneck stuff. At first the patterns seem tough, but before you know it, you're switching back and forth with ease. Ken is a great improvisor, too. His vids are very inspiring. Start slow and master one bit at a time until you don't have to think about anymore. Try all kinds of keys on the same tunes, too. You find all kinds of things in there that never occur to you. Later stuff just pops out and you find yourself pushing it more and more. But that stuff takes a lot of time for me. Sure fits the uke, though. Keep it up!

Ken Middleton said:

Maybe try these

Old Joe Clark
Soldiers' Joy
Grandfather's Clock
Bluegrass Fills and Endings

Click to expand...

many thanks!

Thank you so much guys! I think those suggestions will really help!