DSX Bluegrass Vocab in C

Playing Technique
#1

Hi All,

Not sure if this is the right category, but didn’t know where else to put it. I am practicing a dsx bluegrass motion so i came up with the following vocab in C that I thought some of you might find useful.

When you’re first getting the hang of playing fast, you can just play one phrase at a time, and playe a bar of alternating bass rhythm in between each phrase. Then you can try to string 2 of them together. Then even 4. Now, I’m not saying that any bluegrass solo would actually be just a compilation of “licks” like this… bluegrass is about melody… these are more like ending licks to a solo or something like that… but in terms of a tool to practice your dsx technique and learn how to play fast? This has been a godsend for me so far. See below:

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#2

It sounds like you have a good handle on how to write phrases for DSX and yes, this pattern is a total grass cliche that many players have used as a base in C. I was going to paste this into the other thread, but this is the Sutton take on Billy in the Low Ground I was referring to. The ascending bit of it is your lick pretty much exactly:

If you keep transcribing this, you’ll see that there are only very few upstroke string changes in here where he does his subtle forearm helper motion thing. But you can mod them away to be all DSX if you like.

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#3

yea, that’s almost exactly it. he just goes “1-0-1-3-1” on the high E instead of “1-3-1”… essentially a way to kill some time so that the measure ends while he’s still on the G string and can make a nice chromatic pass into the 3rd of the F chord. i lose the DSX once the chord changes to F, but could definitely write my own version that’s similar enough while using DSX. I’m sure there’s even a way to transcribe note for note while keeping DSX, but that probably means moving out of first position, so i will lean toward rearranging the lick a little to stay using the open strings.

Have you ever approached Bryan for an interview? I live for the day that i see him pop up on here.

#4

You might also want to check out this video of bryan showing his technique (and explanataion)

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#5

Thanks for that! I am learning some flatpicking vocabulary (mainly because I heard a lot of is DSX picking and that’s my motion), so this fits right in. As a songwriter, I’m more keen of runs and fills and riffs than shredding (though I play an electric, not an acoustic, and whatever I learn is going to come out in the gumbo of rock, blues, country, soul, and R&B that I grew up hearing.) Thanks, and good luck to you on your journey!
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