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Bluegrass with a viola
Can it be and should its be done?
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Ripton
Vermont, Massachusetts or somewhere in between
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January 9, 2022 - 5:12 pm
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Just wondering if its reasonable to tackle bluegrass with the viola or should I go back to the violin? Any good learning tools? Different scales, sliding notes....

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JohnG
Greater Chicagoland
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January 9, 2022 - 5:21 pm
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To quote their description, "Part of the winning showcase entry for a spot at the 2013 Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon. ... Kieran Poile on violin, Ben Barrett-Forrest on viola, Katie Tait on vocals, Graeme Poile on Guitar".

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
Greater Chicagoland
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January 9, 2022 - 5:23 pm
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So, my answer is YES, viola for everything! (Though I might be a bit prejudiced!)

The old curmudgeon!

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ELCBK
USA
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January 9, 2022 - 7:01 pm
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@Ripton -

Of course you can! 

 

 

There are MANY Bluegrass Fiddlers that use a 5-string Fiddle - obviously some Viola envy going on! 🤣😎 

You might be interested in this video of Bluegrass Licks.  Even though it's fiddle, NO E string involved - so you can slow this down, watch & play these licks on the Viola, exactly the same way. 

 

 

OR, maybe just start with a little Bluegrass play-along exercise on the G, D & A string - with Christian Howes.

 

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
January 11, 2022 - 3:56 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16267

Definitely yes on the viola. Violin bluegrass is obviously more popular but that doesn't mean anything. Just about anything you can do with a violin can be done on a Viola.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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JohnG
Greater Chicagoland
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January 11, 2022 - 5:44 pm
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Fiddlerman said
... Just about anything you can do with a violin can be done on a Viola.

  

And in my biased opinion, better! lol

The old curmudgeon!

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
January 20, 2022 - 3:23 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16267

ROFL..... OK John!

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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