Hot Licks For Bluegrass Fiddle

Book excerpt: This book will give the bluegrass fiddler an idea of the wide range of licks that are part of the repertoire. The licks included range from hardcore traditional to jazzy, urban progressive. Laid bare are those sizzling, audience-grabbing riffs that all fiddlers find irresistible. You will find this wealth of material arranged in sections that cover single-string licks, double stops, connecting klicks, kickoffs and tags, licks in upper positions, and even an entire chapter devoted to “Orange Blossom Special.” There are chapters here to interest the advanced player, and valuable introductory chapters on music theory and technique for the novice bluegrasser. To help put the licks in perspective, many are set into typical bluegrass songs and chord progressions. In addition, readers will find frequent reference to the outstanding players of today, such as Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Kenny Baker, Bobby Hicks, and Kenny Kosek, as well as past masters like Scotty Stoneman and Benny Martin. The soundsheet, which features Mary Laster, includes many of the licks in the book, and demonstrates the finer points of nuance and execution. It is also a helpful supplement to the standard notation in the book.