I happened to re-listen to the classic “Flatt & Scruggs at Carnegie Hall” recently. It had been a few years, I’m ashamed to say, but it did mean I got to rediscover it. What struck me immediately is how sparse the sound is. My ears have grown accustomed to a denser “wall of sound” from bluegrass bands, even those who are considered traditional.
Other albums that achieve that sparse sound include Grisman’s “Bluegrass Reunion” and Joe Val’s stuff. Both of these are modern enough that we can’t chalk up Flatt & Scruggs sound to being due to older recording methods.
It seems to me, very few of the bluegrass bands I see playing are able to recreate that feel. High Country does it, and I have no doubt they work very hard at it. I’m not sure every bluegrass bands wants to feature that classic sound.
Bluegrass is a particular type of music, and we’re all banging away at it. As we get more proficient, we want to try and achieve the tones we’re hearing from the masters of thismusic, on our wooden instruments. Some of the tone comes from the talent and technique of the players, of course, but we can purchase fine instruments to give us a leg up on that pursuit.
Then, beyond the tone, there’s the feel to the ensemble sound, and there is a lot of flexibility to that approach. It seems to me that modern music has taken advantage of better recording and sound support technologies to bring the rhythm guitar up in the mix quite a bit. Lester Flatt’s guitar on the Carnegie Hall recording is VERY understated. The polar opposite of that is Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, with big booming twin guitars.
I guess bands have to decide on more than songs, harmonies and arrangements. They have decide on their overall sound, as an ensemble. I’m a personality type that prefers to let those things sort themselves out. The personnel of a band, their talent level, and song selection will impart a certain sound, all by itself, and if no one is overplaying egregiously, I’m OK with letting the chips fall where they may, so long as it sounds good.
Other bands will have a specific goal in mind, when it comes the sound of the band, and whoever’s in charge of that band will need to select the players, songs and arrangements that will help make that happen, AND guide every step of the construction of that sound.
I think Flatt & Scruggs’ sound grew right out of bluegrass music’s roots, as a front porch pickin’ music. The times I hear that sound (if not the virtuosity) most often is hearing folks pickin’ in small groups around campsites at festivals and campouts, and yes, on front porches. Which leads me to an inevitable epiphany: Give yourselves a hand, folks. It’s YOU, more than the experts and stars, that keep bluegrass music alive – Lester and Earl would be proud of you!
