Bradley Laird's Grass Talk Radio - Bluegrass

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 089 Quick Update - I recorded this short episode while walking around the barn gathering up and tying down anything which could blow into the next county. I give a very short review of a festival I went to last weekend and talk a bit about playing with drummers. I am releasing this show a day early because the last time a hurricane steamed through our county it was nearl...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 088 Give It A Rest - A bit of obsession is helpful at times but you don't want to become Captain Ahab chasing a mythical white whale! In this episode I talk about the importance of providing opportunities for your subconscious mind to process all those inputs you pour into your head when practicing. Taking time off, whether 10 minutes, a week, or a month, is important to...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 087 Why We Record - Here are 8 reasons to capture sound for the future. As examples you will hear Tiny Moore jamming backstage with Grisman, a limited release of The Tattooed Biker, Swedish bluegrass patriarch Bo Gustafsson playing a Gibson K-4 mandocello for the first time, a whacked out version of Old Joe Clark and other equally historic recordings. You should record....

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 086 Tuning Gizmos - Imagine choosing the shade of paint based upon the sound of the color. Absurd, right? So why are so many tuning their instruments visually? In this episode I explore the modern trend of tuning visually with various "tuning gizmos" and compare it to the "old time way". After all, is not part of playing bluegrass about preserving some of the old time wa...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 085 Behind The Curtain - Think of that scene from The Wizard of Oz when the wizard bellows into a microphone, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" Toto pulled back the curtain and Dorothy found out that the mighty and powerful wizard was a humbug! That's show biz! This episode explores how some of that goes on in all performance arts including bluegrass. I...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 084 Pro Habits - Here are 21 ways you can measure your degree of professionalism. We all want to be viewed as good at what we do. The bluegrass world, and the world at large, is populated by a wide spectrum of people. At one end of the scale are the "hacks" and at the other end the "pros". Have fun and enjoy the show. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 083 We Are All Selling - I've heard that around 9% of working adults are "in sales." In this episode I discuss my theory that we are all selling. The exchanges aren't always in the form of money. Accounts may be settled or tabulated in such commodities as appreciation, loyalty, assistance, encouragement, attention and the like. Some things, like learning to play music, a...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 082 Who You Are - Today I talk about the broad spectrum of people and their goals, hopes and dreams. Advice has to be tailored to each person since no two people are exactly alike. Which of these categories of musician fits you best? I also spend a few minutes rationalizing the numbers of listeners I have on the podcast and compare it to hosting a live theatre event. Not...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 081 Lemme See That Guitar - In this episode I tell you how I evaluate a student's guitar. From peghead all the way to the end pin, I discuss how to get the instrument in good playing condition. Have fun and thanks for listening. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at http://www.payhip.com/bradleylaird . For additional goodies...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 080 A Can of Worms - Today I reach my hand down into that ooey, gooey can of worms and discuss just what exactly is this thing called bluegrass. And then, as promised, I dive into a discussion of "fringe" bluegrass instruments. Have fun and enjoy the show. I had a good time making it. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at ht...

GrassTalkRadio.com Bonus Episode 02 Grilled Over Improv - This episode is for any player who wants to improvise. It recounts an email exchange I had with a student over a decade ago. I hope you enjoy it and learn something in the process. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at http://www.payhip.com/bradleylaird . For additional goodies, be sure to scop...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 079 Mics: Friend or Foe? - Microphones are not very intelligent. They simply react to their surrounding sonic environment. In this episode I touch on the "one mic" setup for live performances and then go into depth about the art and science of performing in noisy clubs, bars, and joints. Have fun and enjoy the show. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing b...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 078 Get a Clue - As a service to the newbie, I am going to just say the things which people actually think. I hope I do not make enemies of everyone I have ever picked with. That is not my intention. It's just that folks are usually too nice to really clue you in. Strap in and hang on. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at h...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 077 The Thinker - In this episode I ramble on about the rise of tablet devices, debate cause and effect versus chance, discuss two general categories of bluegrass players, and describe narrowly missing being pulverized by a thousand pounds of green pecan timber. If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at http://www.payhip.com/bra...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 076 Be Prepared - In this episode I talk about how to be prepared for whatever may come your way when you are jamming or gigging. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Right? If you enjoy the show you can support what I am doing by visiting my online store at http://www.payhip.com/bradleylaird . For additional goodies, be sure to scope out th...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 075 Podcast Shout Out - I am a podcast addict. In this episode I roll through a list of other podcasts that I listen to that I think you will enjoy. Check 'em out, support them, and this wonderful world of "personalized radio" will continue. For a list of links to the podcasts I mentioned in this show just go to the show notes page for this episode. (Link below.) If you...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 074 Feedback Loop - In the world of music performing, feedback is the devil. But in the world of learning to play, feedback is vitally important. In this episode I discuss the varieties of feedback you will encounter and which you can rely upon and which you might be better to ignore. I also talk a bit about the qualities one should look for when seeking someone to build...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 073 The Great Wheel - In this episode I lead you through a thought experiment to help you better understand time and the operation of the "bluegrass machine". I preface this with a revelation of the process I go through to create each episode and then go deep into the complex gear train of a fully functioning band.  I then present my Great Wheel Theory. Enjoy! If you enj...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 072 Lemme See That Mandolin - This episode is another installment in my series talking about what I check for when examining a student's instrument. In addition to talk about mandolins I also tell some stories and discuss proper protocol when handling someone else's instrument. You also learn Bill Monroe's particularly pithy protocol. Enjoy! If you enjoy the show you can...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 071 Nature - This morning, with no real plan, I was reminded of the importance of our connection with Nature. To quote Butch Robins (speaking about Bill Monroe and his creative process), "If something happened in his conscious surroundings, such as a bird flying by or a dog barking, he would make sounds within the music flowing from him that reflected the action he had j...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 070 Bluegrass on Vinyl - In this episode explain why I love vinyl records, big home stereo systems, and album covers. Then I race through a tour of 400 pounds of bluegrass records which have influenced, entertained, mystified and inspired me. I also try to make you feel guilty (just a little) when you listen to records on YouTube instead of showing up at a performance an...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 069 Pickers Paradise - This past weekend I practiced what I preach. My wife and son were off on a year-end 5th grade school field trip and I did what any devout bluegrasser would do. I loaded up and took off to a weekend bluegrass festival. In this episode I recount my experience, talk a bit about some of the bands I saw and heard, and describe the poor man's teardrop ca...

GrassTalkRadio.com Episode 068 Lemme See That Bass - This is the second episode in a series describing the things I look at with a student when they first walk in the door dragging an instrument behind them. We need to make sure the beast is set-up so that it can be played without torture and we want it to sound good. In this episode I talk bass fiddle, shot bags, leather feet, the "every third do...

Lemme See That Banjo - As a teacher I have seen folks walk in the door with every kind and condition of instrument. Usually there are half a dozen simple things which need to be corrected to get the instrument in a reliable, playable condition. In this episode I walk you through the process with a banjo. This episode also includes a short technical update regarding the Mandolin Treasure Chest. A l...

An Insomnia Cure - In this episode I suggest some exploration of keyboard instruments as a learning and understanding tool with music theory. Things which are so scrambled up on banjos, mandolins and guitars are laid out so beautifully and logically on a piano keyboard. My wife has often joked that I should market my podcast as a cure for insomnia. I think she may be on to something! I kid you not...