Sam and Dawg: Crusher and Hoss Tab
Bush and Grisman: Hold On We're Strummin'
Around 5 years ago Sam Bush and David Grisman released a highly anticipated double mandolin album on Acoustic Disc entitled Hold On, We’re Strummin. By all accounts a brilliant album by two established masters of the instrument. Essential listening for the mandophile and if you don’t have it, buy it at the link I provided.
A former mandolin student asked if I would transcribe the tune Crusher and Hoss from said album. It’s a very fast paced traditional bluegrass tune with harmonized mandolins which very much captures the writing sensibilities of each mandolinist (especially Dawg in the opening tag).
I have tabbed out the first minute of the tune which is the entirety of the head. It ends where the solos come in over the A part.
Things to remember:
1) This is a twin mandolin piece that I’ve written for one mandolin. It is not exclusively Dawg’s or Sam’s part. I have used double stops to capture the twin mandolin feel, as well as choose the harmony line as the melody line where I thought that was the most distinguishable line in the tune.
2) I am not a professional transcriptionist. The tab is meant to be a guide or aide to critical listening. First listen to the tune, see what you can pick out, and use my tab to fill in blanks.
3) Listen to the tune over and over! Listen for nuance. Tab nor written sheet music can adequately explain pick attack or the lilt that Sam has in his right hand.
4) Lastly, in the B part, Sam takes the first half and Dawg the second. I’ve written this out as one connected solo. It can be a finger twister going from Sam’s fiddle phrasing to Dawg’s syncopated bop.
Enjoy!
Both of these are permanently on The Transcribable page
Crusher and Hoss PDF Crusher and Hoss TEF
