A thread on playing bluegrass rhythm...now we're gettin' someplace! After many years of flailing a guitar in bluegrass bands, I have found that it is very important to "block" the instrumental backups as the old-timers always did: one instrument backs up the singing, and the others stick to the rhythm, all but guitar and bass chopping the off-beat. Too many times I see two instruments trying to noodle at once, and the rhythm loses its "pop". Bluegrass started out as dance music, and if it's played right, it still makes you want to get up and move.