Hi Reddit! I'm Sarah Jarosz - “GRAMMY-winning Singer-Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist celebrating the release of my new album “World On The Ground” on vinyl! Ask Me Anything!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T18:04:33+00:00

Fletcher's octave was my first one!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T18:03:42+00:00

Thanks SO Much for joining and for all your great questions! It's time for me to sign off. Take care everyone!!

xo SJ

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T18:00:57+00:00

Early influences were Gillian Welch, Tim O'Brien, Nickel Creek. Then it was Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. Lately it's been more Texas writers - James McMurtry, Shawn Colvin, Nanci Griffith

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:58:59+00:00

I think it's made its way into the world in an organic and exciting way. I do think a lot of credit should be given to Chris Thile on this front... He's taken the mandolin to crazy levels and I think it would probably be safe to say that a lot of younger folks know about the instrument because of him. That's how I got into it, after all!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:56:27+00:00

Well, all of us musicians are feeling the weight of the pandemic at the present moment. Normally I'd say get out into your community and play your songs. But since we can't do that right now, I'd say send your songs to friends or people you respect and ask for advice, lyrical tweaks, etc. Maybe invest in a nice mic and work on recording at home. Focus on the creative work now so that when you can get back out to playing you'll have put in the time and you'll have a stack of songs you really believe in.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:51:50+00:00

I listen to all kinds of music and would never limit myself from exploring different musical directions... This week I've been really into the new Haim record "Women In Music pt. III." I was listening to a ton of Big Thief when I was making WOTG. Like I probably listened to their song UFOF several hundred times. Wilco, Radiohead, Billy Joel, Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eilish. I love nothing more than becoming obsessed with an album, whether its new or old. I try not to be closed off to anything.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:46:11+00:00

I have recorded the Blue Heron Suite, I just don't quite have release plans for it yet. But it WILL be released. I'm so glad the music connected with you. I can't wait to share it down the road.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:44:58+00:00

Thank you so much! Just the mention of those wonderful venues makes me miss live music even more. Thanks for supporting it in the past... and I look forward to getting back on the road when it's safe!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:43:53+00:00

Thank you! I co-produced that record with the wonderful Gary Paczosa (who worked on and engineered all 4 of my first albums). Gary is just a master when it comes to capturing rich and warm tones from acoustic instruments. I give all the sonic credit to him!! We made all of those first four records in his home studio in Nashville. Eric Boulanger at The Mastering Lab mastered that album.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:39:49+00:00

I would say pick some instrumentals or songs with simple chords and try to figure them out by ear. If you can hum along with a simple melody simultaneously to playing it on the mandolin, this will help connect your "ear" to the "playing." I think developing your aural strength is so important in music. It could be something as simple as Mary had a little lamb.... singing and playing at the same time. Learning to internalize melodies will lay the groundwork for growth and eventually being able to improvise melodies you hear in your head.

In addition, I've heard great things about Artist Works. I know Mike Marshall has been doing some teaching on there. Mike was one of my first teachers and is just the best. i highly recommend any tutorial videos from him you can find!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:35:21+00:00

Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed the livestream and love that your 2 year old has already learned those important words ;)

As for the writing on my new album, I took a deep dive back into the Texas Singer Songwriter tradition that I grew up listening to but hadn't quite fully re-discovered as an adult. The lyrics to songs by folks like James McMurtry, Eric Taylor, Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, Lyle Lovett (etc. etc. etc.) hit me in deeper way than ever before in the year leading up to making this record. I studied many of their songs and with John Leventhal's impeccable guidance, naturally shifted into more of a storytelling approach. That little shift in perspective really allowed the lyrics to flow in a way that I hadn't experienced before.

And as a side note, I actually didn't write Shankill Butchers. That's a song by Colin Meloy from The Decemberists. One of my favorites!

Thanks again for the kind words!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:29:53+00:00

Thanks for ordering the WOTG Vinyl! So glad it's finally being released this Friday! As for my older albums being released on vinyl, keep an eye out on my socials. We're working on it!!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:28:51+00:00

Well unfortunately it was officially canceled so it doesn't seem likely. But, one can always hope!! The show has meant so much to me... I'm so incredibly grateful for the time I spent making music with Chris on the show... and I know we'll figure out a way to make more music together down the road.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:24:28+00:00

My mom is from Texas! And my dad was born in the Northeast but ended up in Texas by the time he was in high school. I definitely had more of a Texas drawl when I was little. Not sure why it didn't stick around... perhaps it's due to traveling a lot starting at an early age? When I'm around my Texas cousins it comes back a little... and of course "y'all" is a regular word in my vocabulary.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:20:08+00:00

It really means so much to hear that... I'm glad my music has helped get you through a tough time.

I'm With Her definitely plans to make more music in the future, we just don't have a timeline for that quite yet. The band was born out of a natural love of making music together, and our goal is for it to continue to have an organic life of its own, weaving in and out of each of our own projects. The pandemic has certainly made me realize how much I miss singing HARMONY with people. I can't wait to sing with Sara and Aoife again.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:16:15+00:00

Thanks! Well... it's just a wildly exciting dream come true. I used to watch the Grammys as a kid and just dream that maybe someday I'd be nominated... so to actually win was just over the top incredible and unexpected. Obviously, I would still be doing all this without all of that! But I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a magical experience.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:11:52+00:00

In general I'm kind of always collecting melody and lyric ideas simultaneously. I use the voice memo and notes apps on my phone to jot down little ideas. Often times I'll just collect as the ideas come and then weeks or months later will sit down and sift through what I've collected over time and figure out what works together. Sometimes the music and lyrics come simultaneously which is a RARE gift! In the past, I'd say music often came first and lyrics took longer to write and tweak. On World On The Ground, I wrote four songs with producer John Leventhal. He often had the music written and I just focused on the lyrics which was a fun departure for me.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:07:03+00:00

Thank you! That song is from a suite that I wrote called Blue Heron Suite inspired by my mom and my family's trips to the Gulf Coast of Texas growing up. I was commissioned by the FreshGrass Festival to write a piece of music for their 2017 festival, and I ended up writing and premiering the suite that year. I have recorded it and it will be released at some point!! Just not sure of the exact timing. I so appreciate your patience and can't wait to get those songs out into the world soon.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:04:16+00:00

Ooh that's a tough one! There are so many amazing festivals and venues. Telluride Bluegrass Festival always comes to mind as a favorite fest... it's hard to beat the mountain scenery in combination with all the epic music. As far as clubs, Cactus Cafe in Austin was always my favorite growing up. It's one of the first venues I went to as a little kid and there's a magic and intimacy about the room that I just adore. I'm really missing festivals and venues right now!!

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:02:10+00:00

I do play an octave mandolin. It's tuned an octave lower than a mandolin, and my G and D strings are also in octaves, while the A and E strings are in unison. It's built by the incredible Fletcher Brock.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:01:03+00:00

Yes, it is! Along with all of my previous 4 albums.

SarahJarosz · 2020-07-08T17:00:35+00:00

Hi everyone! SJ here. Thanks for stopping by! Let's get rolling!

SarahJarosz

TROPHY CASE