Lesson #143, Sally Goodin' XII

Lesson #142, Sally Goodin' XI

Lesson #141, Sally Goodin' X

Lesson #140, Sally Goodin' IX

Hi All,

Here's a variation that I used for the last section of the upper break. It sort of has a reno/stanley sound to my ears. And with that variation, we are going to end the section on the upper neck portion of Sally Goodin.

In the proceeding videos, we will take a look into playing this tune down the neck.

Up she goes, Down she goes.....

David

Lesson #139, Sally Goodin' VIII

Hey Moosers,

This section is more advanced than intermediate. Please don't ever get discouraged if you can't seem to play things right away. Things will all come together in due time, no pun intended. I make mistakes all the time, and I've been playing for many years. Sometimes playing with rough edges is what makes music real..........its the real deal folks.......no spit and polish , or no cover up studio work. Sort of like life itself ain't it.

Keep it Real!

David

Lesson #138, Sally Goodin' VII

Hi All,

I would like to make mention again of the two finger position we are incorporating into this version. It is showing up a lot, and you can readily see it within the fourth position D chord in this video.

Also mentioned in this video is picking up ideas from other instruments. This version came out of what I heard in my head.....of what a fiddler maybe doing, as opposed to the traditional Scruggs type approach to this tune. Listen to everything.........and use what you like. Its all good.

Continuing on with the scale work in this section of the tune...............remember the first five notes of the G major scale we used? now lets add some lead in notes to that fragment......what are those notes? they are the 5th, 6th, and 7th notes of the G major scale!, leading to the G, or first note of the G major scale on the open 5th string. Pretty cool huh.........we split the scale pretty much in half, only this time we started with the 5th degree of the scale and worked it up from there. Again, experimentation is the key. Play around with different ideas, and the things you come up with will be your own.

Rock On,

David

Lesson #137, Sally Goodin' VI

Howdy Mooses,

In this video, we are going to use some scale work intertwined with the scruggs. Since this tune is mostly played in G..........lets use the G major scale. Actually we are using only a fragment of the G major scale, those being the first five notes.

As I've said before, there are many different ways to finger any particular scale on the five string. In this version, the G scale fragment can be thought of as a Keith/ Thompson approach.

Also in this video, we are using our thumb to fret the fifth string. This will take a little getting used to ( It did for me anyways, when I first started doing it). Your fretting hand will stretch out after awhile, so keep at it............but never over do it! If your fretting hand starts to fatigue, give yourself a good break.

Coffee anyone?

David

Lesson #136, Sally Goodin' V

Hi Everyone,

Lets take a look at the 2-4 slide using the alternating thumb roll. In one section of this version, I simply took that lick/roll, and moved it up the neck for a 7-9 slide, using the same roll. Once you learn a lick, try moving it around on the neck and listen to the different sounds you can achieve using the same roll patterns. You maybe surprised at what you can come up with.

Also in this video, I used a classic Scruggs' type lick. You will hear this lick a lot in many a bluegrass banjo playing.

Have fun,

David

Lesson #135, Sally Goodin' IV

Hi Mooses,

I made a verbal mistake in this video........the two finger position is on the "ninth and tenth frets respectively". I made a mistake and called it on the eighth and ninth.

You will notice a lot of chokes within this version. It will definitely be challenging in a few places within. Be aware of, as in this video, how in one spot we are "holding" the choke............through one roll, before we release it again on a following roll.

Keep it going.....

David

Lesson #134, Sally Goodin' III

Hi Everybody,

Take a good look at the two finger position in this video ( your index and middle fingers of your left hand). This position will be used a lot in the upper portion of this tune. As you look over this position throughout the tune, try to be aware of closed position chords it may be coming from, and also, try to be aware of any scales it may be used in.

Remember that there are only two chords throughout this whole tune, those chords in the key of G............ are G and D. If you look at the tablature, you can see where the chord changes occur. After you have a grip on this tune, try to listen for the chord changes as well. If you happen to have a guitar to accompany you, that will make it easier as well to hear the changes.

Sally On,

David

Lesson #133, Sally Goodin' II

Hey all,

In the introduction, you can see that I used a metronome. A metronome is a time keeper, it is a perfect time keeper, it doesn't lie. You can set your metronome to very slow speeds when you are starting out. You can also perceive the sound however you feel comfortable. If you want to think about that sound as being the sound of a bass (thats what I do), you can think about it that way if you wish.

I also spoke about using the capo and "transposing" in this video. Transposing means to play a piece of music in a different key that what it was written in. Using a capo is one of the easiest ways to transpose in alot of cases in Bluegrass. Lets take a look at the key of G.

The banjo is tuned to G, and that open G is associated with the third string position (barre position). Some very popular keys in Bluegrass are the keys of G, A, Bb, and B. To quickly transpose to these keys we can simple put a capo on any of the desired related frets and away we go. Remember to raise the fifth string as well whenever you use a capo. I would also like to say that we can transpose into any of the twelve keys, but the fingering will begin to change as we get into the first and second string positions.

Keep it going,

David

Lesson #132, Sally Goodin' I

Hi Everyone,

First off , let me say that even though this tune, Sally Goodin, is in the intermediate lessons, it may be considered advanced as I look through it now. I would also like to mention that we had a little technical difficulty when we taped this series, that being that there will be no camera shot of the right picking hand throughout. The good news is that we have fixed the problem for future lessons. The tab will have to be your source for some of the right hand rolls, and you can always ask me in the forums and I will help you out as much as I can.

Hope you enjoy my arrangement of this tune, and I hope it makes you want to get up off your chairs and try your hand.........or foot I should say! at a little buck dancin.

David

Lesson #131, Darlin' Corey IX

Hi Everyone,

If you hear a phrase or lick you like in any song or tune you are working on, try different things with them. Try exploring other portions of the neck with the same fingering, or use different rolls around different licks to come up with interesting sounds that you like hearing in your own playing.

Improvise!

David

Lesson #130, Darlin' Corey VIII

Hi All,

Lets move up the neck for this next version. We are going to use basically the same moves as the first version, the only difference is that we are going to use the fourth/first string position now.

Remember, you can use any of the three basic positions to explore these concepts of the harmonized blues scale.

Work you way around the neck and try to come up with your own version or variations to Darlin Corey.

David

Lesson #129, Darlin' Corey VII

Hi Everyone,

You can use some basic rolls and licks within this version to use as backup as well. Take simple rolls, and play them right through the verses, or to compliment another instrumental break. Most of the time its the simplest rolls that sound best. One of them I used in this video is a simple alt.thumb roll.

Try this song at different tempos/speeds. Its good practice to try different speeds on different tunes and songs just for right hand practice alone.

David

Lesson #128, Darlin' Corey VI

Hi All,

There are only a few things I'd like to mention from this video. One of them being that in this first version, the two finger C chord position is being held almost all the way through this first section. Even at the 4th and 5th frets, its still that C chord second string position.

Also I'd like to mention that you can choke a string in any direction you wish, whether it be towards you or away from you. Try it both ways and use what works best for you.

I'd also like to mention that is good practice to try different rolls, or anything else that differs from the tab in any way that feels, and sounds most comfortable to you. This is the best way to get you own style underway.

Roll away,

David

Lesson #127, Darlin' Corey V

Hi Everyone,

We are using mostly a two finger second string position C chord throughout a lot of this first version down the neck. You can see as well by using the second harmonization of the C blues scale, is what this song starts on.

Even though this is a folk song, you can hear a little bit of that Rock and Roll in it......its all good!

David

Lesson #126, Darlin' Corey IV

Hi All,

In this video I play and sing the song Darlin Corey so you can hear how it goes.

I played three different versions, and tabbed them out as well for you. In the first version, you can see and hear that we are using portions of the C blues scale with a two finger harmonization that came from the previous lesson. I am using the second string position with a two finger C chord to start. Use this two finger chord all the way up the neck with the blues scale, and you can see why portions of this song use the harmonization we went over at the beginning of this series.

Rock On,

David

Lesson #125, Darlin' Corey III

Hi All,

In this video you can hear that we are tuning the fourth string down from the note of D, to the note C. By doing this we are creating what they call drop C tuning. In this video you can see that I use a very handy device, thats an electronic tuner....very useful to find perfect tuning on just about any instrument!

We will use this C tuning in Darlin Corey in the upcoming videos.

Tune er' up,

or should I say down.......

David

Lesson #124, Darlin' Corey II

Hi Everyone,

There are many ways to harmonize a scale, and in this lesson we are going to harmonize the blues scale using all major chords. By playing the fourth/first string position up and down the neck with the blues scale, we are getting a Rock and Roll sound, a powerful sound, and we will relate parts of this lesson to the song Darlin Corey in the next upcoming lessons.

You can also use this harmonization using any of the three basic positions, those being the fourth/first string position, the third string position, and the second string position. Just find the root note on whatever position you'd like to use, and away you go.

Rock On,

David

Lesson #123, Darlin' Corey I

Hi Everyone,

In the next few lessons, we are going to discuss C tuning and the song Darlin Corey. Before we actually get into the song though, I'd like to talk a little bit about the Blues scale. I want to relate the blues scale in this lesson to the minor pentatonic scale that we went over previously. The only difference between the minor pentatonic scale and the blues scale is that the blues scale has one more note.

We know that the minor pentatonic scale contains five notes. A blues scale contains six notes. To make a blues scale from the minor pentatonic scale we are just going to place a note between the 3rd and 4th degrees of the minor pentatonic scale.

When we play that note in between the 3rd and 4th degrees, we are creating a chromatic line, since that piece of the scale works its way up and down in half steps.

The scale pattern in this video is also moveable, you can move in up and down the fingerboard and name the blues scale by the note you start it on. Remember as well that you can play any scale however you want on the fingerboard, just find the notes, and see how many different ways you can create patterns.

Another pattern would be to play the scale on one string. Find a G blues scale on the fourth string alone, then in the next lesson, we will harmonize it, and relate it to the song Darlin Cory.

Keep it going Everyone,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XVII

Hi Everybody,

Lets finish up the series. I hope you all enjoyed this little mini-series on Take This Hammer and some of the back-up that can go along with it. We will continue to explore an infinite number of possibilities in our playing.....whether that be soloing or back-up. We will continue on a great musical journey.

In my ending comments in this video, I mentioned a few words about discouragement. Don't ever feel discouraged! even though sometimes things may not seem to be sounding right, or you may be having difficultly with some of the things you are trying to play. Everyone goes through it, its part of the process of learning. Sometimes I'll get a little frustrated with my playing....so I'll put the banjo down for a few days......pick it back up.......start to play and hear new things.

Keep it going Everybody,

Have fun,

Study well,

Rock On.

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XVI

Hi Everybody,

Lets continue to break it on down. There's not a lot more I say about this video other than whats in it. Keep it going everyone, Take your Time......Take it slow......and Take that Hammer in good stride.

Rock it,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XV

This lesson has been re-editted and a writeup will be coming shortly!

Rock on.

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XIV

Hi Everyone,

Lets continue to break this song down. Try to get your notes just as nice and clean as you can. Try to get your rolls just as nice and clean as you can. Try to get your timing and separation just as nice and clean as you can. Try to get your left hand techniques just as nice and clean as you can.

Strive to be Mr. or Mrs. Clean!

Rock On,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XIII.5

Hi Everyone,

You can hear in this video the transition from the song itself into the backup patterns discussed previously. You can transition into your backup in many different ways. This is only one possibility out of an infinite number of others. You don't even have to play a transition at all if you don't want too, sometimes silence works the best, especially if you are in a band situation with a full compliment of instruments.

In this video we are also going to take apart Take This Hammer. So I'll let you all get at it if you'd like. You can watch the video........read the Tablature......read the Sheet music......learn it the best way that suits you!

Rock On, and Roll Away

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XIII

Hi All,

Continuing on with this pattern with the fretted Fifth. We can use this pattern over the D chord(5 chord) as well. We can use this pattern on any chord or any chord progression we want. We can also connect the previous patterns with this pattern as well. We can mix'em up anyway we would like.

Although I will be teaching many more patterns and many other ways to play back-up on the five string, It would be good practice for you to combine these patterns in different ways on your own. Also you can to create your own patterns with the seventh chords, and always remember........If it sounds good........It is good!

Turn On your Back-up Beeper
and let her go

Rock On,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XII

Hi Everyone,

Continuing on with the back-up and the seventh chords. We can also use the seventh chord on the C or the Four chord. We can add the seventh in the 4 chord(C) to create a bluesy effect. The sound of the C7 doesn't really want to resolve to the ear, although it will go back to the 1 chord (G). Its really up to you, the player, to decide how you want to interpret the use of these seventh chords, whether it be in your back-up, or in your soloing.

In this video, I give you another pattern, only this time we are going to fret the fifth string with our thumb to get the 7b seventh within what ever chord we are working on. By using our thumb (sometimes I'll fret the fifth with my index) within this next roll pattern, we can get another cool sounding pattern, coming right from the Stylings of Scruggs.

Roll On

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions XI

Hi Everyone,

Lets play some seventh chords now within the picking patterns we went over. By adding the seventh chords in our backup, we are adding a little color to the canvas. We can play the whole backup using just the major chords, and it sounds good just using them, but adding different chords now and then keeps things interesting.

You can hear for yourself how the D7 sort of wants to naturally proceed to the G chord, or expressing ourselves using the Nashville number system......how the 5 chord wants to go to the 1 chord. Let me say this as well.....although 7th sounds "want" to resolve naturally to the ear towards another chord.....the 7th sounds don't "have" to resolve the way our ear may want it to. This is something we will discuss more in depth in advanced lessons, but I thought I would mention it here because of its relativity. You can sort of listen to what I mean by at one point in this video I go from a D7 to a Dmajor then resolve to G. In another ....D7 to Dmajor to D7 to G.

We can really apply these colors anyway we want, and its really up to the artist to decide when they would like to add these colors....if at all...and also its up to the artist to decide the "shade" of the color. Perhaps dull? perhaps bright? maybe inbetween? Freedom to do what we want creates the most beautiful and the most individual of paintings.

Rock On

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions X

Hi Everyone,

Lets go over another picking pattern. This pattern will contain all eight notes. You can look to the video and to the tablature as well to get this pattern under your fingers. Once you become familiar with this pattern, we can connect it to the other pattern we just went over. We you do connect the two patterns together, you will be playing through two measures. Remember....anytime we have a count of 4 within the time signature of 4/4, we will have gone through 1 measure.

We can also use both of the sliding transitions with both of these picking patterns. After you become familiar with the slides and with these patterns, eventually, you will be able to switch between these patterns at will, sliding up or down the neck in a very natural way. I hope you find these patterns and transitions useful....I know I sure do.....especially when I'm jamming on the Bluegrass. You can use these techniques with many many tunes and songs in Bluegrass. Blue Moon of Kentucky comes to mind immediately.

Rock On Everybody,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions IX

Hi Everybody,

We can use this picking pattern and its transitions with any 4th string position chord.
We can use any of the twelve 4th string position chords and transition any of them with this sequence of notes.

We can also slide into these 4th position chords by doing the slide on the count of 1. When sliding on the count of 1, we will have to do our sliding quite rapidly to get to the next chord with good timing. A little practice and it will fall into place.

The same holds true with this sliding transition as in the first way we did it. We can use this sliding action on the count of 1 to transition between all twelve of the 4th position chords.

Happy Sliding!

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions VIII

Hi Everybody,

Lets start to discuss a little bit about backup in these next videos. As you already know, if you went through the vamping series.....that was one way....a very important way to play basic backup through the use of the closed chords. What we are going to do now is, take those same chords and play picking patterns with them to create another way to backup up other musicians.

You can look to the tablature as well as the video to learn these picking patterns. I use these patterns a lot in traditional bluegrass. They come from the styling of Scruggs, who is brilliant in his compliment of the others. I can say as well that these patterns can be used in many songs and tunes in bluegrass, not just take this hammer.

There are many ways to transition this pattern from one chord to another. In the first example of this video, we are going to play a slide starting on the count of 4 within the pattern. As we pick the note on the count of 4, we slide the note all the way up to our next chord in the fourth string position. You can hear and see how this is taking place in the video. We can do our transitioning in any direction.. that being sliding up the neck, or sliding down the neck. It may take a little time to get these slides to come together with the pattern, but it will with a little practice.

Roll Away

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions VII

Hi Everyone,

As we move up and down the fingerboard with the seventh chord double stops and triads, we can associate their locations with the three basic chord positions. By this I mean that we are expanding on the three basic positions.......sort of like branches from the core of a tree.....these extensions are branches from the core of the three basic positions. You can look upon these extensions the best way you see them in your own visualizations of the fingerboard....as branching off any of the positions you see fit. I sometimes look at them as the nearest extensions to the nearest position.

The extensions of the double stops, triads and closed position chords are all moveable as well. We can move them up and down the fingerboard to cover all of the twelve notes.

I will be discussing many more things about chords in future lessons. We will keep expanding on things we have gone over previousl. We will continue to Rock and Roll on the Banjo!

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions VI

Hi Everyone,

Lets continue to work on the sound of the seventh chord up the fingerboard of the banjo. Again...all we are doing is finding the 3rd and flatted 7th degree of a major scale to form a seventh chord double stop. In this series, we are working on a G7 chord, but we can apply this formula to all of the twelve major scales to form all of the seventh chords.

What we are doing is finding the closest notes of the 3rd and 7b along the fingerboard. When we find one, we just move up to the next, and so on all the way up or down the fingerboard.

We can also make our triads (three note chords) along the fingerboard as well , adding the 1 or the 5. We can of course also add them all together to create our full or closed position 7th chords.

Rock On,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions V

Hi Everyone,

Lets look into the seventh chord even further, but first, let me say that a chord inversion is playing the notes of chords in different ways. By different ways I mean in different spots on the fingerboard. If we look at the twelve notes in music, and look at the banjos' fingerboard, we will see that we can hit any of the twelve notes at different locations on the fingerboard. This is important as we look at chord inversions and a deeper look at the seventh chord.

While using the four note seventh chord (1 3 5 7b) in the fourth, third and second string positions, we can get the sound of the four notes by playing patterns with the "three" fingers of our right hand. Although we are not using a pinch or vamp lets say....we can still get the full sound using patterns over the four note chords.

1 3 5 7b they are the degrees of the major scale that outline the seventh chord....we can also get the sound of the seventh chord using two notes from the four....those notes are the 3 and the 7b. We can find the 3rd and flatted 7th all along the fingerboard of the banjo to create two note chords ( double stops) to get the sound of the seventh chord without even using the 1 (root) or the 5.

Rock On

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions IV

Hi Everyone,

1-3-5 3-5-1 5-1-3
1-3-5-7b 3-7b-1-5 5-1-3-7b

The top numbers are our triads in fourth, second, and the third string positions.
The next set of numbers are our 4 note seventh chords associated with the triads.
We can play the combination of numbers anyway we want to get our triads and our seventh chords.

Remember as well that the third string position triad (barre position) at the twelveth fret ........ 5-1-3 ......is the same as the open string triad..........5-1-3

We are working on four note seventh chords at the moment, seventh chords that contain all of the four notes of the 1-3-5-7b
We can get the "color" or "sound" of the seventh chord in different ways, and I'll start to discuss this is the following lessons.

Rock On the Banjo,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions III

Hi Everyone,

To flat (b) a note on the banjo, all we have to do is go back 1/2 step or one fret. To sharp (#) a note on the banjo , all we have to do is go ahead 1/2 step or one fret. Remember we are going to number the major scale......do is 1, re is2, me is3, fa is 4, so is5, la is 6, ti is 7, and back to do is 8, or the octave.

Lets look at our first chord extentsions....the seventh chord. The formula for a seventh chord is this.....the 1 the 3 the 5 and the flatted 7 (7b). Going back to previous lessons, we know a major triad is the 1,3,5. Now we are extending the triad to create our 7th chords. 1,3,5,7b

Looking at the fourth string postion on the banjo, we can add the 7b to the triad on the first string fretted behind the third fret.....that is our 7b (an F note). Remember as well that since we have two D strings on the banjo ( the fourth and first strings), anytime we fret one of them, we can also fret the other one, or "FLIP" fretting to get the same note, just an octave higher in pitch. That is very important to remember as we continue to look at the seventh chords throughout the banjos fingerboard.

Rock On All,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions II

Hi Everyone,

First let me tell you the chords to Take this Hammer. The key is G......
the chords are........G-D-G-C-G-D-G (1_5_1_4_1_5_1)

Lets Look at what is called the Nashville number system for a moment. Look at the chords to Take this Hammer above. Notice the numbers directly beneath the chords. The Nashville number system is as simple as this........If a song or tune is in the key of G.....we use the major scale starting with G.....then we number the scale as well.....do re me fa so la ti do...........1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. the 1 is the G chord......the 5 is the D chord........and the 4 is the C chord .......its that simple.

Lets take another example....say we want to play this song in the key of C#.........no problem.... play a C# major scale and name and number the notes.......the 1 is a C# chord...the 5 is a G# chord....and the 4 is an F# chord. You can use this system on all the twelve notes and the major scales associated with them. I'll be discussing this in future lessons, but I thought I'd mention it here as well because of its relationship to this video.


Looking at the single string major scale pattern in this video, we can call it a "moveable" pattern. Its moveable because all we have to do is name the note starting on the fourth string........then we have the major scale of the note we started with. We can use this pattern for all the twelve notes to create all of the twelve major scales.

Roll Away,

David

Miniseries #004, Take this Hammer + 7th Chords and Backup Discussions I

Hi Everyone,

We are going to go over another song using the Scruggs style in the up coming lessons. The name of the song is called "Take this Hammer". Along with discussing the solo of this song, we are also going to continue our discussions on theory and begin to talk about some back-up techniques in this song. The discussions on chord theory is related to chord extensions that we are going to use in the back-up. These first extensions will be on the Seventh Chord. All we will be doing is "extending" or "expanding" on the Major Triads we have already gone over.

Back-up, or backing up other musicians is a very important part of playing music with others. Like I've said before......if you plan on jamming with others, you will be playing back-up banjo most of the time. In playing with others, we always want to try to make the soloist sound as good as he or she can be. We are going to start with some basic picking/backup patterns in the Scruggs style in this series to begin one way to compliment other musicians.

If you have any questions along the way in this series, please don't hestitate to ask, and I'll do my best to answer them for you.

Rock On Everyone,

David

Miniseries #003, Worried Man Blues V

Hi Everyone,

Lets finish up this song now in this segment. Again let me say something about that D chord and solo within. We are using two fretted notes out of that second string position to play our solo within that D chord. I am using different notes within the D major scale to add a different color to that section.

The roll pattern within this D chord section is a little tricky, so it may take you a little time to get this section down, but just take your time and you will have it down in good time.

David

Miniseries #003, Worried Man Blues IV

Hi Everyone,

We are continuing on with the Worried Man Blues. There isn't a lot more I can say about this song, except to take your time and try to get that right hand and left hand in time and in conjunction with each other.

You can also take notice in this song that we are breaking up the rolls with quarter notes in places in this song, so as not to have the rolls and patterns sound monotonous.

I can say this about the song as well, that if you listened to me singing the song in the beginning of this series, I was singing the melody of the song. If you listen to the way the banjo sounds throughout , you can hear me play the melody within this version.

Just like a singer can interpret the melody of any given song, the banjoist can interpret the melody within his or her soloing. Its important to try to bring out the melody notes of any song or tune you are playing, especially in Traditional Bluegrass. I'm going to be delving into this subject very soon In the beginning Banjo Lessons right after I teach a few other things related to combining right and left hand techniques and also Vamping for backup.

When we go on to explore other kinds of Music, such as the Blues, NewGrass, Jazz and Rock, we can take many liberties on the melodies and stretch them as far as ones' mind can reach.

Enjoy the Worried Man Blues all,

David

Miniseries #003, Worried Man Blues III

Hi Everyone,

We are going to get into taking this song apart in this video. Let me start off by talking about the lead in notes. The Pinch and then the thumb picking the fourth string in the first part of this video are lead in notes. These lead in notes can be left out of this song once you begin to play this song over the guitar track. You can leave them in , or leave them out, just be aware of the timing coming in and out of your soloing using the lead in notes or if you desire to leave them out.

For those of you who would like to use tablature, I have tabbed out this song for you as well. Remember, you don't have to be able to read tab to become proficient on the Banjo, I am just giving you another resource for those of you who would like to learn from tab as well. You will also notice that the sheet music is available above the Tablature as well. I want to have the sheet music there as well in case you have difficultly in the timings of things I am going to present to you.

Don't be concerned with the first measure of lead in notes in the sheet music.(the measures are numbered in red ) because that first measure involves rests. I will discuss rests used in sheet music in the near future. Its quite simple, it just goes back to ryhthm and counting series involving the beat associated with the four notes we went over.

You will see in the sheet music that the whole song consists of quarter notes and eight notes. If you look at the sheet music you will see that each measure has four beats associated with it, because............ we are using that all important 4/4 time.

Look at the second measure, the one with the red number 2 above it. The first note in that second measure is a quarter note. Remember the series on ryhthm and counting. That quarter note has one beat associated with it. (that is the count of 1 as your foot hits the floor). Now look at the next two notes, those next two notes are eight notes. The flags on these two notes are tied together in sheet music to make them look nicer on paper. So... the first eight note has 1/2 associated with it as well the second eight note. 1/2 plus 1/2 = 1. One beat associated with playing those two eight notes one after the other.( this is the count of 2 and) when our foot comes off the floor. The next two eight notes ( 3 and) is when your foot hits the floor again. Again those two eight notes played one after another has a count of 1. Then the last two notes in the measure are eight notes as well (4 and) when your foot comes off the floor again. So we can count this measure as follows.........1 2and 3and 4and...

If you get in trouble with the timing on this song, just look at the measure you are dealing with and count to 4 with your foot and consider the beats associated with the 1/4 and 1/8th notes.

Rock On,

David

Miniseries #003, Worried Man Blues II

Hi All,

Here is the version of Worried Man Blues on the Banjo. Now the first thing I would like to say about this video is.....after I reviewed this video.... concerning the D chord in this song, what I meant to say is that we are using two FRETTED notes out of the second string position for the D chord. I am using SEVERAL different notes to play through the melody section when playing through the chord change of D.

Using just those two fretted notes out of the second string position along with the open second, first and fifth strings gave that section a different Color within the solo. I'm going to be explaining why these different techniques sound like they do. It involves the Scales that different chords are built from. The second string (the open B string) is the seventh degree of the D major scale, but don't worry about that right now, just concentrate on the song itself.

Also in this video, you can see why this C chord played closest to the nut (also coming out of the second string position) is what it is. It looks a little different in the video because we are using different fingers of our left hand to make the formation more comfortable and versatile. You will see what I mean about it being more versatile when we start to work around that C chord in the future.

I would like to mention a few other things before you start on the Worried Man Blues as well. Once you become familiar and comfortable playing this song, I would like you to pick this song with different forces of the right hand. When I say forces, I mean play it harder and then play the song softly. Playing songs harder and softly will start to bring out finesse in your right hand. It will also help to bring out different accents (definition) when we start to explore advanced concepts of accenting melody notes and using these forces to bring out expressions on the Banjo.

What I say "expressions", I mean the different feelings you can create in your music. I'll give you an example and I'll use Ralph Stanely as this example. When you listen to Ralph, his singing and playing, In my opinion, is one of purest sounds you will hear in Traditional Bluegrass Music. His singing and playing is coming from deep inside. It is a very straight ahead sound, but that sound is filled with soul and great expression.

We will get into bringing out your own expressions on the Banjo as We get into advanced concepts on the Banjo in future lessons. Good Luck with Worried Man Blues everyone, and play well.

Rock On,

David

Miniseries #003, Worried Man Blues I

Hi Everyone,

This next song we are going to work on is called The Worried Man Blues, an old traditional folk song that we are going to adapt to the Banjo in the style of Earl Scruggs. Although this will be my arrangement of this song, it is still based on the styling of Mr. Scruggs.

I wanted to sing this song for you and play the quitar as well so you can hear what the song sounds like and also for you to better hear the chord changes within this song. Sometimes its easier to listen to the chord changes on guitar than banjo because of the fullness of the chords that the ryhthm guitar produces. It very important for you to start LISTENING to how these three different chords sound as the changes occur. Your ears are your most important appendages in music. The three chords we are using in this song are. G which is the key chord of the song, then C, then back to G, then to D, and back again to G.

I played this song at two different tempos (speeds) so you can start off slowly then build up your speed on the Banjo.

When I begin recording again within the next day, I am going to explain the very important technique called " Vamping ". It is a technique used in playing backup so you can chord along and practice your full chord changes while playing with other people. You will be able to practice your Vamping along with many of the tunes and songs that are going to be offered on this site. I know Jeff Wisor, our fiddle instructor taped many fiddle tunes that you will be able to practice your vamping, along with many other possibities on the Moose.

Go slowly Everyone, and keep your Ears wide open to the changes.

David

Christmas Special: Frosty the Snowman!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Here is a great holiday song that everyone is familiar with. Although there are many things within this song that we haven't covered yet in our lessons, I thought it would be a great song for the holidays. If you go through the tab, just remember that this arrangement is in C tuning. Just tune the 4th string down to the note of C.

You'll probably see some chords that you may not be familiar with as well within this version, but don't worry about them for right now, just enjoy the melody! We'll cover all these things in upcoming lessons.

All the best in the upcoming New Year!

David

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear VI

Howdy,
If you want to experiment with finding the melody notes, move your way higher up the neck. This will give you a nice variation from playing the lower melody. A good thing to remember about playing "up the neck", is that you will probably be starting out in the 2nd string postion, unlike the open, or 3rd string position played lower. Again I'd like to mention that the melody notes will "likely" come from the basic positions and their relative minors.

Have fun Everyone,
David

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear VI

Hi Everyone,
Here is an old Gospel classic. I mentioned in the last post that you can narrow your choice of melody notes out through the use of scales. You can also narrow what the melody notes may be by the use of chords. In alot of Bluegrass tunes and songs, you can find the melody notes in the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd string formations we went over in previous lessons. You can also narrow your probable choices down even further by knowing where the relative minors are for the three basic postions. This has also been covered in previous lessons, so you may want to refresh yourselves if that term isn't familiar to you.

Keep on pickin
David

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear IV

Hi All,
Once you have the melody notes in your head, and you are able to hum those notes, then try to find them on the banjo fretboard. You can usually find the melody notes to alot of songs within the first five frets. Knowing the chords is important too. If you know the basic scales that go along with the basic chords, it will make it easier to find the melody notes, because usually, you can narrow them down to notes within the particular scale.
Once you have the melody notes on the banjo, then you can apply the rolls around them. Try different rolls and pinches to complement the melody notes. You can think about the rolls as being like "strums" of a guitar. Its a filler sound, only instead of strumming, you are rolling or pinching.

Keep it going,
David

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear III

Hi Everyone,

These next lessons are about playing by ear. Playing by ear means to play an instrument without the aid of musical notation or tablature. It relies purely on listening to something, then trying to play it.

For beginners, the first thing I would suggest is to have command of the basic Scruggs rolls of the the right hand, especially the forward, backward, alternating thumb, and forward/backward rolls. Also, it is important to understand, and be able to use "pinches". All of these techniques can be found in the very first beginner banjo section.

The second thing I would suggest, is to have a basic understanding of chords and the three basic chord formations, those being the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string formations. These can also be found in the very first beginner lessons.

I think it helps tremendously to be able to sing, or even hum a song or tune, before you attempt to play by ear. Even if you can hum the song in your head, I think this will really help in your playing the banjo by ear.

It also helps to know the chord structure of the song you are trying to play. Try to pick very easy songs to begin with. You can learn the chords to most songs right here on the internet, or by other musicians, or in books.

Usually, for simple songs, you will be able to find the notes to the song you are trying to play, within the first five frets of the five string banjo.

Now, for the fun part! Hum the song very slowly. The notes you sing, or hum in your head, will be the "melody notes". Now sing or hum the very first note. Now, try to find that note on the banjo,"again, usually within the first five frets".Do this for the whole song, one note at a time, until you are playing on the banjo what you are singing or humming.

After you have found all the notes, now try putting any of the basic rolls, or pinches, around the melody notes. This will take some time, but by doing this, you will be playing more like yourself than anyone else, because you are choosing how you want the song to sound.

One last thing.....a very important thing.......remember to keep everything in time. Timing is everything!

Have fun all,

David

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear II

Hi All,

Just thought I'd show off my new banjo for you all. Its a Huber Granada. Hearts and Flowers. Plays great, great tone......... great Banjer :-)

Miniseries #002, Playing By Ear I

Hi All,

Here is Joe and I playing Home Sweet Home. I have the banjo tuned down to D, and also using D style tuners on the peghead to raise and lower the pitch on a couple strings.

Hope its going well for everyone.

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup VI

Hi Everyone,

In this video you can hear how using the same second string position D chord pattern/lick can be used against the second string position C chord. Also, after you become familiar with different patterns, you can mix the patterns up within the same chord. You can hear in this video where I used one pattern over the first part of the lick, and another pattern over the second half of the lick. In time, you will be playing these things automatically, you won't even be thinking about it, you will just be improvising with these patterns at will.

I would also like to say, that when you are in a Jam Session, and may be you mess up a little with some pattern you are trying to use, just try to keep the right hand in motion, and come back to the pattern or a simple roll. Try to keep the timing going, even if you mess up. Sometimes your perception of a "mistake", will lead you into new territory of the right hand. It will force you to play something that you didnt have planned, but in the end, will help you develope your right hand into doing things that perhaps you thought you couldn't do.

Keep it going everyone,
and good luck with your jam sessions!

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup VI

Hi Everyone,

Here is another pattern/lick that we can use over the second string position D chord. You can also use this pattern/lick over any other second string position chord. When a pattern/lick can be used over different chords, that is known as a "moveable" lick. You can "move" it to any chord of the same position up and down the entire neck of the banjo.

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup IV

Hi All,

Again I made a verbal mistake, the C chord lick in this video is a lick with an ALTERNATING thumb roll.......my apologies.

In this video we are using a full, second string position C chord. We can also use a leadin Scruggs type lick to go into the C chord. All we are doing with this C chord position is creating another pattern, and using some different left hand techniques within the pattern to create this C chord lick. I would also like to say that most any pattern you find, can be used against any chord using the same position. For example......if you use a second string postion C chord pattern/lick, you can use it on any of the twelve chords......that holds true with any pattern/lick used with the fourth and third strings positions as well. I encourage you to come up patterns on your own, and try using your own patterns over different chords. The more patterns you know, the more you will be able to improvise with backup. You can then substitute different pattern/licks within any song backup you wish. Remember that these pattern/licks are not used for the melody, they are used to compliment the group of musicians, within the "big picture" of sound.

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup III

Hi All,

First of all, I'd like to say I made a verbal mistake in this video, that being the scruggs lick at the end was an Alternating thumb lick, I made a mistake by calling it a forward/backward roll/lick. It is an Alternating thumb lick. If you read the tab, you will see it being an Alternating thumb lick.

In this video, we are going to stick with the same pattern, only this time we are going to use a 2-5 slide on the fourth string. This technique is used ALOT in bluegrass, and is used a lot for backup and soloing as well. The 2-5 slide gives the backup a more driving sound, and with the use of the forward roll, propels the roll a little more, instead of with no slide. I'm not saying that you have to use the slide all the time, but can be used however you like. It just one more left hand technique to enhance the roll, and give the roll a classic Bluegrass Banjo Backup sound.

Have fun Everyone,

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup II

Hi Everyone,

We are going to use this pattern over three chords.....those chords being G,C and D. A lot of songs in Bluegrass will have the same flavor to them, and in this video a song instantly comes to mind.........Bill Monroes' most popular song Wink

In this video, when we play the C chord roll with the one finger at the second fret, fourth string, we are actually getting the flavor of a Cadd9. All that means is that we take a Cmaj triad and add the ninth degree of the C scale to create a chord extension. We can use extensions on any chord to create different colors or feeling in our backup. We can use chord extensions over any major chord that maybe be played by other musicians. An example would be the guitar playing a chord of Cmaj., and the banjo can use Cmaj, or any extension of Cmaj., like a C7, C6, C9, Cadd9........or any chord extension you would like to use. Adding these extensions to your backup rolls and chords will change the feel in your backup. Playing a C7 will give it a bluesy sound, a C6 a more Jazzy sound.....and so on.
I'll be explaining much much more about this in future lessons, If it doesnt make sense right now.....no worries....it will in the future. We have to start with small steps first, then move forward from there. Again I'd like to say that simple backup, usally sounds the best.

We are also using the same roll pattern of the D chord in this vid.
When we play the third string fretted behind the second fret, we are rolling this pattern through the chord of D. Again we are using using notes of an extension of the D chord, in this case the sound of the open fifth string may be thought of as the fourth degree of the D scale, but again, don't worry about any of this theory right now, it will all make sense in due time.

We can also use simple licks anywhere we want, in this video I used a simple Scruggs lick to end the roll pattern. The use of a simple lick can fill up empty space, an example would be when the singer stops singing for a breath, or before another verse starts, we can fill up the space with a simple lick.

Roll On Everyone!

David

Miniseries #001, Beginner Backup I

Hi Everybody,

In this next video series we are going to talk a little bit about beginning backup on the five string. Playing backup is a very important part of playing with other musicians......The Jam Session!. There are many different ways to approach backup, and we are going to start with a simple forward roll pattern, then use the same pattern over several chords. By using a simple pattern, we are not actually playing any melody notes on any given song you may be jamming on, but instead we are creating a droning effect, sort of like strumming a guitar, but on the banjo we will be using roll patterns to create that effect. I would also like to say that a lot of times, the simplest backup will sound the best. This is the time to compliment the other musicians around you. Try to keep the best timing you can for whatever instrument, or whoever singer may be soloing.

David

Lesson #122, Cumberland Gap X

Hi Everybody,

Lets finish up the song in this video. I can't really say too much more about the versions that we just went over, other than it was to show you some of the things that you can do with the Pentatonic scale and Relative minors. Like I said from the beginning, music is always expanding, and there is always something new to create, and to learn.

Experimentation is the key to developing your own style, and your own thoughts of the fingerboard. I would love to hear your own versions of any songs or tunes that you create.

Roll Away

David

Lesson #121, Cumberland Gap IX

Hi Everybody,

We are almost finished with this song. Here is the continuation of the previous video and working ourselves almost all the way up the neck, again thinking about the pentatonic scale, and major and relative minors. Keep in mind from the beginning lessons that the 12th fret is where all of the notes start over again. Try to visualize the nut at the 12th fret and compare the chord shapes from the nut upward, to the 12th upward. They are exactly the same!

David

Lesson #120, Cumberland Gap VIII

Hi All,

In this video you can hear that I harmonized the pentatonic scale in yet another way. Again, you can harmonize a scale anyway you'd like, to come up with some very interesting sounds, lines, or licks. You can see and hear in one portion of this version where I worked one of modes with that harmonization in this video.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask with PM's or in the forums, and I will answer your questions as best I can.

Rock On the Moose

David

Lesson #119, Cumberland Gap VII

Hi Everyone,

Here is one more version of Cumberland Gap. In this video I'm playing mostly Scruggs style with a hint of Keith/Thompson style thrown in as well in one spot. In this version, I thought I would try to encompass the entire neck without to much emphasis on chord positions, but instead, try to look at the neck as a whole.

Also, by mastering the different rolls of the right hand, you will come to be able to do many things with your right hand. You will come to feel what your right hand should do, depending on where you want to take any piece of music you are playing. This is an advanced approach, but its good to look over it anyways. I constantly try to look at the fingerboard in different ways, sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I fail at what I'm trying to play. But it certainly keeps things interesting, and it certainly helps to become more familiar with the fingerboard.

Let it Roll,

David

Lesson #118, Cumberland Gap VI

Hi Everyone,

In this video, I again go over that descending line, which is coming directly from the Harmonized modes of the Pentatonic scale. There is so much you can do with this scale in any style or type of music you wish to pursue. I always encourage exploring these things on your own to develope your own playing and your own distinct sound that will eventually come out.

Also in this video when we came back down the neck, I put in a brush to break it up a little bit more. You can always try to put different techniques into any line, or lick, that you wish. Try variations with Hammer Ons, Pull/push Offs, slides, brushes, or any left hand technique you can come up with.

Be a scientist, and explore, explore, explore.

David

Lesson #117, Cumberland Gap V

Hi All,

In the beginning of this video I am switching between the X and Y positions (see lessons on Vamping), to create different tones within the same licks. Try experimenting with the X and Y positions to hear the different tones that you like hearing.

The variation in this video is coming straight from the use of harmonization with the pentatonic scale. The harmonization I used in this video is from two notes within the modes on the first and second strings. The only thing I did to come up with this descending line was to link the harmonizations with the forward/backward roll. If you look at measures 7,8,and 9 in the up the neck tab, you will see for yourself that it is coming directly from the pentatonic scale and its modes.

Rock On,

David

Lesson #116, Cumberland Gap IV

Hi All,

Lets move up the fretboard to play another variation on Cumberland Gap. Since we've been working on the pentatonic scale and relative minors, lets take a look at the G chord using the second string position at the eighth fret, and also lets look at the E minor chord using the third string position at the ninth fret. Those are the chord positions we will think about in this video.

If you look at the E minor triad in this video, we are freeing our pinky to do a little fret work around this position. This section is a very close version to the playing of Earl. I believe that when Earl played this portion, he was straying from the melody and working around the relative minor with a bit of chromatics. Remember from previous lessons that playing something chromatically is playing in half steps, so the notes of A and A# throughout this section would be considered chromatic. I'll be explaining more about the use of chromatics in future lessons.

The roll patterns and licks in this section can be used in many tunes and songs in the Scruggs style, and if you listen to much Bluegrass banjo, you will probably hear many variants from these licks that earl used in Cumberland Gap.

Try to come up with your own variations in and around this relative minor position. There are many possibilities.

David

Lesson #115, Cumberland Gap III

Hi Everyone,

In this video I came up with a variation for the last measures in the first part of this song using an E minor position, which we know from our studies of relative minors will work over the chord of G major, which is the key of this song.

Lets take a look at the position for a moment. If we form an E major chord using the second string position on the second string, fifth fret, we have an E major chord. Now we flat the third degree (from lessons on Minor chords), and you can see in the video we now have an E minor triad. I based this section on the E minor chord using the second string position. Its just a little variation to break up the more standard version.

You can see the importance of understanding the relative minor within this variation. Its use is coming directly from the relative minor. Try to come up with your own variations using the relative minor, its a cool way to spice a piece up.

Also mentioned in this video was listening to your own playing. When you are playing any given tune or song, does it sound right to you? Do you think the timing is right? If you think something doesn't quite sound right, you are probably correct. By listening to your own playing , whether you record yourself, or just listening to what you are playing at any given time, will tell yourself what you probably need to work on, and is good for self evaluation.

Keep it rollin,

David

Lesson #114, Cumberland Gap II

Hi Everybody,

These next videos will take apart Cumberland Gap and start to explore other portions of the neck. From the studies of the modes of the pentatonic scale we can apply it directly to this song to the extent of the entire fretboard.

You can take any of the licks that you learn in this song and use them over the G major or the Relative minor, that being E minor. This song is in the key of G, and if you look to the tab, there are only a few measures where there is a chord change to D. So there are a lot of licks within this song that will work over the major or relative minor.

This is also a great song to work on your rolls, and the timing of your rolls. Always strive for perfect timing, it is one the most important aspects of playing music.
Timing........is.........everything!

David

Lesson #113, Harmonizing with the Pentatonic Scale II

Hi Everybody,

Keeping with the harmonizations of the pentatonic scale, lets play some three note harmonies now. You can see and hear from the video that adding one more note to make triads up and down the neck with this scale will help in hearing things in different ways, and will definelty help you to understand the fretboard and have a better understanding of improvisation when you get to that point in your playing.

Remember you can pick out any notes you want from a mode and apply the same degrees to any of the other modes. I would encourage you to do alot of exploration with these modes on your own. I will be offering my own ideas along the course of future lessons as well, to help you along, but exploring on your own will bring out your individual styles, and that is one of the coolest things about music.

You can also explore the pentatonic scale within the Scruggs, Keith/Thomspon and Single String styles. You can hear in the video that by playing this scale with a Keith/Thompson approach will bring out yet more ways to explore the fingerboard. I know it may seem like a lot of work, but try to keep it all fun, and try to keep it exciting by exploring the different sounds you can get from the five string banjo. By exploring the fretboard in this way, you may just find yourself playing some cool things in your next jam without even realizing it!

In the next videos we will pick apart the song Cumberland Gap, and explore some of the ways we can use these techniques and studies of the Pentatonic scale in the Scruggs style.

Keep them fingers rollin everyone, and as always, Rock On!

David

Lesson #112, Harmonizing with the Pentatonic Scale I

Hi Everyone,

Lets talk a little bit about harmonizing the pentatonic scale patterns that we just went over. First lets just play the scale on one string. Since we are working on the G major pentatonic scale.....G A B D E..... lets use those notes and play them all on the 4th string all the way up and down the fingerboard. Now try the notes on the 3rd string. Then to the 2nd, 1st and even fifth if you'd like. Playing the scale on one string up and down the fretboard will bring you to know the fingerboard very well.

Now lets start to harmonize this scale. To harmonize means to take two or more notes and play them together. Lets use octaves for our first harmonization. Since we know that an octave occurs between the 1st and 4th strings, we can easily use this up and down the fretboard. You can hear that using octaves gives us a Rock sound, or even a Blues sound because of the pentatonics' scale nature.

Since you know the modes of the pentatonic scale in G major, that being the tabbed out patterns we went over, lets take two notes out of each mode and work them up and down the fretboard. Lets start by taking the fourth and five degree of each mode, and play the two notes up and down the fretboard. These are scale fragments, we can use them as two note chords by playing them together, or we can use them as single string notes to play over the chords of G major or E minor.

You can take any two degrees of the modes to play any harmonizations you can come up with. It would be good practice to find as many ways as you can to harmonize with two notes to begin with. By exploring these harmonizations on your own, you will start to develope your own ear, and begin to see the fretboard in your own way. This will help to eventually perpetuate your own style on the five string banjo.

Keep on Rollin, keep on Rockin.

David

Lesson #111, Pentatonic Scales III

Hello Everybody,

So what does mode or modes mean? I'll tell you........If we look at the pentatonic scale, or any other scale for that matter, we can play what is called the modes, and all this means is that we are going to start and end the scale on different notes, or degrees of the scale. The G major pentatonic scale consists of the notes G A B D E.........if we start this scale on the A note which would be the notes of A B D E G.......we have a mode of the G major pentatonic scale starting and ending on A. We can start and end a mode on any of the notes we want to in the scale, and by doing that with the patterns I have tabbed out in these lessons, you will become more familiar with the banjos' fingerboard, so give all of the modes of the pentatonic scale a good go over.

Remember as well that you can play any of the modes from the G major pentatonic scale and play them over the relative minor, in this case it is E minor, or in other words the E natural minor. Playing the modes is a great place to explore your improvisations once you become familiar with them, and once you do become familiar with them, you will start to see and hear them in the Scruggs style within the rolls and licks, and also in the Keith/Thompson melodic style, or in the string style, and in any form of music you wish to pursue on the five string banjo.

Put your picks on and dig into some Banjo ala mode!

David

Lesson #110, Pentatonic Scales II

IMPORTANT NOTE....... The only notes that are missing from the standard tuning are the A note and the "E" note. I misspoke and said B note instead of E note concerning the pentatonic scale.

Hi All,

The Pentatonic scale is widely used in the Scruggs style. If we look at the standard tuning of the five string banjo we will see and hear that the notes of G D G B D are contained in the pentatonic scale. The only notes missing from the standard tuning are the the notes of A and E.

Since we are working on this scale in these lessons, you can think about all the rolls you've learned from the beginning when played open, as coming from the pentatonic scale. A lot of the licks that we went over came right from this scale as well.

Looking back on the song Cripple Creek, every note in that song can be thought of as coming from the pentatonic scale. There are no "outside" notes. The rolls, and the licks within this version of Cripple Creek are coming from the pentatonic scale.

Joe and I play the song in this video, and you can hear that I played the exact same version over the guitar chords of G major and E minor. Again, you can hear how versatile this scale can be in the Scruggs Style in Bluegrass, and in just about any other type, or styles of Music you wish to pursue.

Keep it Rolling Everyone,

David

Lesson #109, Pentatonic Scales I

Hi Everyone,

In the next few lessons we are going to discuss the pentatonic scale and some of the things we can do with it. The pentatonic scale is a five note scale. Just like the Pentagon is a five sided building, the pentatonic scale is a five note scale. Penta means five. This five note scale is widely used in many forms of music, including Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Rock and others. It is a very important scale, and we will Jive with the Five.

In this video you see a basic scale pattern of the pentatonic scale for G major. If you look at the tab it will be the second measure starting with the fourth string fretted at the fifth fret. This is a good pattern to learn because we are going to expand on this pattern in future lessons.

Going back to previous lessons I mention again that when you fret the 4th string anywhere on the neck, if you fret the 1st string at the same fret you will get the same note, the only difference is that one is higher in pitch (an octave apart). We also know from previous lessons that when you fret the 1st string anywhere above the 5th fret, when you fret the 5th string at the same fret you will get the exact same note. This is important when we look at the scales in the tablature, in that anywhere the fourth string is fretted, the first string is fretted at the same frets. Although in these tabbed patterns the 5th string is not fretted, you can hear for yourself that fretting the 5th string anywhere you see the 1st string fretted you will get the exact
same note.

The pentatonic scale is also very, very versatile. Three V's. It is so versatile that it will sound good when played over its associated Major Chord or the Relative Minor!

That was so important I had to put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence! Yep I did it again.........................its a very exciting, very cool scale!

Rock on the Moose!

David

Lesson #108, Relative Minor Chords

Hi All,

Lets discuss Relative Minor Chords now. In order to fully understand the relative minor chords, you should have a good grasp on scale and chord construction. If you don't quite remember those lessons, you should go back to those beginner lessons and refresh yourself before heading into these lessons on the relative minors.

Just as the Major "scale" has its relative counterpart, that being the Natural Minor "scale",a Major "chord" has its counterpart as well, that being its Relative minor "chord". An easy way to find the relative minor of any Major chord is to find the Root of either the 4th, 3rd, or 2nd string positions. Then to find the relative minor note, all you have to do is drop back 3 frets (3 half steps).....to find the note that names the relative minor chord associated with the Major chord you are working on. You can also look to the relative minor chord by finding the sixth degree of any Major scale, this method will name the relative minor chord as well.

Lets just look at term relative or "natural" minor for a moment. I like to think about this term as in a Mother having identical twin babies. The babies are very close, hard to tell apart, but none the less, they are different. Lets say the twins grow up a bit, and the twins want to play a trick on someone, by switching themselves in whatever trick they are trying to play. We can do the same thing in music with the Major and Relative minors..............We can substitute one for the other when we want to. These substitutions will play an important roll in understanding Bluegrass, Blues, Rock, Jazz, or any other type of music you wish to pursue on the Banjo.

It would be good practice for you to find all the Brothers and Sisters of the twelve major chords. Its the Natural thing to do!

Rock On,

David

Lesson #107, Relative Minors II

Hi Everyone,

Lets take a quick look at the banjos' fretboard. Lets find a G note on the first five frets.............found one yet? Can you find two G notes? Can you find more? We can find four G notes within the first five frets.......Two of them are open on the third string and fifth strings, and two of them are fretted.......one on the fourth string fretted at the fifth fret, and another on the first string fretted at the fifth fret. Some of the G notes are of identical pitch..........can you find which ones? The G note fretted on the fourth string at the fifth fret is identical in pitch to the open third string. The first string fretted at the fifth fret is identical to the fifth strings played open. Why is this important?


I've had some questions in the forums on why I approached a scale like I did in a previous video. By Reading the paragraph above, you can see that there are many different way to play a scale on the fretboard of the banjo. Lets look at the first two notes of a G major scale.....they are.....G and A........so........staying in the first five frets of the banjo, we have FOUR options to start our G major scale off!

Two of the G notes are an octave apart, so that must be taken into consideration as well, do we want the scale to sound higher in pitch or lower in pitch? Now lets look at the A note......where can we find and an A note. Lets look at the first seven frets now. We can find one at the third string fretted at the second fret...we can find one at the fourth string fretted at the seventh fret, first string fretted at the seventh fret and fifth string fretted at the seventh fret as well. So now to connect the G and A notes together in sequence, we have more options.

It would be good practice for you to take a G major scale and try to find as many ways you can play it as you can, on fretted strings, open strings, and combinations of them both........how many can you find?

In finding ways that you like to play them, you will be developing your own ways to think about the fingerboard. I will be giving my own examples along the way as well, and it will be fun to compare many different ways to approach the five strings on the banjo, and all the cools sounds that can come out.

Lets look more at the term Relative Minor. The G major scale has a Relative. That relative is called the Natural or relative minor scale. The G major scale contains the same notes as the E natural minor scale. The only difference is what note the scale starts and ends at. The Gmajor scales starts and ends on a G note, and the E natural minor scale starts and ends on an E note.


Both of these scales contain one #.........that being an F#..........looking at a piece of Musical notation and seeing that the key signature has one sharp ontop of the F line in the staff, we know that this piece of music is in the key of G major, or E minor.

The relative minors in scales and chords will play in a big part in understanding our improvisations in our soloing and in our backup.

Keep it going everyone, if you have any questions, we are always around to answer them.

Rock On the Moose.

David

Lesson #106, Relative Minors I

Hello Everyone,

In order to understand the term "Relative Minor", lets first look at the staff in standard musical notation. By viewing the chart in this video, you can see some of the things you will encounter when reading sheet music and how it pertains to Relative Minors.

Every Major scale in music (there are 12 of them), has a different amount of #'s or b's (sharps or flats) within the scale. Also, every Major scale has a Relative, that Relative is called a Relative Minor scale, or can also be called a Natural Minor scale.

Play a C major scale on the banjo......now name the notes as you play the scale. There are no #'s or b's. Play a G major scale........name the notes again.......now there is one #...that being an F# note. You can play all of the twelve major scales to find out how many, and also what the names of the sharps or flats are within any major scale.

Although I'm going to discuss what is known as the "Circle of Fifths" in future lessons, pertaining to #'s and b's, the only thing I would like for you to understand at this point in time is the term, Relative or Natural Minor.

Since every Major scale has a DIFFERENT number of sharps or flats.......by looking at the Key signature to the right of the Clef.......in this video you see one sharp.... that is the key signature....since the G major scale is the only major scale with one sharp contained within it, we know that this piece of music is in the KEY of G major....... or........its relative minor......we'll get into that soon.

Since every Major scale has a Relative Minor scale associated with it.... THAT RELATIVE MINOR SCALE CONTAINS THE EXACT NUMBER OF SHARPS OR FLATS AS......ITS RELATIVE MAJOR SCALE.

We will continue to discuss this in the next lessons, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

David

Lesson #105, Cumberland Gap I

Hi All,

Throughout these next videos and this next series of five string banjo lessons, we are going to have quite a lengthy discussion about our next song, that being the Cumberland Gap. Along with breaking this song down note for note, we will also be discussing Relative minors, more on chords, and a very important scale called the pentatonic scale. Aspects of these lessons will carry themselves over to any type of music you wish to pursue on the five string banjo, especially the fundamentals of Bluegrass, Blues, Rock, and Jazz. Keep it Rollin Everyone.

David