Branjo100 - Posted - 02/05/2014:  18:01:29

Does anyone know of a version of Jerusalem Ridge that is more classic Scruggs style rather than melodic?  I also have been having a hard time finding clawhammer versions if anyone know of a place to look for that.

I have been trying to play it in an open Gm tuning capod up 2 frets and it sounds okay but it would be cool if I could find a recording to compare with.

Thanks

WildJimbo - Posted - 02/05/2014:  18:35:04

Here's my slant on it...

Jerusalem Ridge

pasturepicker - Posted - 02/05/2014:  18:43:03

The melody of Jerusalem Ridge doesn't really lend itself to Scruggs style.  Unless you are happy with just jamming through the chord progression you are going to have to spend some time working it out section by section.  It's a tough tune because there are so many parts.  Some of Monroe's banjo players never took a break on it.

I was shamed into learning it a few years ago when my then 11 year old son began playing it on the mandolin.  I play it in open G tuning, no capo.

Banjophobic - Posted - 02/05/2014:  19:12:33

The version Jim just posted is very nice, but be aware that it takes a lot of experience and skill to render that melody with enough notes to make it solid. It is also more "work" in Scruggs style, physically speaking. Try learning the Aminor scale in G tuning. The melody for entire tune is sitting right there in it.....

Eddie Collins - Posted - 02/05/2014:  22:12:45

I was in the process of posting my latest recording, which happened to by my interpretation of Jerusalem Ridge. I play it in standard open G tuning. It's a mix of melodic, Reno and Scruggs. I purposely play it slowly and lyrically as I am making an entire album of "mellow" interpretations of standard tunes. You can find it at the media archive, or at my hangout homepage. Nice to see the discussion of the tune here.

chrisb5string - Posted - 02/05/2014:  22:23:25

youtube.com/watch?v=id86tkE87J4

Brandon, here is my take from a few years ago on this tune played on a banjola I used to own. I recently reworked this admittly "half assed" version into something more recognizable and performed it in church as a duet with fiddle and my regular banjo.  I don't have a recording of that version, but I could record a solo version and post to youtube. This is in Gm capo 2.  my current version has a few bars of single string to get the melody straight.  Otherwise the melody gets lost in the chords

Tam_Zeb - Posted - 02/05/2014:  22:29:45

quote:

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Originally posted by Eddie Collins

I was in the process of posting my latest recording, which happened to by my interpretation of Jerusalem Ridge. I play it in standard open G tuning. It's a mix of melodic, Reno and Scruggs. I purposely play it slowly and lyrically as I am making an entire album of "mellow" interpretations of standard tunes. You can find it at the media archive, or at my hangout homepage. Nice to see the discussion of the tune here.

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 Hi Eddie

Great to see you here on the Hangout, once Brandon get's done with this I recommend he try your arrangement of Maple Leaf Rag, my biggest challenge thus far all 22 frets in one tune.  It took me a while but I have nailed now.

Edited by - Tam_Zeb on 02/05/2014 22:33:27

Tam_Zeb - Posted - 02/05/2014:  23:01:47

Hi Brandon

Go check out the "Understanding the Minor Key" on John Boulding's LOTW. In the mini series John uses Jerusalem Ridge as a model in the use of the Minor Chords. You may find this helpful.

jsutergraphix.com/LOTW/

Lew H - Posted - 02/06/2014:  08:35:57

Mark Johnson plays this tune clawhammer style on one of his CDs. You could check that out. He tunes his banjo to A minor capoed up 2 frets. He improvises a lot, so sometimes it's not easy to locate the melody in what he is doing.

Jon Eric - Posted - 02/06/2014:  11:32:13

Interesting thread 

h - Posted - 02/06/2014:  13:01:26

 The simplest "Scruggs" version of Jerusalem Ridge would be to simply learn the Am E C and Dm positions in standard tuning, and play ordinary Scruggs-style rolls in time. Choose your patterns so it sounds something like the melody to you.  A pure beginner could do this and get by.

  If you want to play the full melody, it's not too hard if you drop the B string a half step, into G minor tuning. Then capo up 1 step into open A minor.  There's a  full melodic arrangement given in the tabs here that is really not so hard.  Here's somebody I know playing it:

youtube.com/watch?v=Atlu5AKPtT...0bd5Kk6GQ

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 02/06/2014:  19:02:02

I've played around with it. In general I think it's ALWAYS good to be able to play a Scruggs break for any fiddle tune that you know a melodic version of.

Branjo100 - Posted - 02/06/2014:  23:04:58

I really like jimbo's version of it. I think because it accomplished the melody without playing every note - like when melodic banjo wants to play the fiddle part to a t. Jimbo - what tuning do you use for this version?  You don't happen to have a video of you playing the tune, do you?  

Thanks everyone for posting. It's tough to get into melodic style and this might be a good one to jump in on. 

O.D. - Posted - 02/07/2014:  03:56:21

quote:

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Originally posted by WildJimbo

Here's my slant on it...

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Very nice Jimbo.

 If'n you dont mind Im gonna try and learn this version.

 Thanks for posting it.

Everett

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 02/07/2014:  06:52:30

Listen to the original recording, and compare Kenny Baker's fiddle breaks with Monroe's much simpler mandolin break. The lesson I take from that is that you don't need all those twists and turns of melody to get the point across. How simple can you make it? Once you've stripped it down to its skeleton, then you can elaborate it in many ways. Some of those ways can involve Scruggs-style rolling.

WildJimbo - Posted - 02/07/2014:  09:01:15

quote:

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Originally posted by Branjo100

I really like jimbo's version of it. I think because it accomplished the melody without playing every note - like when melodic banjo wants to play the fiddle part to a t. Jimbo - what tuning do you use for this version?  You don't happen to have a video of you playing the tune, do you?  

 

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I don't have a video -- probably should do one.  I did tab it out once upon a time.  If that would help I could send you that.  I'm pretty sure I'm tuned in Gm (gDGBbD). 

Branjo100 - Posted - 02/07/2014:  10:50:05

OH yeah Jimbo that would be awsome.  Ill post an audio link when I get it down.

Thanks a lot!!!!

- - Posted - 02/08/2014:  22:35:29

quote:

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Originally posted by WildJimbo

Here's my slant on it...

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Sweet! Love it! 

Edited by - - on 02/08/2014 22:37:18

Just Bill - Posted - 02/09/2014:  03:26:31

Back in 2009 I posted my Scruggs-style version of Jerusalem Ridge.  The intro. isn't quite correct and there is one part where there should have been a rest and I have corrected those two errors,  but not on my recording on my BHO page.   

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...;archived=

I'm tuned in Gm and capoed at the 2nd fret (Am).

mmuussiiccaall - Posted - 02/09/2014:  06:15:01

Here's the chords, if you capo 2nd play Gm D Cm Bb instead.

A: Am Am Am Am     Am Am E Am

    Am Am Am Am     Am Am E Am

B: Am Am Am Am     Am Am E E

    Am Am Am Am     Am Am E Am (Am)

C: Am Am *Dm Dm    E E Am Am

D: Am Am Am Am     C C C C

    Am Am Am Am      Am Am E Am

    Am Am Am Am E   Am Am Am Am

*Bill plays DM

hicotton - Posted - 02/09/2014:  08:07:50

Jerusalem Ridge, Scruggs style, was probably the most complex and tough song that I tackled in 10 years of learning - well, that was before Temperance Reel, lol!

I believe there are 4 parts and 17 phrases and a couple of those were very hard to reach and play cleanly. I spent at least 10 months practicing it regularly, but finally got it down to about 80% pro playing speed, which is fine for the few jams where its played. Folks here have commented that its much easier to learn JR in melodic version.

Casey Henry has the dvd lesson that I used and, like everything she offers, its very clearly explained - I though it was well worth the money.

Good luck,

Clay

- - Posted - 02/10/2014:  20:56:11

A tab would be fantastic, and a video even more so! 

quote:

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Originally posted by WildJimbo

quote:

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Originally posted by Branjo100

I really like jimbo's version of it. I think because it accomplished the melody without playing every note - like when melodic banjo wants to play the fiddle part to a t. Jimbo - what tuning do you use for this version?  You don't happen to have a video of you playing the tune, do you?  

 

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I don't have a video -- probably should do one.  I did tab it out once upon a time.  If that would help I could send you that.  I'm pretty sure I'm tuned in Gm (gDGBbD). 

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jbanjoist - Posted - 02/11/2014:  18:27:34

quote:

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Originally posted by WildJimbo

Here's my slant on it...

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Great tune Jim. Captures the feel of it totally. I'd rather hear it and "feel" it played like that any day of the week than hear a melodic version on endless notes. IMHO Have to put that on the "to learn" list.