Chris Cooper - Posted - 07/09/2013:  14:28:16

Hi Guys,

Theres a lick I've heard Earl play, as well as J.D.Crowe, Scott Vestal plus many others and also Pick1949 from here on the hangout nailed it, in his entry to the June 2013 Foggy Mountain Breakdown Competition.

Earl is playing the lick at 1:50 of this YouTube video

youtube.com/watch?feature=play...uqKB6H3Iw

I learned a version of the lick from Terry Baucom's "Driving with the Duke" Instructional DVD a few years back. I used it in my version of "Pike County Breakdown" which I posted to my sound files here on the hangout. I've never been thoroughly satisfied with the way I'm playing the lick. I play it with a T I T M repeating roll, hammering from 2-3 on the first stroke of the thumb and pulling off 3-2 on the second.

Can anyone help me out and put me right with this lick?

I look forward to reading/watching everyones replies. I'm certain countless others will be interested to learn the lick too.

Huge thanks in advance,

Chris Cooper.

5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/09/2013:  15:24:15

Im sure others will chime in and explain it better than me, but its pretty much the same lick you hear in pike co. breakdown.Its also done in rollin in my sweet baby's arms and lots of other tunes. Im guilty of overusing this one because I love it so much. It confuses the crap out of my guitar buddy when I do this over a whole mesure lol! Its a series of 3-2 pullofs on the 3rd string while the right hand is playing 3231 3231 3231 roll I hope that makes some sense....maybe I should have waited and let someone else explain it lol!

Edited by - 5 finger ninja on 07/09/2013 15:29:17

kmwaters - Posted - 07/09/2013:  15:33:52

Hey Marvin - the clip on the rifle is too big!!!

5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/09/2013:  15:34:39

_______________0________________0__________________0___

______0________________0_________________0______________

___3_____3_p2______3______3p2________3______3p2___________________

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5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/09/2013:  15:36:32

quote:

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Originally posted by kmwaters

 

Hey Marvin - the clip on the rifle is too big!!!

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haha says who!

japfelthaler - Posted - 07/09/2013:  18:10:37

Hi Chris, I believe Marvin's tab has it.  What I do slightly different is attempt to do the 3-2 pulloff on the 3rd string for each pick of the Thumb.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I think Marvin's version is best.

5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/09/2013:  19:22:50

quote:

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Originally posted by japfelthaler

 

Hi Chris, I believe Marvin's tab has it.  What I do slightly different is attempt to do the 3-2 pulloff on the 3rd string for each pick of the Thumb.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I think Marvin's version is best.

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i'll have to try that now, thanks!

5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/09/2013:  19:36:41

Chris Im glad you started this thread. Very nice clip you made of PCB and I love the sound of that variation on the lick. Now I have two new ways to try it!!

you wont have any problems getting it to sound right...

Edited by - 5 finger ninja on 07/09/2013 19:39:41

gospelman97 - Posted - 07/10/2013:  03:25:46

Here you go Chris.  John Boulding covered this in one of his fundamental Scruggs G Licks videos.  He starts going over the lick around the 6:20 mark. I love this lick and also use it on medium tempo bluesy songs as a fill in lick.

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...styleID=0

phb - Posted - 07/10/2013:  04:19:59

I'm struggling with a closely related variant of the lick using the foggy mountain roll:

------------0/x-------------0-------------------0-------

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--2-ho-3----------2-ho-3------------3-po-2--------------

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-------------------------------0--------------------0---

Mopick - Posted - 07/10/2013:  07:21:23

quote:

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Originally posted by gospelman97

 

Here you go Chris.  John Boulding covered this in one of his fundamental Scruggs G Licks videos.  He starts going over the lick around the 6:20 mark. I love this lick and also use it on medium tempo bluesy songs as a fill in lick.

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...styleID=0

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I'm not getting the video to work.

Mopick - Posted - 07/10/2013:  07:41:11

quote:

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Originally posted by Mopick

 

quote:

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Originally posted by gospelman97

 

Here you go Chris.  John Boulding covered this in one of his fundamental Scruggs G Licks videos.  He starts going over the lick around the 6:20 mark. I love this lick and also use it on medium tempo bluesy songs as a fill in lick.

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...styleID=0

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I'm not getting the video to work.

 

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OK.  I was having a problem here with the server.  I'm watching the video now.

Banjophobic - Posted - 07/10/2013:  08:05:15

Yep, Ninja got the basic lick in his tab. Theres always cool variations, both on the notes used and or the rhythm of it, but that is the basic premise in his tab. Oh yeah, I covered it in a LOTW vid. Maybe it can help with learning it.

Edited by - Banjophobic on 07/10/2013 08:06:16

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 07/10/2013:  08:38:21

john, do you remember the date or name of your video?

Banjophobic - Posted - 07/10/2013:  09:37:51

Lew

Check back earlier in teh thread. Gospelman posted the link

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 07/10/2013:  15:55:08

Got it.  Thanks.  Missed that.  That's what happen when you let banjo players read this BHO stuff unassisted.

Chris Cooper - Posted - 07/11/2013:  15:12:03

Thanks for all you're input guys, I greatly appreciate all the replies and help you have offered. I had overlooked John Bouldings LOTW video covering this lick. The way in which the lick has been displayed on this thread is - after closer inspection (comparing the way I play the lick to the tab submitted and John's video) - the same way I tend to play the lick.

Still, it sounds to me that something is missing or maybe even, not quite right when compared to the sound I hear Earl creating when he played this lick. There seems to me to be a subtle difference in there somewhere.

I very genuinely mean to display no disrespect to anyone at all, nor do I intend to cause offence, or cause friction. I am certainly not disputing the accuracy of the instruction and validity of everyone who has posted's advice.

Please take my comment as it is intended - A friendly provocation of further discussion.

Is Earl just switching from eighth notes to sixteenth notes for this lick? Is that what creates the effect? Does anyone else hear some kind of choke in there?

I'm trying hard to get this lick to sound - just like Earl. To me it's one of the coolest, but also in my case, most vexatious licks he played.

Thanks again to everyone who has posted.

Kind Regards,

Chris.

5 finger ninja - Posted - 07/11/2013:  16:14:46

Hmm i just took another listen to your Pike co brkdn and to my ears it sounds like you do

ing a hammer on and pulloff (as you stated in your first post). That makes a big difference.



If you have a clip of you doing it the way I tab'd it (and in Johns vid )could you post it so we can hear?



It helped me to learn it when I watch my instructor do it up tp speed. Its one of those licks that has to be done kinda fast to have that cool dissonant effect.

When I play the lick I do pull a slight choke on the 3rd string 3rd fret right before pulling to the 2nd fret each time, it helps create tension.

Edited by - 5 finger ninja on 07/11/2013 16:23:18

gospelman97 - Posted - 07/12/2013:  03:38:54

I agree that speed is essential on this one. Something magical happens on this (and certain other) licks when played fast. Played slow, you may not even recognize the lick. That's the way it was for me. It took me several months to realize that the lick John did in the video is the same one Earl played on FMB and Pike County Breakdown.

There is also the timing to consider. The lick is syncopated and has to stay "in the pocket" so to speak. Once you start to get it, you can really feel it when you get it right. Also, I believe there are several variations you can do at the end of the lick that can add some more excitement. That may be what you are hearing that sounds different than the tab. I don't know exactly what those variations are but I'm sure someone else can chime in. Seems like there might be a double pull off or something right at the end.