schlange - Posted - 03/02/2015:  09:34:03

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Key of D – aDADE (double C – gCGCD – capo 2)

Soldier’s Joy is one of the most popular tunes ever and a jam session regular! Dan has 86 versions of the tune in his personal library. Now that does include some of the instructional tracks but still… everyone from Wade Ward to Gil Kiesecker to Sherman Hammons, R.D. Lunceford and Joel Mabus (no, not together but that would be cool wouldn’t it?) Easy Street String Band’s recording is one of Dan's favorites reference but then again, the fiddling of Uncle Dick Hutchinson is pretty clean and straight forward.

SO, we are going to have some fun with this one. Play it straight as a basic back up and chorded version then add some notes, some more notes and some MORE notes so you can decide how many to leave out when you pick how you want to play it.

This is tabbed out in Dan's newest book "Old-Time Favorites for Clawhammer Banjo" (MelBay 30224 Tab and standard notation with 2 cds of banjo and fiddle audio tracks.) It is also in Dan's book, Clawhammer Banjo From Scratch (MB 20190) which you can order from his website if you can’t find it locally.

Dan has included a bonus feature: a breakdown and primer building a tune from basic double thumb strumming with chords to adding notes in a logical way within the chord structure.

Let’s share our versions here and see who can find the oldest reference to the tune!

You can purchase the video lesson (for unlimited streaming and download) here on the Banjo Hangout for $6.

Get it here >

Dan and I would love to hear any feedback you have on these videos, so feel free to post or email us. Our goal here is provide a steady, affordable way for people to learn a new clawhammer tune weekly (or as often as they'd like).

It would be great to hear some of your versions so far so post them here for all to hear!

YVES GUILLARD - Posted - 03/03/2015:  10:40:56

I am very happy to get this tunetorial, because if can play many old time tunes, I still have trouble with this basic one (first part).
It's a pity, because I danced and played on melodeon for years "french hornpipes" (pas d'été) which are very close to it.
I got a grade of doctor for a thesis about this repertory in the West of France.

If you wish, you can learn more about them on :
fonds-sonores-archives.sarthe....-guillard
and hear Lucien Allard, my great master on melodeon, playing them (he was my Wade Ward on this instrument !).

We performed too these character dances at the Smithsonian Festival in 1989...