awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:07:04

Hello! I have this Clawhammer book that I'm working through, and I'm not sure how to interpret these items (circled in the photo). I am assuming that they are related to the key, but I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? I tried playing the tab in open G, but it didn't sound quite right. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:18:01

I don't see any photo--not here, not on your own page.

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:22:33

quote:

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

I don't see any photo--not here, not on your own page.

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I think I added it below. Can you confirm?

Mike Thompson - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:38:08

No photos.

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:40:37

quote:

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Originally posted by awnothecorn

quote:

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

I don't see any photo--not here, not on your own page.

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I think I added it below. Can you confirm?

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No, nothing there.  Try again. (FWIW, you're not the only one who finds the photo-posting protocol on this site somewhat baffling.)

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:45:55

quote:Originally posted by Ira Gitlinquote:Originally posted by awnothecornquote:Originally posted by Ira GitlinI don't see any photo--not here, not on your own page.I think I added it below. Can you confirm?No, nothing there. Try again. (FWIW, you're not the only one who finds the photo-posting protocol on this site somewhat baffling.)

Oh goodness. Sorry. I'll type it out. It looks roughly like this:

Song title

D
A

Tablature

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:47:22

quote:Originally posted by Mike ThompsonNo photos.

Sorry! I'll type out a description. It looks like this:

Song Title

D
A

Tablature

 

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:48:11

quote:

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

quote:

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Originally posted by awnothecorn

quote:

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

I don't see any photo--not here, not on your own page.

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I think I added it below. Can you confirm?

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No, nothing there.  Try again. (FWIW, you're not the only one who finds the photo-posting protocol on this site somewhat baffling.)

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I think the photo is attached if the written description doesn't cut it.

 

MildBillJones - Posted - 09/04/2024:  06:59:23

I have no idea why they wrote it like that but it looks like Double D (aDADE) tuning to me.

Most common tuning for accompanying fiddle tunes in D

Tune to gCGCD and capo up to the 2nd fret. Or just leave off the capo and play it out of C if you are playing by yourself and prefer not to capo.

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  07:14:46

quote:

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Originally posted by MildBillJones

I have no idea why they wrote it like that but it looks like Double D (aDADE) tuning to me.



Most common tuning for accompanying fiddle tunes in D



Tune to gCGCD and capo up to the 2nd fret. Or just leave off the capo and play it out of C if you are playing by yourself and prefer not to capo.

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That makes sense for Clawhammer. So other songs have a G above an A - is it safe to assume that's open G? The only one that is clear are the ones that just have Amodal.

blazo - Posted - 09/04/2024:  07:31:53

D is the tuning, A indicates the beginning of part A. About 1/2 way through, you'll see a B. That indicates the beginning of the B part.

dbrooks - Posted - 09/04/2024:  08:32:52

Those letters above the tab are chords for guitar, mandolin, etc., that may be accompanying you. 

 

David

Old Hickory - Posted - 09/04/2024:  10:29:31

quote:

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Originally posted by dbrooks

Those letters above the tab are chords for guitar, mandolin, etc., that may be accompanying you. 

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If that's the case, then the only chord is D throughout. That's possible.

As finally answered, A and B refer to the two parts of the song, not chords.

Old Hickory - Posted - 09/04/2024:  10:36:45

quote:

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Originally posted by awnothecorn

... I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? 

---

The answer to A and B was finally provided a few messages back.

D may be the key. Or it may be the chord to play. -If so, it's apparently the only chord.

As to tuning, since that's not shown above or within the tab, is it possible that information on tuning is provided in the first pages of the book? Most banjo songbooks will include at least a brief section on how to read tab. That might also be a place where the tuning is stated. Perhaps in an "unless otherwise indicated" way.

What book is this?

mmuussiiccaall - Posted - 09/04/2024:  11:06:09

He better own an Irish tenor Banjo!!!

dbrooks - Posted - 09/04/2024:  11:32:19

Old Hickory - Ken, you are correct, of course. I misread the letters indicating hammer-ons and pull-offs as chords. Thanks for correcting that.

David

Old Hickory - Posted - 09/04/2024:  14:44:53

quote:

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Originally posted by mmuussiiccaall

He better own an Irish tenor Banjo!!!

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Why? Looks like 5-string tab to me. Fret numbers sit in the 4 spaces between lines and on top of the top line. 

banjoak - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:18:50

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

quote:

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Originally posted by awnothecorn

... I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? 

---

The answer to A and B was finally provided a few messages back.

D may be the key. Or it may be the chord to play. -If so, it's apparently the only chord.

As to tuning, since that's not shown above or within the tab, is it possible that information on tuning is provided in the first pages of the book? Most banjo songbooks will include at least a brief section on how to read tab. That might also be a place where the tuning is stated. Perhaps in an "unless otherwise indicated" way.

What book is this?

---

I agree, there are usually an introductory part of those books that explain how to read the TAB in that book, all symbols and marking, parts, repeats. Keep in mind TAB systems have some variance, is not always universal.

That said, can often still decipher; esp as start looking at other tunes in book. It looks to be 6/8 tune in the key of D, played  out of D tuning. (to answer original question)

The D probably just refers to the key. The M an T indicates it's a 5 string, probably clawhammer (down-picking rather than up).

Edited by - banjoak on 09/04/2024 15:31:32

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:22:26

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

quote:

---

Originally posted by awnothecorn

... I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? 

---

The answer to A and B was finally provided a few messages back.

D may be the key. Or it may be the chord to play. -If so, it's apparently the only chord.

As to tuning, since that's not shown above or within the tab, is it possible that information on tuning is provided in the first pages of the book? Most banjo songbooks will include at least a brief section on how to read tab. That might also be a place where the tuning is stated. Perhaps in an "unless otherwise indicated" way.

What book is this?

---

@old-hickory it's Mel Bay's complete Clawhammer banjo book but Lisa Schmitz and Alec Slater. The first half of the book had tunings marked by string, but the second half doesn't. It's real weird.

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:26:38

quote:

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Originally posted by mmuussiiccaall

He better own an Irish tenor Banjo!!!

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I am a lady, and I own two tenor banjos (I tried to tell myself I'd sell one, but I can't bring myself to do it) but it's a Clawhammer book, so I don't think it's meant for a tenor.

awnothecorn - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:29:56

quote:

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Originally posted by banjoak

quote:

---

Originally posted by Old Hickory

quote:

---

Originally posted by awnothecorn

... I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? 

---

The answer to A and B was finally provided a few messages back.

D may be the key. Or it may be the chord to play. -If so, it's apparently the only chord.

As to tuning, since that's not shown above or within the tab, is it possible that information on tuning is provided in the first pages of the book? Most banjo songbooks will include at least a brief section on how to read tab. That might also be a place where the tuning is stated. Perhaps in an "unless otherwise indicated" way.

What book is this?

---

I agree, there are usually an introductory part of those books that explain how to read the TAB in that book, all symbols and marking, parts, repeats. Keep in mind TAB systems have some variance, is not always universal.

That said, can often still decipher; esp as start looking at other tunes in book. It looks to be 6/8 tune in the key of D, played  out of G tuning. (to answer original question)

The D probably just refers to the key. The M an T indicates it's a 5 string, probably clawhammer (down-picking rather than up).

---

So the book is divided in two parts - the first section was written by a different author, and the introduction to the second section has no instructions. Believe me, I searched before posting.

mmuussiiccaall - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:30:03

I think that's a U.K. style of TAB rendering,but no matter, the actual notation only lines up with GDAE tenor banjo tuning.

Paddy's Return

 

banjoak - Posted - 09/04/2024:  15:33:48

quote:

---

Originally posted by awnothecorn

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjoak

quote:

---

Originally posted by Old Hickory

quote:

---

Originally posted by awnothecorn

... I don't know what the A means in relation to the D. And if those are the keys, what tuning do I use? 

---

The answer to A and B was finally provided a few messages back.

D may be the key. Or it may be the chord to play. -If so, it's apparently the only chord.

As to tuning, since that's not shown above or within the tab, is it possible that information on tuning is provided in the first pages of the book? Most banjo songbooks will include at least a brief section on how to read tab. That might also be a place where the tuning is stated. Perhaps in an "unless otherwise indicated" way.

What book is this?

---

I agree, there are usually an introductory part of those books that explain how to read the TAB in that book, all symbols and marking, parts, repeats. Keep in mind TAB systems have some variance, is not always universal.

That said, can often still decipher; esp as start looking at other tunes in book. It looks to be 6/8 tune in the key of D, played  out of G tuning. (to answer original question)

The D probably just refers to the key. The M an T indicates it's a 5 string, probably clawhammer (down-picking rather than up).

---

So the book is divided in two parts - the first section was written by a different author, and the introduction to the second section has no instructions. Believe me, I searched before posting.

---

Sorry edited previous post... meant to say D tuning. (aDADE as mentioned previous)

Edited by - banjoak on 09/04/2024 15:44:27

Kellie - Posted - 09/10/2024:  07:42:24

This is the problem with tabs and I will preach it from the rooftops. Tabs alone are very unclear about many things.

5stringjim5 - Posted - 09/20/2024:  05:42:19

Awnothecorn, I found the book and read the intros. Alec's part is written for clawhammer it says, and Lisa's tunes are for picking. On her tunes, M is middle finger. T is thumb. So it appears she wrote it for 2 finger playing as there is no I for index finger that I could see in the samples online. The other posts are correct that say the A under the D at the beginning of your photo is the A part. The B later on is for the B part. Old time music was written generally in 2 parts, A and B. Looks to me like standard G tuning, just play a D chord throughout? I couldn't see the entire tab in your photo or find that tune in the samples online, but a lot of Lisa's tunes had one-chord songs in them. There was a huge introduction in the book I found online. It seemed to answer a lot of your questions. Does yours have that? It explains a lot of what you'll see in the tunes. Always good to read these books cover to cover and not skip over the intros that explain them.

Edited by - 5stringjim5 on 09/20/2024 05:45:05

janolov - Posted - 09/20/2024:  06:27:49

quote:

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Originally posted by 5stringjim5

....... Looks to me like standard G tuning, just play a D chord throughout? .....

It is absolutely NOT standard G tuning, it is double D (aDADE) or double C capo 2 (gCGCD capo 2), as several others have said above.

The letter M indicates middle finger. A lot of clawhammer players use the middle finger for clawhammering, and it is not picking. If it is picking it would probably be T and I.

The letter D probably indicates the key, and may be the tuning. Those two tunes will work with a D chord throughout, but if I played the rhythm guitar I would prefer to add at least an A chord on some places.