Crissdee - Posted - 03/15/2007:  20:30:51

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I am having a hard time picking out the melody while doing even a forward roll. I am playing the all time simple song, The Old Grey Goose or as I know it "Go Tell Aunt Rhody." Is it just practice, practice....... ? I was trying Goodnight Ladies while doing the roll and ......Sheesh....

GP4 Tom - Posted - 03/15/2007:  20:43:51

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quote:

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Originally posted by Crissdee

I am having a hard time picking out the melody while doing even a forward roll. I am playing the all time simple song, The Old Grey Goose or as I know it "Go Tell Aunt Rhody." Is it just practice, practice....... ? I was trying Goodnight Ladies while doing the roll and ......Sheesh....

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Practice is a good answer. However, just using the forward roll may be part of your problem. Using just forward rolls can be used for backup, but doesn't always work for melodys. Do you have the tabs for these songs?

Tom

BanjoBobb - Posted - 03/15/2007:  20:49:00

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Another suggestion is download one of the programs like Transcribe that allows you once you load the song on your computer to slow down or speed up the song without changing the key or tone. You can really hear the individual strings when they are picked at a speed you can find them.
Bob

BanjoBobb

Crissdee - Posted - 03/15/2007:  23:18:06

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I do have the tabs. When you all play the banjo with melody, do you just play a melody? I haven't seen any tabs for that. They all have rolls, whether forward or backward or both together.

Is this program "Transcribe" something anyone can download?

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Edited by - Crissdee on 03/15/2007 23:20:08

Joanchek - Posted - 03/15/2007:  23:27:06

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Criss, the melody is part of the rolls-- the melody is integrated into the rolls, if that makes sense. It sounds like you are using the Janet Davis book (I recognize the title "Old Gray Goose".

Play the song very very slowly and "sing along" in your head. That's helpful. It takes time to get a feel for how the melody fits into the rolls. It might help just to sing along with the companion CD at first, to hear where the melody notes are.

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Crissdee - Posted - 03/15/2007:  23:36:52

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I will give it a try. It is the Janet Davis book but I don't have the CD. When I tried to get it, it was unavailable. I will keep trying to get the CD. In her book, she says that the finger that starts the song is the finger that plays the melody. I have been trying to figure that out.

Crissdee - Posted - 03/16/2007:  01:06:35

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To add something here...... I can play Cripple Creek up to speed, and Jesse James and Boil the cabbage song. I don't understand where I lose the melody on some things. Like a mental block.

patches - Posted - 03/16/2007:  07:13:16

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Howdy, Hi Crissdee... I too use the JD book and I am working on "Picking" the melody. Lesson 5: The Old Gray Goose...

Practice it "slow"... if you have a Metronome set it at 72 BPM... each click, a note. When you play the forward roll make your "index" finger pick the string(s) harder than the thumb and middle finger... then keep moving the BPM up and you'll hear the melody notes better as you play. I am only up to 120 BPM now, but I can hear the Index finger's note...

When you get to lesson 6... just starting now, it will be the thumb... but the forward-reverse roll sounds better to me.

Have fun, that's what it is all about!

I don't play slow, I play at "singing speed"... Keep on the sunny side!

Don

AD3AD3AD3 - Posted - 03/16/2007:  08:15:41

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As Joanchek says, sing along with it as you play slowly. Most, if not all of the melody notes will be picked up in the rolls. I think we'd all be better served if TAB identified the melody notes or if a staff of conventional musical notation were printed above the lines of TAB or if lyrics were always included.

AD3

pstroud1 - Posted - 03/16/2007:  09:31:25

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I agree with the above. If you sing along with the song you get the feel of the melody. I think it's best to pick the melody a little heavier than the rest of the roll. But singing will help you shed the need for tab later.

Paul

Crissdee - Posted - 03/16/2007:  10:54:15

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Thanks everyone. I will give it my best today. I wish the tab highlighted the melody notes too. Would make it much easier. I even tried Tabledit at the slowest speed to highlight the melody notes of some songs myself but couldn't hear many melody notes... It seems for me that when I hear something catchy I can feel it and play but to do lessons I lose something in all the translation. I will have to get a metronome.

Patches - did you notice on The Old Grey Goose on the second frame where it has a 3rd fret second string and the next note is an open 1st string that it sounds the same but sounds weird? I find myself stopping there. Does it only sound weird to me?

papasmurf - Posted - 03/16/2007:  11:26:19

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Crissdee Most if not all of the melody notes in old grey goose fall on the second and third strings

patches - Posted - 03/16/2007:  14:42:21

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Howdy Crissdee,

Sounds odd, but it makes you have to use your fingers! If you put your middle finger on the 3rd fret at the same time you have your index on the first fret all you have to do then is lift your middle finger up and you are ready for the 4th note. (I learned how to do this from taking lessons, and JD kind-of talks about "walking" the strings on her CD.... You wouldn't know what she meant unless it was explained... maybe the DVD shows this step.

This measure was "hanging" me up to... I slowed down to 60 BPM and practiced until I could hit the notes right. I can play this now at about 120 BPM... goal while I am learning is to be able to do 168 BPM on songs (not variations yet)

This is a GREAT weekend to practice. I mark down in my book what my BPM are after I can play through 4 times... then kick it up until I can do 168 BPM. I use Lesson 4 and 5 now for practice and I am "working" on Lesson 6... slow, but fun!

I don't play slow, I play at "singing speed"... Keep on the sunny side!

Don

BanjoBobb - Posted - 03/16/2007:  21:00:41

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Crissdee,
The Transcribe program is downloadable and is free to use for a trial period.
Give it a try.
Bob

BanjoBobb

Crissdee - Posted - 03/17/2007:  23:59:35

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I will download it. Thanks! And thanks Lawrence it will be a help. Thanks Patches. I like that we are working at the same page but you are graduating to the next..... My weekend was sooo sunny that I planted my spring garden and worked on my culinary herbs. I don't use them a lot but my friends will cook for me. LOL

derwood400 - Posted - 03/18/2007:  10:09:09

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I was glad to see this post. That is something I have had problems with also. Being able to hear the melody in a song when I first try to learn it. Its like I keep practicing and trying to play it, and then all of a sudden one day the melody just comes out of it. Once you finally hear it you wonder why you couldn't just hear it from the beginning. I will use all the advice given on here by fellow pickers. Thanks to all.

Banjophobic - Posted - 03/18/2007:  11:36:58

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Remeber that the rolls themselves have nothing to do with the actual melody. What's done in BG style in incorporating rolls, makiing sure that the melody notes are incorporated into the rolls so that they are in the proper spots in each measure of the song. This way the listeners brain can "connect the dots" so to speak-hear the melody,amongst the flow of the rolls.
Think of the rolls also as filler that makes the sparse sound of a simple melody line more rich and complext. The melody is the 'cake' and the rolls are the 'icing'. Too much icing and you cant taste the cake and its overpowering. If you focus on finding where the melody notes are in each roll, in each chord you hold AS you rolls,etc., you'll be able then to emphasis these notes. You and the listener will 'hear' the melody sitting amongst all those pretty rolls-