DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device.
Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher.
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more.
In his 1976 book Hot Licks & Fiddle Tunes for the Bluegrass Banjo Player Bill Knopf dedicates two chapters to endings — Chapter 1: 30 Ways to End a Solo Break and Chapter 4: Endings.
Today I'll cover Chapter 4 but it's worth noting that Knopf says many of the licks from Chapter 1 can serve as the endings of songs as well.
Knopf's ending licks are a two-part pair of licks that are appended to a song. You play through the song, usually returning to the tonic (that is, the chord that the song is written in), then you play a two-measure preparatory lick and a two-measure ending lick.
For example, if you're finishing a song that's written in the key of G you can play the last verse of the song then add this preparatory lick...
...and follow it with this finishing lick:
Knopf provides six preparatory licks and twelve ending licks, all following that same G-|DG|G-|DG pattern.
Cross-posted at J.R. Jenks' blog
Be the first to comment on “Endings month: Bill Knopf's two-part endings”
You must sign into your myHangout account before you can post comments.