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Genre: Traditional Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/14/2021 - 1 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is my version of this cool old tune from the 1850s which is still played to this day, usually as an instrumental or fiddle tune. Here I have tabbed out parts for two banjos, and you can consider these as music blocks which you can absorb, change, move around as you feel. I've made a YouTube video which gives you an ideal of how this might sound, found at this link: https://youtu.be/ZNYD9nUWVJc
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: A Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 10/25/2019
Download: PDF
Notes: This is my version of the fun instrumental by Vernon Derrick. I came up with a lead part which pretty much mimics the triplet runs you'll hear fiddlers play for this tune. Then I came up with a note for note part for a twin banjo or that you can play with a fiddler who's playing lead.
This is my first attempt at tabbing a tune. This is tabbed at 1/2 speed basically so I could more clearly convey the triplets, etc. I hope you enjoy!
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: C Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 1/2/2023
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: I had recently worked this tune up and tabbed it out in the Key of D and uploaded that to the BHO archive ... then on New Year's Eve at a picking party, a fine guitar picker pulled this tune out, but in the Key of C. So I worked this up in C, be sure to check out the version in D as well. This is a fun tune to play in any key.
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 1/2/2023
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is a tune that's been on my radar for years and I finally got around to working up a break. I listened to what Doc was doing and kinda-sorta worked around that, and this is what I came up with. UPDATE: I also worked this up in the Key of C, and uploaded that as a separate tab in the archive.
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: G Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/19/2021
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: These are some variations on this cool instrumental I've come up with to spice things up a little bit. It seemed every banjo picker knew a well known melodic version but that was about it, so I wanted to come up with some Scruggs-type ways to approach this tune, with a little chromatics thrown in here and there. I especially enjoy the stuff I came up with for Part B ... lots of fun to be had with this tune. I also have a rambling video I made back in 2013 which shows some of these licks in play ... https://youtu.be/5qdZJgmL7Ig
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: G Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 2/15/2022
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is my original arrangement of this beautiful tune by Paul McCartney. In working this up I discovered that Paul does not always play it the same way, occasionally adding in some transitional or "bridge" measures before the 3rd and 4th verses, and sometimes only before the 4th verse. This version is the latter.
Anyway, this is a fun tune to play and beautiful to hear. I hope you enjoy.
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: Cm Tuning: Drop C (gCGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 2/27/2021 - 1 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: I picked this tune sometime Fall 2020 at a jam session up in Shelby, NC. Until then it had never been on my musical radar at all. A cool tune by Bill Emerson. This is my take on it, and I give a few different roll ideas in the tab. I've also made a YouTube video which can be found at https://youtu.be/pvbJzjVniUw
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: A Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 11/6/2019
Download: PDF
Notes: This is my version of this fun traditional fiddle tune. Part A is fairly straightforward, and I've included two different melodic versions for Part B for you to mess around with. I hope you enjoy.
Genre: Popular Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 6/27/2021
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: This is my arrangement for 5-String Banjo of this tune "Dance With Me" made popular by the band Orleans in the early 1970s. Good songs are ageless! I have also created a YouTube video to give you an idea of how this sounds, found at https://youtu.be/badtIDqcUnE
Genre: Country Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: G Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/14/2021
Download: PDF
Notes: Old video demo can be seen at https://youtu.be/zCpUuRrTzMk ... This is my original version of Jerry Reed's song "East Bound and Down." I came up with this about 30 years ago and never have actually played this in any band setting, only at occasional jam sessions where this song is pulled out of the hat. I have been asked to tab this song in the past and only got around to doing it today. Part A is almost entirely melodic. For Part B, while not melodic, I give two variations to play around with. For this version you should be able to comfortably play the 2nd string with your middle finger (inside strings) which adds to its bouncy feel. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: Dm Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 11/18/2022
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is my original version of this cool old Latin tune. It's a fun tune to play.
You'll see I tend to hang out on the three inner strings a lot which may take some getting used to. I really like the warmth you find there.
To my ear, Part B has no discernible melody line so I'm just filling the space with misc banjo rolls. Feel free to go nuts.
I give you plenty of ideas to play around with here and I hope this inspires you to come up with your own versions.
I have a YouTube video which will give you an idea of how some of this might sound out in the wild:
https://youtu.be/m2WNvAeAxJo
I hope you enjoy :)
Genre: Traditional Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: A Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/17/2021 - 1 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: This is my take on this cool old tune by Bill Monroe and Byron Berline. I'm adding a minor chord in Part B which isn't in Monroe's original version. This is something that I noticed over the years lots of musicians throw in when they jam to this tune, and I've come to adopt it too, it seems to belong and gives some subtle added flavor... I've made a YouTube video which is pretty close to this tab, found at https://youtu.be/-1UQG4gCUAw
Genre: Folk Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Expert
Posted by banjoy, updated: 1/19/2023 - 4 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is my original adaptation of this cool instrumental by Tommy Emmanuel. This is a pretty cool tune and fun to play. In addition to this tab., I've made a YouTube video playing to a backing track I made from one of Tommy's CDs ... cut and paste this link to your browser https://youtu.be/hv1X0WQfFcM
Genre: Jazz Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: C Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 3/3/2021
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is my arrangement of this early jazz tune by Stuff Smith and popularized by the likes of Fats Waller in the 1930s and 40s. I learned this tune 40+ years ago and kind of forgot about it until it came up in a thread recently on BHO. I was working on a video demonstration to go with this until my camera decided it didn't want to cooperate anymore so until I figure that out this will have to do. It's a fun tune to play ... especially if you can find like minded musicians :)
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: A Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 6/24/2021
Download: PDF
Notes: This is my rendition of this nice old fiddle tune, arranged for twin banjos. I have also created a YouTube video where I added a third rolling backup part, so you can get a good idea of how this sounds. At this link: https://youtu.be/6MKMOtVWLpM
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: Dm Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/14/2021
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download] | MIDI [Play] [Download] | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: A basic video demo can be seen at https://youtu.be/UKQBDK7d3EU ... This is my arrangement for 5-string banjo on the cool Instrumental "Manzanita" by Tony Rice. This includes the basic building blocks of the tune, including the backup chords ... feel free to take it and run with it :)
Genre: Other Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 8/17/2021
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: This is my version of Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna!" The first part is classically-inspired from a version I learned decades ago in Memphis, TN. The melodic version is something I came up with about 25 years ago when diddling with this tune. I've also posted a video of me playing this, pretty close to this tab, on my BHO page. I hope you enjoy :) ... I've also made a video of this which can be found at https://youtu.be/iRD7cLqMxOA
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: A Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 6/11/2023
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: This is my take on this cool fiddle tune. Open G tuning, Capo 2 frets to key of A. I've also prepared a simple YouTube Video to demostrate how this might sound, found here: https://youtu.be/-MHQSMDASUs
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 12/31/2020
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: A BHO thread popped up about wanting ideas for playing this tune in the Key of D. So here is an idea for the intro only, playing in open G tuning.
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: G Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 10/25/2019 - 1 Member Comments
Download: PDF
Notes: This is a tune I wrote several years ago which was inspired by a musical phrase (a "lick") I heard on one of Sam Bush's albums. It's amazing what a lick can inspire. So I named the tune after Sam. It's a fun tune to play so I thought I'd throw it out there for whoever might be interested. I hope you enjoy :)
Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: F Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 4/4/2023
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: Bela Fleck's 1988 album "Drive" for me personally was a seminal moment in trying to learn banjo. I had never before heard a banjo do what Bela was doing, how he was approaching and utilizing the banjo in original compositions. Every tune on that album is a masterpiece in my opinion and certainly changed my view of what a banjo is capable of ... not that I could ever hope to achieve that level of musicianship, but definitely opened my mind and ears on what banjo can do beyond lead and backup ... So this is my half-fast attempt at this masterpiece, something I'll never perform publicly or in any gig but is fun to absorb nevertheless. It is a very cool tune. I greatly enjoyed trying my hand at it and creating the tablature, and I hope you enjoy it much as I have. ***** I have created a YouTube video where I layered three banjos, just having fun with the tune, but it will give you an idea of how the tablature sounds for the lead banjo part ... FOUND HERE https://youtu.be/Wn-Ul7sUQKs
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 7/17/2020 - 1 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: This is a couple of variations I do on this cool old traditional fiddle tune. I came up with the melodic break for Part B many years ago and get to polish it off every now and then. I have an MP3 of this tune in my audio archive which lets you hear a lot of what I have tabbed out in action :). Enjoy!
Genre: Other Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: Dm Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 7/30/2020 - 1 Member Comments
Download: TABLEDIT | PDF
Notes: YouTube video at https://youtu.be/M-Gduj8dRg0 ... This is my simple arrangement for 5-String Banjo of this haunting song by Jim Croce. I finally got around to tabbing this out after repeated requests over the years. Note that I take quite a few liberties with the tune, including adding a bridge (invoked again as the ending) as well as a more straightforward chord structure than some of the convoluted stuff I see on the internet. And its most basic, I'm simply naming the passing chords which underlay the tune, and not attempting to slap a name on everything that's going on as some transcribers seem to do. The chordal riffs in this tune should be thought of as melody throughlines rather than named chords. The first pass through the tune I basically follows the tab as included. My 2nd time through I play it differently which is not tabbed out.
The 2nd half of the video shows a very simple melody line to consider. Of course, everything presented here are just ideas to get you started. I am sure you banjo folks can come up with some cool stuff to lay on top and I hope this inspires you to explore this very cool tune.
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: D Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by banjoy, updated: 3/9/2023
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is a tune I've picked for decades so finally decided to tab out a version. This is one of many variations of this cool fiddle tune I've worked up over the years, this version is melodic-heavy. This is a fun tune to play and a very popular tune at jams, festivals and whatnot. I've posted a YouTube video of living room picking to this tune, found at https://youtu.be/fUuK1gPq47w
Genre: Popular Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: Am Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Expert
Posted by banjoy, updated: 3/2/2022
Download: TABLEDIT | MP3: [Play] [Download] | PDF | MP3: [Play] [Download]
Notes: This is a tune I picked up within the last 20 years and came up with an ever-evolving banjo version. I never tried to emulate
any particular version of this tune nor have I tried to emulate a drop-thumb approach. My brain doesn't work like that.
My approach is to simply play the tune in a Scruggs-based style which works just fine. In writing this tab I realized
that I rarely play the tune the same way twice and pull from a body of licks on-the-fly as I play it.
So, in this tab you will see I offer several variations for the same phrases which appear throughout the tune. This is a fun tune to play and I've noticed over the years that it's becoming more commonplace, part of a growing shared repertoire at jams and get-togethers.
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