Genre: Bluegrass Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Key: G Tuning: Standard Open G (gDGBD) Difficulty: Intermediate
Posted by corcoran, updated: 10/25/2015
Download: TABLEDIT
Notes: In addition to creating melodic style, IMHO in parallel to and independently of Carroll Best and Bobby Thompson, Bill Keith introduced to basic Scruggs style layers of elegance, complexity, and subtlety that had not been heard before he appeared on the stage. Here is one simple example that says it all, the first few measures of the first break in the song “Livin’ on the Mountain,” from Keith and Rooney’s album of the same name. Keith took one of Scruggs’s standard licks, employing a forward-backward roll with a pull-off on the third string, and threw in a subtle twist by pulling off to the fifth string and pivoting to the open third. Compare Keith’s version to Scruggs’s in the tab, and you will get my drift. When I heard this in 1963 or 1964, I realized that Bill Keith had opened new horizons on the banjo.
kmwaters Says:
Saturday, October 31, 2015 @9:31:55 AM
Subtle and cool. R.I.P. Bill.
Larry Kraus Says:
Monday, May 29, 2017 @6:42:29 AM
I don't see a pull-off on the 5th string. Were you referring to the 4th string e to d pull-off?
larryjkraus@gmail.com
corcoran Says:
Thursday, November 23, 2017 @9:46:27 AM
I meant that Bill played a pull-off on the third, then then open fifth, then the open third — just as the tab shows.
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