I have to say that so far I hardly every play melodic style above the 12th fret. I think a note in Arkansas Traveler played on the 14th fret/3rd string is the highest I have gone up the neck in melodic style. The reason for this is that in those higher registers playing an open string becomes much less probable which creates less "breathing holes" in the stream of notes that I could use for moving along the neck.

Well, like said, the fiddle & mandolin crowd pretty much dictate the keys of A & D for those tunes. Both of which, like you & a lot of others, I learned to play via capo @ 2nd fret. Regardless, those high notes remain at the same locations. So it is what it is. I'm too lazy to rig up another banjo for the sake of a couple high notes, much less pack it around to jam sessions. But hey, different strokes,,,whatever floats your boat.

they are wider and the strings being longer softens the attack --a medicine for me and my abilities and my activities --but thought I'd throw it on the pile

btw JD-- I did not rig up anything --just changed strings --and for me  and my wasted practice--- it probably involved several dozen notes at least not just a couple of notes -- for peace in the valley-I should have gave my usual'' ask no one to agree''-- statement--

No problem Tom. Have a nice day.

Learning to play Whiskey Before Breakfast in D out of G tuning opened up the beauty of playing in D (and A) with no capo.
Aah,those luscious low D notes and hammering the open G to an A on the 3rd string.
The E chord in the first 2 frets along with the Am.
Soldier's Joy in D gets 2 full octaves if it can have the low D note.
The open G neck offers so much.

one year ago

I will not break my promise to ignore
for the banjo students I am one too--regular G tuning gives one 2 octaves of the C scale and 3 if you do the dropped C

Since you made this about melodic style: has anyone used drop-C tuning for melodic playing? Drop-C has quite a few notes on the 4th string if you really are going that low. I already have quite a problem single-stringing D-E-F# on the 4th string for melodic tunes in D and drop-C would be one more note on the 4th string to play.

hey Phi-I was running this down as you posted ha ha--I never do the other tunings --pure laziness I guess --- I have not checked yet but figure this is going to be dropped C

I personally never liked my results with fast single string--but my pick bends are getting closer

not melodic but great --i never saw Earl smile so much--made my morning

I do have my home made baritone any time -which goes down to the lowest G on a guitar-I use it a lot too

I'm free to comment on any subject here,Tom.

from nine years ago---sounds like that leslie effect I like----on with the show --smooth water ahead
9 years ago-----I got to talk to Bill Keith at IBMA--I mentioned that when he played the classic stairstep scale decending from the12th fret high D note--anyway I said you seem to emphasize the note ahead of the beat more so than the usual crowd---he said--I like to tie them together----pick up notes are a lot of help --when this blind hog finds them--

I like whiskey in C so I can thumb the C instead of having to pull it with the middle when in D--

and now for the magic at it's best and off topic pit stop

When pondering this topic and going thru my tunes - I remember this one fact that has weighed in----moving things at the highest G chord area up 2 frets puts the heel in the way --along with harder (smaller) areas to depress the strings---

Tom,
Thanks for the great Chet Atkins, Bela etc. video...Unbelievable...Jack

quote:

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Originally posted by phb

Since you made this about melodic style: has anyone used drop-C tuning for melodic playing? Drop-C has quite a few notes on the 4th string if you really are going that low. I already have quite a problem single-stringing D-E-F# on the 4th string for melodic tunes in D and drop-C would be one more note on the 4th string to play.

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Have been toying with Spider Bit the Baby with drop C...difficult to get the D-E-F# sequence, single string, as you said!

Tom, I've been fooling with melodic upper 'fiddle register' breaks some and they're tricky for me. I've found that if I can get some 'closed string phrases' fairly solid up the neck, they are portable to other chords too. Preaching to the choir, I realize...

Always appreciate your comments and gentle nature, sir.

yes I once tried to start a topic on movable closed positions---Those great single string guys ran off and left melodics behind for us lessers to figure out------before the job was done

quote:

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Originally posted by Tractor1

yes I once tried to start a topic on movable closed positions---Those great single string guys ran off and left melodics behind for us lessers to figure out------before the job was done

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That's a pity because that's precisely the part of melodic style playing that I don't understand.

I recently observed a superb German banjo player in a very much advanced jam session. They were playing lots of fiddle tunes at 120+ bpm. He came up with lots of tasty variations and more. But when doing so, he always played single-string. I concluded that improvising that sort of stuff in melodic style was something at an even higher level of playing. Single-string, while certainly difficult to master, seems a bit like a shortcut to me. 

 Single-string, while certainly difficult to master, seems a bit like a shortcut to me. 

 

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Yes! Although there are some passages in the lower register/down the neck where the melody seems to require longer passages of single string (Whiskey Before Breakfast, others), I think a steady stream of single string technique lends to loss of "swing," and sounds more choppy. Better to weave a few notes in stealthily with melodic, in my opinion.

...I ask no one to agree. 

Personally I like to play slow blues in SS--but faster single string never reached out to me---(with the exception of Eddy Adcock)---I always considered Don Renos chord work on the jazzy stuff the best ----but did not like his single string--this is no doubt due to my own limitations --Alan Munde"s percentage is good enough for my goals-- Goals --that run as fast as I approach
improvising is also a mainstay I shy away from even though it is put forth as the biggest goal by some--I do get stuck with it for recovery .ha ha

I like to steal the clawhammer  trick of using hammer ons and pull offs to get a few more notes

Early practitioners of single string, as well as many other advanced techniques, never impressed me enough to integrate those styles into my playing. However, because XXXX never did it, is no longer valid, if indeed it ever was.

Somehow, I am able to get through WBB, melodic style, in the lower register, sans single string.

I forgot to mention my other exception besides Eddy Adcock--this one won't be topped in the going new places class ha ha--my one man's opinion-- but a little bit is all the humbling I need not a whole album---All  the styles and genres can be great or terrible music --but we do have individual taste

I measure my melodic successes and failures by getting opinions from fiddle players over the years.
I'm not satisfied if the fiddler doesn't know what tune I'm playing.