quote:
Originally posted by hipinequote:
....The pick-up notes I believe TIMEWISE are notes that are subtracted from the last measure of the song ....
You got it all goin' on, mah bruthuh!
You opened up the box, so now I gotta know. Chicken or the egg? Did this chord stuff come out of Pete's camp, or did you hook up with Pete's camp when looking for a way to progress along these lines? I know he teaches this way now. I stumbled onto a "letter to banjo instructors" or something on his website once that caused me to yell "THANK YOU!" right out loud as it resonated so well with feelings I'd had for years, and expressed above. I'd love to attend one of Pete's camps........
I'd like to hear your thoughts on that camp, as pertains to the general subject of this post, building banjo arangements from chord progressions.......
-Dave G.
. The bigger challenge for me during that week and my real personal goal in that week was to understand the 6 step process - I did accomplish that goal with Pete's patience and good teaching. Many in the class graduated to 'Intermediate'. I have since had my own graduation to 'Intermediate' and I can now play a couple of songs based on the process he teaches. So, now my thoughts go to a lesson line that Pete taught us which goes like this: "I can do that" 
. The exciting news now is that I see fun times ahead on learning more songs on the banjo. I told Pete that next year I will be back for the INTERMEDIATE class (as opposed to 'Basic Class' I attended this last time) and I plan to be at least in the middle of the performance range - not one of the beginner intermediate students. For accurate descriptions and teaching methods you need to TALK TO PETE WERNICK - these comments of mine are just my take on the process and you need to talk to Dr. Banjo to get the class he teaches. I highly recommend him as a teacher.Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 06/06/2007 07:41:44
Thanks man. I need to raise the priority of attending one of Pete's camps. But I too need to get better at my rolls and fundamentals first, I think. One pit I sometimes fall into is for the fact that I'm "just comping" leading to actually getting sloppy, if I call it what it really is. I know I need to do more practice on good drive, tone, etc. I think those things are best hammered home in the learning of leads.
Sounds like you've got a great instructor down there. Stick with it. I have to check the maps. My wife is from Refugio, TX and we drive down there a few times a year. If we pass anywhere near your neck of the woods, we'll have to say hi.
And next time you're in CO, give us a shout!
All the best,
-Dave G.
Dave - that sounds good. My wife and I go to Estes Park from time to time - actually, it is our favorite hang-out. I hope we can get together one of these days.
Phil
Katy, TX
"Remember to enjoy the banjo journey." (Chris Quinn)
I don't know if you want to include this in your wonderful list but I just found out that the "Salty Dog Blues" follows a I-VI-II-V progression. This kind of progression is very common in a lot of jazz standards!
Phil
quote:
Originally posted by Zawinul
I don't know if you want to include this in your wonderful list but I just found out that the "Salty Dog Blues" follows a I-VI-II-V progression. This kind of progression is very common in a lot of jazz standards!
Phil
I appreciate your suggestion - Salty Dog Blues is one of my all time favorite Bluegrass songs. Thanks for that idea.Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 06/03/2007 17:32:15
This is wonderful!
Nice to have the list of tunes with the chord progressions.
Rusty
bump. this is a great thread that belongs close to the top, not on page two. had to bump it.
quote:
Originally posted by 72chevy
bump. this is a great thread that belongs close to the top, not on page two. had to bump it.
I have just added another song in Group A - I put updates in green for a short while. I am glad you like this project!
Now on to a matter of equal importance. When selecting songs to play for a set, I've always tried to mix them up from the various groups. Over the years, I've discovered that the listening audience will become easily bored if the back to back songs are of the same tempo, style, and dare I say chord progression patterns. Most of the time, it will be a sub-conscience thing since its not so readily apparent. Taken to the extreme though, imagine playing 10 straight numbers that had the progression of I - vi - IV - V progression.
Great point too...
Tom
Thanks KEMO for the time that you put into this for ALL of us....... Very COOL BEANS........Ban-Joey
The Song Remembers........
quote:
Originally posted by Ban-Joey
Thanks KEMO for the time that you put into this for ALL of us....... Very COOL BEANS........Ban-Joey
The Song Remembers........
Thanks again for the post.Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 06/18/2007 04:36:49
Hey Phil,
How are you liking that book/CD combo? I have a friend who's put together backing tracks from various sources to use in practicing various sets of guitar tunes he likes to play. I'd like to do the same for my banjo playing and it sounds like you might have a good base there. How do you like it?
Although I have to remind myself that a lot of the songs I like to play won't be found in bluegrass songbooks.... :^)
-Dave G.
quote:
Originally posted by hipine
Hey Phil,
How are you liking that book/CD combo? I have a friend who's put together backing tracks from various sources to use in practicing various sets of guitar tunes he likes to play. I'd like to do the same for my banjo playing and it sounds like you might have a good base there. How do you like it?
Although I have to remind myself that a lot of the songs I like to play won't be found in bluegrass songbooks.... :^)
HEY BOYS!!!
Jacob
Oops--just saw this was already mentioned by Phil from Germany, but---
Another group, and one that's a little more complicated (kinda jazzy) but loads of fun, is the I VI II V I as in 'Salty Dog Blues' or 'Don't Let Your Deal Go Down'. The 6-2-5-1 sequence also crops up in 'Dear Old Dixie' in the last few measures, and sometimes in the B part of 'Washington County', depending on who's playing it. Others can probably think of lots of additional tunes with these changes.
And another related group: The above 6-2-5-1 progression is part of a "circle of fifths", but there are several bluegrass tunes with a bigger chunk of the circle, usually in the B part, such as 'Rawhide' or 'Pickaway': III VI II V I
A lot of contest fiddle tunes use the circle of fifths--it lets them stretch out more. It's also very common in trad jazz tunes.
Dave in CA
Edited by - DaveInCA on 07/10/2007 01:15:11
Since this thread is such a good one I couldn't help but chip in.
Mostly I've seen the sixth in any key being shown as the Minor for that key. But it is also true that the 2nd and 3rd are also minors in any given key.
A key goes something like this
1st-Major
2nd-Minor
3rd-Minor
4th-Major
5th-Major commonly played as a seven as well(sevens happen to fit in the note structure of the keys here)
6th-Minor
7th-Diminished(this is a whole nother story)
8th-Back home with your Major again!!!
These chords are all dictated by the makeup of triads within Key structures........wish I could play them all on the Banjo....I learned this stuff
yrs ago on the Geeetar.....
Jonathan
Kemo -- Are you bringing your Progressions list to Camp?
brazosriverpickers.com/
I'll get better if I play it one more time
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Young
Kemo -- Are you bringing your Progressions list to Camp?
brazosriverpickers.com/
I'll get better if I play it one more time
Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 07/19/2007 17:39:45
How about a ride home from Leveland
Bob
brazosriverpickers.com/
I'll get better if I play it one more time
another great list, Thanks Phil
Scott
( ) ===== : :
"Just start picking and we'll figure it out"
Phil -- Great addition of the 2 chord songs & "other" list !!
Bob
brazosriverpickers.com/
I'll get better if I play it one more time
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Young
Phil -- Great addition of the 2 chord songs & "other" list !!
Bob
brazosriverpickers.com/
I'll get better if I play it one more time
Since banjo players don't seem to get out much, they miss one of the most important progressions in pop music, the I VIm IV V progression that has fed hundreds (thousands?) of pop and rock songs since the 1920's. In a similar vein is the I IIm V progression in a lot of newer country music, popular because it keeps the vocal range of a song within a sixth (do-re-mi-fa-so-la), a real plus for "singers" who may dynamically challenged.
Keep in mind the ragtime progressions, such as I (III) VI II V (Salty Dog, or Don't Let Your Deal Go Down, Goin' Back to Alabam)
A lot of country songs from the 40's and 50's that have migrated into bluegrass (Hank Williams stuff, for example) have a formulaic II chord in the second line. I say "formulaic" because it was a constant in song writing of the time. Likewise, the bridge or chorus was often built on the IV chord, as is the second part in most polkas. Finally, somewhere in the 60's, Nashville producers decided that a modulation (i.e. an actual change of key) gave a sense of movement and tension to country arrangements, and now most Nashville produced songs will go up a half-step after the bridge /chorus. Most male / female country duets are in two keys if both of the singers want a verse to themselves, but this usually has a kind of musical logic by going to the IV or V for the higher pitched voice. On the other hand, western swing bands seem to love working in unrelated modulations just for the fun of it. LIsten to Bob Wills original "New San Antonio Rose" for example.
Dennis
A couple of "Other" suggestions: Old Home Place (verse - I III7 IV I V I III7 IV I V; chorus -V I II7 V I III7 IV I V I) and Love, Please Come Home (I VII IV I IV I V I). These are two of my favourites.
One small quibble - in the master list you have Salty Dog and Don't Let Your Deal Go Down with I vi ii V I, where the lower case actually indicates minor chords. I see within the posts that the progression is indicated with all major chords, as is correct. (I know, I need a hobby, but I wouldn't want anyone to be confused.)
Great undertaking, and I'm sure that this was a great learning opportunity for you.
Scott
Ability to play the banjo soon places one in a social position to pick and choose from scores of social invitations. Everywhere, the banjoist is assured of a hearty welcome.
- from THE BANJO, 1927 pamphlet published by Gibson, Inc.
