quote:
Originally posted by lost pilgrim
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.
I have also discovered that knowing the chord progressions has been a boost for me in learning to play the song. Sometimes the chord progression seems to be pretty nearly the song itself ..(i.e) Blackberry Blossom, Home Sweet Home.. others. 
To make it simple, whatever key your playing in that is number 1. the only other chords you need for over 95% of all country, and bluegrass music is the 4, and 5 chord. Or on a banjo neck, open is G, and where ever you put your capo for other keys, just count up the neck 5 frets for the 4 chord, and 7 for the 5 chord. If you bar the 5th or 7th fret it will be the 4 and 5 chord of the key your in. If you play the one chord with a different fingering, the same fingering on the 5th or 7th fret will be your 4 and 5. Really it is very simple. forget your sharps and flats, all you need is the 3 basic fingerings for the banjo. It all works the same.
Playin guitar for 40 years, I find it very strange that when learning banjo, you are starting off with tabs and banjo solos. Nobody would start learnin guitar by playing solo in "Enter Sandman". Guitar players start with chords and chords progressions.
Read what dr. Banjo says about this:
drbanjo.com/news-newsarchive-a...music.php
Also, to play chord progressions, with a little practice, you usually do not need a chord sheet. The principle is that the main chord 1 (eg G) of the song leads up to 4 (eg C) and the 5 (eg D or D7) leads back to (1). If you play along with a guitar or bass, they will often give clues to which chord is coming up. From G the bass will usually walk up to C or down to D.
In addition, you will need to know which minor chords belong to each chord (C-Am, G-Em etc). Google the circle of fifths and you will probably find lots of basic musical therory.
My banjo is pre-war. Pre the next war
Jan Erik from Norway
quote:
Originally posted by erstokke
Playin guitar for 40 years, I find it very strange that when learning banjo, you are starting off with tabs and banjo solos. Nobody would start learnin guitar by playing solo in "Enter Sandman". Guitar players start with chords and chords progressions.
Read what dr. Banjo says about this:
drbanjo.com/news-newsarchive-a...music.php
Also, to play chord progressions, with a little practice, you usually do not need a chord sheet. The principle is that the main chord 1 (eg G) of the song leads up to 4 (eg C) and the 5 (eg D or D7) leads back to (1). If you play along with a guitar or bass, they will often give clues to which chord is coming up. From G the bass will usually walk up to C or down to D.
In addition, you will need to know which minor chords belong to each chord (C-Am, G-Em etc). Google the circle of fifths and you will probably find lots of basic musical therory.
Sorry if somebody already noted this, but couldn't "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" (I vi ii V I) and "Salty Dog Blues" (I vi ii V I) really fall into the I-IV-V-I category? I'm away from my banjo at the moment, so I can't test my theory, but doesn't it seem more likely that the VI and the II are just harmonic subs for I and IV?
C.D.R.S.
Warning: I don't know half as much as I think I do, but my banjo playing is a lot better than it sounds.
I've been using chord progressions to learn new guitar songs for 45 or so years; ever since I taught myself how to play guitar (folk music) and form a quartet during college days( Kingston Trio and Limelighter music); when in my mid 50s I decided to learn banjo, I found it lenghty and slow process , totally forgetting the chord progression concept and stumbling through tab after tab. More recently I did remember cp and have done some non-bluegrass music. All the posts here and responces here are so valuable,in raising the awareness of this much quicker way of being able to actually make a more recognizable music, especially for the beginner and even anyone who wants to depart from some of the more traditional banjo music.
Let me end with a pattern for George Hamilton IV "Abilene":
1-3-4-1, 2-5-1-4-1 (g-b-c---g; a-d--gcg).
quote:
Originally posted by xray2
I've been using chord progressions to learn new guitar songs for 45 or so years; ever since I taught myself how to play guitar (folk music) and form a quartet during college days( Kingston Trio and Limelighter music); when in my mid 50s I decided to learn banjo, I found it lenghty and slow process , totally forgetting the chord progression concept and stumbling through tab after tab. More recently I did remember cp and have done some non-bluegrass music. All the posts here and responces here are so valuable,in raising the awareness of this much quicker way of being able to actually make a more recognizable music, especially for the beginner and even anyone who wants to depart from some of the more traditional banjo music.
Let me end with a pattern for George Hamilton IV "Abilene":
1-3-4-1, 2-5-1-4-1 (g-b-c---g; a-d--gcg).
quote:
Originally posted by sjyokel
Sorry if somebody already noted this, but couldn't "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" (I vi ii V I) and "Salty Dog Blues" (I vi ii V I) really fall into the I-IV-V-I category? I'm away from my banjo at the moment, so I can't test my theory, but doesn't it seem more likely that the VI and the II are just harmonic subs for I and IV?
C.D.R.S.
A couple of minor points:
Lost Pilgrim:
I've never seen a major key where the iii chord and the vi chord are major. In any major key the I. IV nd V (V7) chord s are Major chords, the ii, iii and vi chords are minor and the vii is a diminished chord. Thw usual convention is to represent major chords with upper case Roman numersals , minor (and diminished) chords with lower case.
SJYokel:
vi and ii as substitutes for IV and V is one way to look at it, but another way is to consider that chords in the progression can temporaroliy become the center of a secondary tonality with th first- like the orbit of a moon ( the ii or vi) aorund its planet (the IV or V7) which is itself orbting aorund teh real tonal center; I. some theorists explain the vi-ii-V as a chain of dominants- or "Five of Five" pattern which eventually leads back the the V, then home.
deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron
Cool. I wasn't familiar with the chain of dominants, but thanks for opening that door. I'll have to do some further research.
In the meantime, I think that leaves Salty Dog (for me at least) squarely in the "Other" category (not just a I-I-IV-V with a different voicing...if you will).
marker
I have recently added a couple of two chord songs to this thread: "Sally Goodin" and "Fireball Mail". I am not sure if "Angeline the Baker" is a two chord song (I V). Does anybody have any thoughts on whether "Angeline The Baker" is a two chord song?
"Remember to enjoy the banjo journey." (Chris Quinn)
It's a three chord song. Edit: googled a little and actually found a two chord version, which goes to the IV chord at the end of the line where I go to the V chord. Maybe there are two versions out there. If it were two chord it would be I and IV, not I and V like most two chord songs.
Gerhard
"Most bullet holes in banjos are a result of poor aim"
(Fretless Josh Saw in BNL July '02)
Edited by - GerhardP on 10/14/2007 02:33:15
quote:
Originally posted by GerhardP
It's a three chord song. Edit: googled a little and actually found a two chord version, which goes to the IV chord at the end of the line where I go to the V chord. Maybe there are two versions out there. If it were two chord it would be I and IV, not I and V like most two chord songs.
Gerhard
"Most bullet holes in banjos are a result of poor aim"
(Fretless Josh Saw in BNL July '02)
Thanks for the chart, has benn real handy!
I keep finding reasons for thanking my dad for teaching me how to hear chord changes.My first few years on banjo were done chording with a flat pick...basically playing backup to Dad's pedal steel and Ma's piano.Some of Ma's sheet music had chords written over the notation and sometimes with a little bit of guitar fretboard showing the guitar chords.Great foundational stuff that has served me well.
Sometimes I just gotta wait for better weather
woah, that really makes sense. That really makes a lot of sense. Thanks bro, thats going to make achieving great banjo prowess one heckuva lot easier.
I've always played Angeline I VIm I IV I. In D that would be D Bm, D G D.
Dennis
"Not being able to play very well is a good substitute for not having good taste." -Eddie Adcock
quote:
Originally posted by Galen
woah, that really makes sense. That really makes a lot of sense. Thanks bro, thats going to make achieving great banjo prowess one heckuva lot easier.
What a great source of information. I've already sent to other band members.
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Jakonczuk
What a great source of information. I've already sent to other band members.
I'm still trying to figure out why anyone needs this chart. What happens if you're at a jam and you discover that you left the chart home? Do you pack your mess and go home?
______________________________
turtle on a fencepost....
Some of us aren't as good as you beegee. If there is a song that I hear and there is a song that I already play, it will be easier if I know the chord progression ahead of time. I see this as a learning tool at home, not used for reference at a jam. It's also a great list of bluegrass songs for reference.
quote:
Originally posted by beegee
I'm still trying to figure out why anyone needs this chart. What happens if you're at a jam and you discover that you left the chart home? Do you pack your mess and go home?
______________________________
turtle on a fencepost....
Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 02/28/2008 04:23:37
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Jakonczuk
Some of us aren't as good as you beegee. If there is a song that I hear and there is a song that I already play, it will be easier if I know the chord progression ahead of time. I see this as a learning tool at home, not used for reference at a jam. It's also a great list of bluegrass songs for reference.
