Category Archives: Banjo

Liberty: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In this Liberty: Banjo Lesson, we’ll take a look at the basic melody of the tune for the progressing intermediate to advanced picker, focusing on the melodic technique. Liberty is a traditional fiddle tune in the key of D, and this arrangement is played in standard open G tuning. Go to lesson...

Road To Lisdoonvarna: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In this Road To Lisdoonvarna: Banjo Lesson, we’ll take a look at a single string arrangement of the tune. Road To Lisdoonvarna is a traditional Irish Single Jig in the key of Em (dorian), sharing the same key signature as D (F# & C#). The left hand note combinations are played in a single string style and the right hand follows this with an alternating thumb & index finger, following the single jig rhythm. Go to lesson...

Blues in G: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In this banjo lesson we’ll take a look at a Blues in G using the blues scale, major blues scale and arpeggios for the chords in the 12 bar blues, played in G, plus we’ll also learn a number of licks to suit these chords. As part of this lesson we’ll dive into some ideas to help you take your licks to the next level! Go to lesson...

Foxhunters, The: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In The Foxhunters: Banjo Lesson, we’ll take a look at the basic melody of the tune. This arrangement is played with a single-string technique & a little melodic technique at times. The Foxhunters is a traditional Irish Slip Jig (9/8 time) in the key of D. The left hand note combinations are relatively straight forward, but is quite a challenge for your right hand! Go to lesson...

Fanny Power (O’Carolan): Melodic Banjo Lesson

G’day! Fanny Power is a very pretty tune composed by Turlough O’Carolan. It is an Air, that has a sweet sounding melody, played in the key of G, in the 6/8 time signature. In this Fanny Power (O’Carolan): Melodic Banjo Lesson we’ll take a look at beginner melodic banjo arrangement of the tune. Go to lesson...

Big Sciota: Melodic Banjo Lesson

G’day! Big Sciota is one of my all time favourite fiddle tunes. It has a sweet sounding melody and is great fun to play! In this Big Sciota: Melodic Banjo Lesson we’ll take a look at an intermediate melodic banjo arrangement of the tune, played in the key of G. The melody sits in the melodic G major scale, using a large part of the neck. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 102: The Banjo Octave Pattern

Using the banjo octave pattern to gain fretboard freedom is a crucial and quick step to locate a note anywhere on the fretboard. By using the banjo octave pattern and your knowledge of the notes on one or two strings (see Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet) it becomes quite simple to locate any note on any string, then play a chord, scale, arpeggio, etc. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet

Fretboard Freedom: The Musical Alphabet is the first lesson in a course that will help you unlock the fretboard, enabling you to find any note, double stop, chord, scale, arpeggio in any position. It will give you the freedom to find your way in any key and have the ability to transpose/reposition breaks, melodies & chord progressions and improve your ability to improvise. Go to lesson...

Blues Scale: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In this banjo lesson we’ll take a look at the blues scale and arpeggios for the chords in the 12 bar blues, played in G, plus we’ll also learn a number of licks to suit these chords. As part of this lesson we’ll dive into a little theory to help you understand how to use these licks and also start to build your own! Go to lesson...

St Anne’s Reel: Banjo Lesson

G’day! In this banjo lesson we’ll take a look at an arrangement of the traditional tune, St Anne’s Reel. A very pretty tune, played in a melodic style, we’re in the Key of D and the banjo is in standard tuning (G D G B D).

In this jam packed lesson we’ll also cover two variations of the D Major scale in standard tuning, plus a back up arrangement on the banjo (avoiding the 5th string when needed!). Go to lesson...