In this 3-finger banjo lesson we’ll take a look at an arrangement of the Traditional Australian Folk Song, Click Go The Shears. The tune is in the key of G Major and we are in standard tuning. The time signature we are in is 6/8 (two dotted quarter note beats per measure). Go to lesson...
Tag Archives: Scales
Wayfaring Stranger: Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson we’ll look at a movable break for ‘Warfaring Stranger’ using the minor pentatonic scale, double stops & tremolo. Wayfaring Stranger has a wonderful melody, but being a song, can be played in many different keys, usually chosen by the vocalist. Having a break that you can easily transpose is a very handy thing to have up your sleeve. Go to lesson...
‘Waltz Time’ Licks: Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson we’ll take a look at some ‘Waltz Time’ Licks using the blues scale, major blues scale and arpeggios. Waltz time is the 3/4 time signature & all of these examples are in the key of A, but are movable in both open & closed positions. Other techniques we’ll be focusing on are down stroke picking, double stops & tremolo. Go to lesson...
Blues Licks: Mandolin Lesson
G’day! In this mandolin lesson we’ll take a look at some Blues Licks using the blues scale, major blues scale and arpeggios for the chords in the 12 bar blues, played in G. Other techniques we’ll be focusing on are down stroke picking, double stops & tremolo. The licks & concepts in this lesson will be suited to the advancing intermediate picker, wanting to develop their improvising skills. Go to lesson...
Blues Shuffle: Banjo Lesson
G’day! In this banjo lesson we’ll take a look at a Blues Shuffle 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.
This is the fourth blues lesson for the banjo, make sure you start with Blues Scale: Banjo Lesson where we cover some of the scales and arpeggios we’ll be using, plus there are a bunch more licks to learn first! Go to lesson...
Fill Licks #2: Mandolin Lesson
G’day! In this Fill Licks #2: Mandolin Lesson we’ll take a look at 6 movable licks that are built with the hybrid mixolydian blues scale. Make sure you’ve checked out the first Fill Licks: Mandolin Lesson as we are using the same scales, arpeggio patterns & theory when playing these new licks. Go to lesson...
Fill Licks: Mandolin Lesson
G’day! In this Fill Licks: Mandolin Lesson we’ll take a look at 4 movable licks that are built with the hybrid mixolydian blues scale. These licks work great when played between vocal phrases in a song, but can also be used in general improvisation. The licks are all positioned conveniently around their equivalent chop chord. Go to lesson...
Hot Major Blues Licks: Mandolin Lesson
G’day! In this mandolin lesson we’ll take a look at nine hot licks that are built with the major blues scale. We’re in the key of G for this lesson, with licks over the G, C & D chords in both the open position and up the neck. As part of this lesson we’ll dive into a little theory (major blues scale in open & movable patterns, plus the major arpeggio found inside the scale) to help you understand how to use these licks and also start to build your own! Go to lesson...
Mountain Dew (Build A Break): Mandolin Lesson
G’day! In this Build A Break mandolin lesson for ‘Mountain Dew’, we’ll take a look at 3 variations, starting out with the basic melody (beginner), adding double stops to the melody (intermediate) and finishing with melody, double stops & added passing notes (advanced).
The arrangement is in the key of Bb, and is a movable break. Go to lesson...
Blues in D: Banjo Lesson
G’day! In this banjo lesson we’ll take a look at a Blues in D using the blues scale and arpeggios for the chords in the 12 bar blues, played in D, plus we’ll also learn a number of licks to suit these chords. As part of this introductory blues lesson we’ll look at two versions of the D Blues Scale and the arpeggios for the three chords D7, G7 & A7. Go to lesson...