Southwind is a traditional Irish waltz, played in the key of G (standard tuning). It has a very beautiful melody that we’ll first learn in its basic form using the melodic technique, then spice it up with a chord melody arrangement that ventures up the neck. While the basic melody is very simple, I’d suggest the more advanced variation of the tune is suited to the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
The Three Sea Captains is a traditional Irish jig, played at a medium tempo, in the key of G (standard tuning). With a jolly melody, both the A & B parts are longer than the usual fiddle tune, making for a more substantial tune to pick. I’d suggest that you need to be comfortable with the jig structure, as this tune takes it up a notch with a variety of rhythmic variation featured throughout, making this tune more suited to the advanced intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
Sailor’s Hornpipe is a well known, traditional hornpipe, played at an up-beat tempo, in the key of G (standard tuning). With a jolly melody and a focus on the melodic technique, the tune features arpeggios, some great scale movement, modulation and movement up & down the neck of the banjo. If you’re familiar with the melodic G major scale, it will help you get started, as I’d suggest this tune is suited to the advancing intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
The Temperance Reel is a popular fiddle tune, with a fantastic melody and chord progression. In the key of G (standard tuning), there are 2 parts, played at a quick tempo. The techniques required (melodic, single-string & rolling) as we cover the movement of the melody are suited to the advanced picker, but we’ll break this down within the lessons. Go to lesson...
‘O Come All Ye faithful’ is a beautiful Christmas carol and in this chord melody banjo lesson, we’ll learn a variation that supports the melody in both 2 & 3 part harmony. In the key of G (standard tuning), the dynamic rises and falls as the harmony moves in and out of 2 & 3 part, creates a lovely sense of contrast to the piece. The Go to lesson...
Turkey In The Straw is a popular American folk song, commonly played as an instrumental in bluegrass sessions. In the key of G, the banjo is in standard tuning (gDGBD) and the melodic technique is a feature of this arrangement. This arrangement is a perfect follow up for the Introduction To Melodic Banjo course, and well suited to the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
The Sailor’s Wife is a traditional Irish jig (6/8), played at a fast tempo, in the key of Dm, and the banjo is in standard tuning (gDGBD). The structure of the melody provides some challenging picking passages and left-hand movement, making it an appropriate study for the advanced intermediate picker. As part of the lesson, we’ll analyse the melody and picking technique within the 6/8 time signature and learn a fun tune! Go to lesson...
The Flowers Of Edinburgh is traditional Scottish reel, played at a medium/fast tempo, in the key of G (standard tuning). Well suited to the intermediate picker, and with a fluent knowledge of the melodic G Major scale, this tune is awfully fun to pick. Part A uses the melodic G major scale found at the 5th position, while Part B takes us further up to the neck with some lovely movement. Go to lesson...
In this lesson, we’ll take a look at a Scruggs/Melodic arrangement of You Are My Sunshine, in the key of G and we’re in standard tuning on the 5 string. With two variations, the first is a little more straight and features the melody a little closer, while the second variation introduces more blue note and fills around the melody. Go to lesson...
Cooley’s Reel is a traditional Irish reel in the key of Em (Dorian) and we’re in standard tuning on the 5 string. It has a great feel and features some difficult passages that use arpeggios and triplet slurs, all while giving your right-hand a brilliant work out, combining single-string, melodic & rolls. Go to lesson...