BANJO

COMPLETE BLUEGRASS BANJO METHOD. Neil Griffin. CD TABLATURE

Product Description:
One of the very best G tuning five-string bluegrass banjo methods available! The book teaches how to pick out tunes single-string style (one note at a time), how to play chord accompaniment, and how to play solos in the full three-finger, bluegrass style. Topics include note and tab reading, chord background styles, traditional bluegrass techniques, fills and endings, use of the capo, rolls, slides, hammers, pull-offs, choking, harmonics, and up-the-neck playing. In notation and tablature. The CD includes acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, and a rhythm track as well as the 5-string banjo. All songs and most exercises are included in this teaching recording, performed at a tempo that the student should be able to maintain in short order.

Product Description:
One of the very best G-tuning five-string bluegrass banjo methods available. Contents include note reading, tablature, chord background styles, three finger picking, rolls, licks, runs, fills, and endings, use of the capo, easy solos, and advanced up-the-neck solos in three-finger style! CD is a stereo play-along recording.

Neil Griffin was born and still resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Music has always been his prime interest, starting wtih clarinet instruction in the fifth grade and learning guitar on his own. He performed as a member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at age 15 playing bass clarinet. He also began performing with area dance bands on saxophone, clarinet, and guitar.

He studied music at the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, playing First Chair Alto Sax as a freshman in the UNC Concert Band. Neil taught as Band Director at three county schools for several years and at the same time privately for Kidd-Frix Music Co. in their Charlotte accordion school. When the School was purchased by Music Inc. Neil went into management and retail music sales for them. At the same time, Neil played regularly with his own band for wedding receptions, office parties, etc., and gained valuable experience from playing summer theater for many well-known stars as well as being called on a regular basis to play banjo, guitar, and clarinet for traveling Broadway shows appearing in the area.

Neil was very active in the Charlotte Musicians Association and served as president for approximately 13 years as well as holding other executive offices.

Some of the first professional jobs Neil played were good old southern square dances, which at that time weren't as fancy as they are today but provided him with an appreciation for country and bluegrass music that was never forgotten. He enjoyed doin 5 radio shows and two TV shows per week at WBT and WBTV in Charlotte for over a year.

In the early 60's Neil was hired to manage Tillman Music Co. in Charlotte. There he helped in starting the Aria Pro II line of instruments. Neil and his brother Steve, who also writes for Mel Bay Publications, went into the music-school business tohether in the 70's and later expanded as a retail music store. During this period Neil met Mel Bay and began to write material for 5-string banjo which was pretty scarce at the time. He has thoroughly enjoyed writing and teaching.

Currently, Neil is a performing musician, band leader and co-owner of the Neil Griffin Studios of Music in Charlotte, North Carolina where his instructional books are field tested and proven effective with students of all ages. He has authored or co-authored several books for Mel Bay Publications on the subjects of 5-string banjo, rock guitar, and accordion.

THE AUTHOR
Neil Griffin is a performing musician and teacher with many years of experience. He is co-owner of Griffin Music Scene in Charlotte, North Carolina, where this method has been field-tested and proven with students of all ages. Neil is the author of Mel Bay Publications' Easiest Banjo Book, Anthology of 5-String Banjo Styles, The Complete Banjo Book, and several other publications from Mel Bay.

ABOUT PART ONE A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR
I have attempted to set forth a basic, "from-the-beginning" system of five-string banjo instruction in the G or bluegrass tuning for the use of both teachers and students. Through the use of this method, the student should expect to learn the following:

1. How to pick out tunes single-string style (one note at a time).
2. How to play chord accompaniment.
3. How to play solos in the full three-finger, bluegrass style that is so popular today.

All the songs and solos in Part One are written in two simple keys (Gand C). All the playing
is done in the basic position (the first few frets).
The student will learn to play rolls, slides, hammers, and pull-offs. Techniques such as choking, playing harmonics, and high solo playing up the neck are purposely omitted in Part One. These will be covered in Part Two, as I believe that a thorough knowledge and facility should be gained in the basic position before moving on.
All of the songs in the first part are written two ways - one simple version showing the single-note melody as well as the chord strums and words - one complete three-finger, bluegrass solo that matches. Ifyou have a friend who plays a few chords on the guitar, it will be fun to play the song together, swapping back and forth with one playing the melody and the other strumming the chords. Later, when you can handle full solos, the music will still work together.
Daily practice is essential in order to master the material in this method and is one thing you must discipline yourself to do. No one else can do it for you.
If you are not taking regular instruction from a banjo teacher or if there are no banjo teachers in your town and you feel you need extra help, any competent guitar teacher will understand the material in this book and willbe able to help you to understand the things that cause you trouble.
Good luck and, above all, have fun with your music!
Neil Griffin

PART TWO FOREWORD
Iwant to thank the many thousands of banjo enthusiasts who have purchased the Mel Bay books I have written. It is certainly gratifying to receive letters and phone calls from all over the world commenting on my books and requesting more advanced material for the fivestring banjo.
There is quite a bit of good music available now for the five-string banjo, but as I study all that I can obtain, my feeling remains the same as when I wrote my first book. There seems to be a lack of actual teaching material that systematically acquaints the aspiring banjo player with the techniques necessary to become an accomplished banjoist. A banjo player must utilize his or her own talents and imagination in playing exciting music. In order to achieve what your musical ear wants to hear, you must know just where to find the sounds that you are looking for on your instrument. I sincerely hope that this book will help those who use it correctly, not only just to play the songs as they are written here, but to learn your way around the banjo so well that you can extend the solos, improve upon them, and create your own versions.
Included in this part are information on chords and chord progressions, scales and keys, single-string picking, melodic or chromatic style, back-up, blues and boogie, various technical exercises, and standard tunes as well as some original material to help demonstrate their use. It is very important that you understand and can play the material in Part One of this method in order to get the most out of this volume. It would also be helpful if you would read through and play the supplementary material that I have written previously - Mel Bay's Easiest Banjo Book, Complete Banjo Book, and Anthology of 5-String Banjo Styles. Again, many thanks for your interest and support, and best wishes for many hours of 'Happy Pickin'

"MELODIC" OR "CHROMATIC" PICKING
THE NEXT FEW PAGES WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO THE "MELODIC" OR "CHROMATIC" STYLE OF BANJO PLAYING. THE MAJOR PART OF THE MATERIAL IS IN G BECAUSE YOU ARE SO FAMILIAR WITH THE KEY, BUT SEVERAL OTHER KEYS ARE SHOWN.
THIS STYLE IS SOMETIMES CALLED "FIDDLE SCALE PLAYING" BECAUSE IT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE BANJO PLAYER TO PLAY RAPID RUNS AND FILL-INS AS WELL AS THE OLD-TIME FIDDLE AND MANDOLIN TUNES THAT HAVE SO MANY NOTES IN EACH MEASURE OF THE MUSIC. MOST OF THE OLD FIDDLE TUNES HAVE ABOUT EIGHT NOTES PER MEASURE AND DO NOT ADAPT WELL TO THE "SCRUGGS" STYLE.
MOST GOOD BANJO PLAYERS USE A MIXTURE OF THE TWO STYLES IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING MONOTONOUS.
IF YOU READ MUSIC AND HAVE A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE MELODIC SCALE PATTERNS, YOU CAN READ FIDDLE AND MANDOLIN TUNES DIRECTLY FROM FIDDLE AND MANDOLIN MUSIC. THIS ABILITY ALONE WILL OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY LITERALLYTHOUSANDS OF TUNES YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IN THIS STYLE OF PLAYING THE RIGHT-HAND FINGERING REQUIRES YOU TO PICK THE SECOND STRING WITH THE MIDDLE FINGER. THIS TAKES SOME PRACTICE BUT WILL ENABLE YOU TO PLAY RUNS THAT WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO FINGER BEFORE.
BE PATIENT, AS YOU WILL PROBABLY FEEL LIKE AN AWKWARD BEGINNER FOR A WHILE. BUT DON'T GIVE UP - IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT .... MEMORIZE ONE SCALE PATTERN AT A TIME AND DON'T MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE UNTIL YOU CAN PLAY IT QUITE SMOOTHLY.
 

ADVANCED SOLO SONG SECTION
BE SURE TO READ THE NEXT FOUR PAGES ON "CHORD DIAGRAMS," "CIRCLED TAB NUMBERS," "THE CHOKE," AND "CHIMES" BEFORE YOU START PLAYING THE SOLOS. THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE SOLOS MUCH BETTER.
INCLUDED IN THIS SECTION IS A WIDE VARIETY OF MATERIAL.
THERE ARE SEVERAL SONGS THAT YOU LEARNED IN PART ONE IN THE BASIC POSITION THAT ARE PRESENTED HERE IN THE HIGHER OCTAVE (UP THE NECK). THESE MAY BE CONNECTED TO THE PREVIOUS SOLOS YOU HAVE LEARNED TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF CHORUSES YOU CAN PLAY.
MANY OF THE SONGS HAVE BOTH LOW AND HIGH VERSIONS WITH A MIXTURE OF "SCRUGGS" AND "MELODIC." THERE ARE SEVERAL ORIGINAL TUNES INCLUDED. IN SOME INSTANCES THE STYLE USES THE HOLDING OF COMPLETE CHORDS WHERE I OBVIOUSLY COULD HAVE MADE THE PlAYING MORE FLOWING AND OPEN TO SUIT MORE ADVANCED PlAYERS, BUT I DID NOT SET OUT TO WRITE JUST ANOTHER "SOLO BOOK. " IT IS MY HONEST HOPE THAT YOU WILL, THROUGH THE USE OF THIS BOOK, REALLY BEGIN TO SEE WHERE THINGS ARE COMING FROM THAT YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND BEFORE. STUDYING THIS MATERIAL THOROUGHLY WILL ENABLE YOU TO READ AND UNDERSTAND SOLOS WRITTEN BY MUCH GREATER BANJO PLAYERS THAN MYSELF.

INDEX OF ADVANCED SOLOS II
ARKANSAS TRAVELER
BANJO BLUES
BICENTENNIAL BREAKDOWN
BILL BAILEY.
BlACK EYED SUSIE .
BLUE MOUNTAIN TRAIN
BLUEGRASS JOE
BUFFALO GALS (MELODIC STYLE)
BUFFALO GALS (3-FINGER STYLE) .
BULLY OF THE TOWN
BURY ME BENEATH THE WILLOW .
CARELESS LOVE .
CARRY ME BACK TO OLD VIRGINIA
CATFISH CREEK.
CHIME TIME
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY
GEORGIA GALLOP
GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK
HARD AND IT'S HARD
JOHN HARDY (HIGH CHORUS)
JOHN HENRY .
LONDONDERRY AIR
MAMA DON'T 'LOW
NINE POUND HAMMER
NUEGRASS
OLD TIME RELIGION (HIGH CHORUS)
PICKIN' AROUND
ST. ANNE'S REEL
SALTY DOG
STOCKADE BLUES
UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE
WABASH CANNONBALL
WILDWOOD FLOWER
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN
WRECK OF THE OLD 97 

MEL BAY'S COMPLETE BLUEGRASS BANJO METHOD
Cover photo courtesy of Liberty Banjo Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

CD CONTENTS:
1 Introduction (:21]
2 Tuning the Banjo/page 11 (:56]
3 Notes on the D String Plus 4 Songs/page 13 (1:38)
4 More Songs With Addftional Notes/page 18 (1:48)
5 G Major Songs/page 23 [1:01]
6 Chord Background & The Bugle-Call Pinch/page 31& 32 (:34)
7 Pinch Chords With Alternating Bass Notes in 4/4 Time/page 33 (:35)
8 Pinch Chords With Alternating Bass Notes in 3/4 Time/page 34 {:27]
9 Melody and Pinch Chords Together/page 35 {:40]
10 3-Finger Picking· Forward Rolls/page 44 (:52)
11 Backward Rolls/page 45 (:50]
12 Thumb-Alternating Rolls/page 46 {1:11]
13 Combination Rolls/page 47 {l:04]
14 Rolls on the D & D7 Chords/page 48 [:34]
15 Right-Hand Patterns/page 50 {l: 18]
16 County Line/page 51 (:32]
17 Frog Pond / page 52
18 Haystack/page 53 [:25)
19 Fiesta/page 54 (:31)
20 Backing Up/page 55 (:25)
21 Moving On/page 56 {:25]
22 Big Dipper/page 57 (:25]
23 The Basic Banjo Picking Effects· The Slide/page 60 {:54}
24 Slide and Pinch/page 60 {:26]
25 Slides and Rolls/page 61 {:40]
26 Hammering, Hammer & Pinch, Hammer & Roll / page 62 {:51]
27 The Pull-Off, Pulling Off, Pull-Off & Pinch, Pull-Off & Roll/ page 63 (:56]
28 Mixed Effects/page 64 (:59]

Solo Section
29 Fills& Endings/page 65 {2:15]
30 Bile 'Dem Cabbage Down/page 70 [:28)
31 Criple Creek /page 72 (:29]
32 Old Dan Tucker /page 74 (:52]
33 I've Got Peace Like a River /page 76 [:28)
34 Old Time Religion /page 78 {:27]
35 Hand Me Down My Walking Cane /page 80 {:28}
36 Careless love /page 82 {:56]
37 When the Saints GoMarching In / page 84 {:54]
38 This Train / page 90 {:30]
39 Banks of the Ohio / page 92 {:27]
40 The Yellow Rose of Texas / page 94 {:55]
41 Pickin' on the Old Banjo / page 98 [:30)
42 Li'l Liza Jane / page 100 (:29]
43 The lonesome Road page 102 [:29)
44 Mama Don't 'low / page 104 (:27]
45 She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain / page 106
46 Worried Man Blues / page 108 (:28)
47 Red River Valley / page 110 {:28]
48 Old Joe Clark / page 112 {:52]
49 John Hardy / page 114 {:33]
50 Pickin' Trip / page 116 {:30]
51 Oh Susanna / page 118 {:29]
52 Cindy / page 122 {:33]
53 The ER-I·E Canal / page 122 [:33]
54 Ballad of Jesse James /page 124 (:52]
55 Home Sweet Home /page 128 (:55]
56 Battle Hymn of the Republic /page 132 {:58]
57 Come and Gowdh Me /page 136 (:30]
58 Part 2·She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain / page 148 {:37)
59 Little Brown Jug /page 155 {:49]
60 Bile 'Dem Cabbage Down (:58]

Advanced Solo Section
61 Blue Mountain Train /page 182 {l:06}
62 Chime Time /page 184 [1: 16]
63 Georgia Gallop /page 186 [:52]
64 Pickin' Around /page 188 [:32]
65 Wabash Cannonball /page 189 {:30]
66 Bury Me Beneath the Willow/page 190 {:56}
67 Wildwood Flower/page 192 (1:00)
68 Will the Circle Be Unbroken/page 194 (:59]
69 Arkansas Traveler/page 196 {:31]
70 Wreck of the Old 91/page 191 {:30]
71 Nine Pound Hammer/page 198 (:56]
72 CarryMe Back to Old Virginia/page 200 (:57]
73 Banjo Blues /page 202 (:56)
74 Bluegrass Joe /page 204 [:43]
75 Mama Don't 'low /page 205 [:27]
76 Stockade Blues /page 206 [:53]
77 Salty Dog /page 208 [l:23]
78 Catfish Creek/page 210 [:54]
79 Gandlather's Clock/page 212 [1:20]
80 Frankie and JohnnJohnny / Page 214 [1:05]
81 Careless love/page 215 [:31)
82 Bill Bailey/page 216 [:56]
83 Hard and It's Hard/page 218 (:31)
84 Old Time Religion/page 219 [:31]
85 Bully of the Town/page 220 [1:06]
86 Bicentennial Breakdown/page 222 [2:01]
87 John Henry/page 226 [1:11]
88 londonderry Air/page 228 [l:21]
89 Under the Double Eagle/page 230 [1:42]
90 Outro [:33] 

Product Number: 93345BCD
Format: Book/CD Set
ISBN: 0786665211
UPC: 796279085458
ISBN13: 9780786665211
Series: Complete
Publisher: Publications, Inc.
Date Published: 11/4/2002

Contents:

Part One
About Part One
The Author
Left-Hand Position
Right-Hand Position and Fingering
The Picks
The Quickest Way to Learn
Music-Reading Section
The Rudiments of Music
Other Musical Signs and Terms
Tuning the Banjo
Reading Tablature
Time Values of Notes and Rests
Counting Time in Tablature
Counting Time
Playing Songs on the First, Second, and Fifth Strings
Playing a Song on the Second and Third Strings
Chord Background
The Chord Symbol
The Basic Chords
Down and Up Strumming
Pinching the Chords
Melody and Pinch Chords Together
Chromatics
Key Signatures
Counting Review
3-Finger Picking Section
Counting Bluegrass Style
The Basic Rolls
Forward Rolls
Backward Rolls
Thumb-Alternating Rolls
Combination Rolls Rolls on the D and D7 Chords
Daily Practice Patterns
Right-Hand Patterns
The Basic Banjo Picking Effects
Fills and Endings
The Capo
Solo Section
The Banjo and Its Parts

Part Two
Foreword
Chord Studies
Mixing the Major Chord Forms
The I, IV, and V Chords
The I, IV, V, I Progression
Other Movable Chord Forms
The Dominant Seventh Chord
The Diminished Seventh Chord
The Augmented Seventh Chord
Right-Hand Chord Background Patterns
Blues & Boogie Back-Up Section
Blues Rock Back-Up
5-String Boogie
Melodic Thirds and Sixths
Melodic Thirds and Sixths Mixed
Blues-Rock Chorus
"Melodic" or "Chromatic" Picking
Advanced Solo Song Section
Chord Diagrams for Solo Section
Circled Tab Numbers
The Choke
Chimes
Endings

MOUNTAIN BANJO, THE ART OF THE. CD TAB.

Product Description:
A complete survey of traditional banjo styles complete with tunings, playing tips, and the author's deft drawings. Progresses from easy tunes for the beginner to more difficult pieces. The styles include up-picking or Pete Seeger's basic strum; two-finger picking; three-finger picking; and what had variously been called frailing, clawhammer, knocking, rapping, overhand, fram-style, flayin' hand, and other Appalachian names, here called down-picking.
Format: Book/CD Set

Series: Fantasy
96 PAGES

Contents:

Song Title: Composer/Source:
Black-Eyed Susie (1:27) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Buck Creek Girls {Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Charming Molly Brannigan {G Medley} (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Cottage In The Grove (1:13) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Country Blues (3:45) Dock Boggs
Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (Medley) (On Cd) Arr. By: Oren Jenkins
Dry And Dusty (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Goin' 'Cross The Sea (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Got A Little Home To Go To (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Grey Eagle (Not On Cd) Pete Steele
Grub Springs (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Had A Little Fight In Mexico (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Jean Ritchie
Harlan County Farewell Tune {Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Hell On The Wabash {G Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
In The Pines (1:54) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
John Brown's Dream (1:12) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
John Henry (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Kicking Mule (2:51) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Liberty (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Little Birdie (1:49) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Make Me A Pallet (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Mississippi Sawyer {D Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Muskrat (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Old Joe Clark (2:06) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Old Molly Hare {D Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Old Ruben (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Rise When The Rooster Crows (2:18) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Rocky Island (1:15) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Sally Goodin (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Sandy River (1:24) Oscar Wright
Seneca Square Dance {G Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Smoky Mountain Cass Moore's Tune (Not On Cd) J.T. Adams
Soldier's Joy {D Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Spanish Fandango (Medley) (On Cd) Arr. By: Oren Jenkins
Stony Point {Medley} (On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Sweet Nora Lee (1:31) J.T. Adams
Teetotaler's Fancy {G Medley} (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Tennessee Line Hard Times (1:26) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Texas Rangers (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
The Arkansas Traveler (1:31) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
The Green Beds (3:12) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Turkey In The Straw (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum
Waterbound (Not On Cd) Arr. By: Art Rosenbaum

SPLITTING THE LICKS, Davis. 2CD TABLATURE

Product Description:
Leads the banjo player step-by-step through working out songs for the five-string banjo from basic melodies in both Scruggs/bluegrass style and melodic/chromatic style. Each section contains exercises and examples for improvising. Furthermore, this book teaches how to arrange music based on concepts of combining rolls and licks. Janet Davis' books are praised because they teach so well! This is one of her finest. In tablature. Includes a CD.

Song Title: Composer/Source:
Banjo Joe
Bill Cheatham
Blackberry Blossom
Bury Me Beneath The Willow
Cripple Creek
Cumberland Gap
Devil's Dream
Fire On The Mountain
Goin' Down That Road Fellin' Bad (Aka Lonesome Roa
Grandfather's Clock
Hamilton County Breakdown
Jesse James
John Hardy
Nine Pound Hammer
Old Joe Clark
Red Haired Boy
Red River Valley
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Sailor's Hornpipe
Salt River
The Eighth Of January
Train 45
Turkey In The Straw
Under The Double Eagle
Wabash Cannonball
Walking Cane
Whoa Mule
Wildwood Flower
Worried Man Blues

Mel Bay Presents

Improvising and Arranging Songs on the 5-String Banjo
by Janet Davis

Cover photo is a picture of a handcrafted Liberty Banjo. Use of the photo is courtesy of The Liberty Banjo Company,
CD Contents

Disk 1

Introduction
Accent Patterns
Rhythm Patterns
Roll Patterns
Begnning Licks
Fill-in Licks-G Chord
G Chord Licks
C Chord Licks
D Chord Licks
A Chord Licks
F, B, & Em Chord Licks

Worried Man Blues
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
Left-Hand Tech.
with Backup

Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Red River Valley
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Goin' Down That Road Feelin'
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Walking Cane
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Wildwood Flower
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Cripple Creek
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Cumberland Gap
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Jesse James
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Grandfather's Clock
Forward Roll
other Rolls
Fill-In Rolls
left-Hand Tech
with Backup

Disk 2
Circular Scale
G Major Scale
C Major Scale
D Major Scale
A, F,& E Minor Scale
G Chord Licks
C Chord Licks
D Chord Licks
A Chord Licks
F Chord& E Minor Licks
Ending Licks- G-D-
Ending Licks- D-
Ending Licks- A-D-F, C-D-G

The Eighth of January
-with Backup

Banjo Joe
-with Backup

Bill Cheatham
-with Backup

Devil's Dream
-with Backup

Blackberry Blossom
-with Backup

Sailor's Hornpipe
-with Backup

Red Haired Boy
-with Backup

Turkey in the Straw
-with Backup

Fire on the Mountain
-with Backup

Cripple Creek
-2nd Variation
-with Backup

John Hardy
-Melodic Variation
-with Backup

Old Joe Clark
-with Backup
-Melodic Variation
-with Backup
Exercise
Advanced G Chord Licks
2 Measure Licks in G
Advanced C Chord Licks
2 Measure Licks in C
Advanced D Chord Licks
2 Measure Licks in 0
Ending Licks- G-D-G

Worried Man Blues
-with Backup
-2nd Variation
-with Backup
-3rd Variation
-with Backup

Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms (2nd)
--with Backup
-3rd Variation
--with Backup
-4th Variation
--with Backup

Goin' Down That Road Feelin' Bad
-with Backup
-3rd Variation
-with Backup
-4th Variation
-with Backup

Whoa Mule (2nd)
-w.h Backup
-3rd Variation
-with Backup
-4th Variation
-with Backup

Wabash Cannonball (2nd)
-with Backup
-Advanced Licks
-with Backup

Nine Pound Hammer (2nd)
-with Backup
-3rd Variation
-with Backup

Train 45 (2nd)
-with Backup
-3rd Variation
--with Backup
-4th Variation
-with Backup
-5th Variation
-with Backup

Salt River (2nd)
-with Backup
-3rd Variation
-with Backup

Hamilton County Breakdown
-with Backup
-3rd Variation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.
EXPLANATION OF TABLATURE & RHYTHM.
RHYTHM EXERCISES.
BLUEGRASS-STYLE-Discussion Of .
Standard Roll Patterns .
Fill-in Licks.
Arranging Songs-Steps To Follow.
Songs- Exercises on Improvising:
WORRIED MAN BLUES.
BURY ME BENEATH THE WILLOW .
RED RIVER VALLEY.
ROLL IN MY SWEET BABYS ARMS.
GOIN' DOWN THAT ROAD
FEELIN' BAD
WALKING CANE
WILDWOOD FLOWER. .
CRIPPLE CREEK . .
CUMBERLAND GAP. .
JESSE JAMES
GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK. .
MELODIC STYLE-Discussion Of. .
Scale Patterns. .
Fill-In Licks . .
Arranging Songs-Steps To Follow.

Songs- Exercises on Improvising:
THE EIGHTH OF JANUARY. .
BANJO JOE. .
BILL CHEATHAM. .
DEVIL'S DREAM. .
BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM
SAILOR'S HORNPIPE. RED HAIRED BOY.
TURKEY IN THE STRAW. .
FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN . .
CRIPPLE CREEK .
COMPARISON OF SCRUGGS-STYLE & MELODIC-STYLE.

Songs-One Arrangement in Each Style:
JOHN HARDY. .
OLD JOE CLARK. (See also "Cripple Creek", p. 35 & 67.)
COMBINING STYLES OF PLAYING.
Advanced Fill-In Licks. .
Arranging Songs-Steps To Follow. .

Songs Using Advanced Licks:
WORRIED MAN BLUES. .
ROLL IN MY SWEET BABYS ARMS. .
GOIN' DOWN THAT ROAD FEELIN' BAD. (also LONESOME ROAD BLUES).
WHOA MULE.
WABASH CANNONBALL
NINE POUND HAMMER
TRAIN 45.
SALT RIVER. .
HAMILTON COUNTY BREAKDOWN
UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE. . .
BUILDING ENDINGS FOR SONGS. .
Tag Endings. .
Two Measure Endings
CHORDS-Discussion Of.

Chord Charts:
Moveable Chord Chart for Major Chords
Major Chords
Minor Chords
Locating Chord Positions Without A Chart

FOREWORD
This book takes you through step hy st('p instructions on working out song for the 5-string banjo ii'om basic melodies in Bluegrass-style and in Melodic/Chromatic tyle. Each section also contains exercises and examples for improvising.
The first section and the second section deal with working out the basic arrangement of
a song. The exercises involve replacing the x's around the melody with notes. The last section
in the book deals with refining the arrangement of a song using advanced technique. This
section includes examples of songs showing how entire measures or licks can be replaced
with licks fi'om a sheet of suggested alternate, advanced licks.
All of the steps to arranging a song for the banjo discussed in this book, are based on the
fact that banjo arrangements are actually combinations of specific patterns, (rolls, or licks),
which moe played according to the chords in the song. This method of arranging songs has
worked well with my banjo students, and Ihope it will work for you also. Happy Pickin'
Janet Davis

P.S. 1983: SPLITTING THE LICKS has now been
expanded to include over twice as much material as was
contained in the-first edition, which was published in
1977. This edition could easily serve as a supplement to
the earlier edition, for those who have that edition. The
following pages include many new licks and many
additional songs which demonstrate the process of
building an arrangement of a song to be played on the
banjo. Also, the instructional material has been expanded
to include answers to questions from people who
studied the first edition of the book.

ITRODUCTION
To playa song on the 5-string banjo, you actually play combinations of finger pattern (also
referred to as rolls or licks). To improviseo or arrange a song on the banjo, you must work the
melody into these finger patterns, according to the chords of the song.
Before attempting to arrange a song on your own, you should be able to play several
arrangements (from tablature) of songs in the style you will use, in order to familiarize yourself
with the rhythm, the finger patterns, and the overall feeling of playing in this style.
This book will deal with two very popular styles of picking the banjo with three fingers:
1.) Bluegrass-Style-where the melody is surrounded by background notes.
2.) Melodic-Style (Chromatic)-where each note picked is essentially a melody note.
These styles can be combined within one song, or one song can be played entirely in one of
these styles.
One noticeable difference between each style of playing is the rhythm ... where the accent
(melody) or stress falls.

Comparison of Accent of the Two Styles

BLUEGRASS-STYLE
1st 4th 7th

MELODIC/CHROMATIC
1st 3rd 5th 7th

Note: stress the notes indicated with arrows. Generally your melody notes are these notes.
In learning these styles, it is best to learn them one at a time, so that you will become
familiar with the finger patterns particular to that style.

To improvise generally implies arranging on the spur of the moment. One musical dictionary
defines "improvise" as - to arrange, however. For the purposes of this book, the terms
"improvise" and "arrange" will refer to the same things.

TABLATURE -- The tablature format used in this book is fairly standard:
t, i, m, r, p= Left hand fingering: t=thumb; i=index; m=middle; r=ring; p=pinky.
It means to repeat (play again) what has just been played. (Return
to the previous 1/: if there is one. Otherwise, return to the beginning
and repeat the section.)

The five lines represent the five strings; the top line is the first string, and
the bottom line is the 5th string, (the short string).
The number tells you which fret to push down with your left hand. (0 means
open- -don't push the string down with the left hand when picking it with the
right hand).

The rhythm used in this book is based upon standard notation. If you already
understand rhythmic notation, all of the music in this book can be counted in
4/4 time, with each eighth note ( ) receiving 1/2 count. Each X equals an eighth
rest, and also receives 1/2 count. (Each measure contains eight 1/2 counts.)

The following explanation is for those who do not already know how to play the
rhythm of the notes. (For the sake of simplicity, it is explained in ~ time,
with each eighth note equaling 1 count.)
Each measure consists of 8 counts.
The measures are divided by bar lines.

H, P, Sl, Ch = are left hand techniques used for sounding the strings with the left hand; (the
right hand picks the note preceding them). -- ---
H means to hammer the fret indicated, by pushing down the string with the
left finger, hard enough to sound the tone.
-Emeans to pull off of the string from the fret before the one to be sounded by
the pull off, therefore sounding the tone indicated above the P.
SL means to sound the tone by sliding to the fret number above the Sl with the
-left finger(s) from the number before it.
Ch means to bend the string with the left finger, (do not pick the string with
the right hand, just bend it). (Ch=choke)

The STEMS under the notes (or numbers) tell you how long to let each note
ring:

= 1 count. Each eighth note receives one count. Eighth notes are written alone,

= 2 counts. Hold the tone played for the duration of two tones.
= ½ count. Play two sixteenth notes in the same amount of time you play one
eighth note:

= 1 count. (An eighth) rest indicates silence for the indicated duration.
(Pause for one count.)
Repeat sign.

OR- means to stress or accent this tone ... play it louder.

x = pause, do not play, for that count. (An x is a rest.)

NOTE: For more complete explanations of the above indications, refer to a beginning
banjo book.

T, I, M = are fingering indications for the right hand. M means pick the string with the
middle finger;-l means index finger; T meansthumb.

EXPLANA TION OF TABLATURE AND RHYTHM
 

UP THE NECK, BANJO. J. Davis. 144 pagine. 2CD TAB.

Product Description:
A superb instructional text for five-string banjo dealing with the 5th through the 22nd fret. Included are chapters on roll patterns, chords, songs, licks, chord progressions, arranging songs, improvising, melodic style, chromatic style, chromatic style, back-up, and much more! Also included is an abundance of great Janet Davis solo tabs. Written in tablature.

The two CDs included in this package contain 144 tracks in stereo to accompany the book. Listen and play along with Janet Davis as she explains and plays each exercise.

Format: Book/2-CD Set

Contents:

Foreword
Introduction
Up-the-Neck Arrangements
The Y Position
Bluegrass Roll Patterns
The Standard Roll Patterns
"Bile 'Em Cabbage Down"
"Salty Dog Blues"
Summary: Roll Patterns
Chords: Introduction
Chords
The Standard Chord Patterns
"Cumberland Gap"
"Train 45"
"John Hardy"
"Little Maggie"
"Don't Let the Deal Go Down"
"Wildwood Flower"
"House of the Rising Sun"
Summary: Chords
Licks: Introduction
Basic Up-the-Neck Licks
"Train 45"
"Little Maggie"
"John Hardy"
"Mama Don't Allow"
"Crying Holy Unto the Lord"
The "Identity Factor"
Chord Progression #1
Chord Progression #2
Chord Progression #3
"Lonesome Road Blues"
"Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
Additional Licks: Interchangeable Licks by Chord
Pick-Up Notes
G Licks
C Licks
D Licks
A Licks
F Licks
E Licks
B Licks
B-flat Licks
F-sharp Licks
Am Licks
Bm Licks
Cm Licks
Em Licks
Dm Licks
Chord Progression #1
Chord Progression #2
Chord Progression #3
"Lonesome Road Blues"
"Little Maggie"
"Salty Dog Blues"
"Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
"Jesse James"
Summary: Licks
Incorporating the Melody
Harmony Notes
Accentuating the Melody
"Worried Man Blues"
"Red River Valley"
"Hand Me Down My Walking Cane"
"Wreck of the Old 97"
Improvising: Advanced Section
Advanced Expression: The X or the Y Position?
Connecting Links: Up and Down the Neck
"Lost Indian"
"Sitting on Top of the World"
Altered Roll Patterns
"Blackberry Blossom"
"Wildwood Flower"
"Sally Goodin"
Second Variations
"Sally Ann"
"Don't Let the Deal Go Down"
"Look Down, Look Down"
Melodic Licks
"Dixie"
"Cuckoo's Nest"
"Crazy Creek"
"Limerock"
"Gray Eagle"
Using Chromatic Licks
"Hamilton County Breakdown"
"Cumberland Gap"
"Lonesome Road Blues"
"Working on a Building"
"Salt River"
Single-String Licks
Moveable Licks: Fingerboard Patterns
"She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain"
"Dill Pickle Rag"
"Black and White Rag"
"Salty Dog Blues"
"Salt River"
Using Back-Up Licks for Up-the-Neck Lead Arrangements
"12-Bar Blues"
"Hear Jerusalem Moan"
"I Don't Love Nobody"
Summary: Improvising
Ending a Song
Chord Charts

Disc 1
Tuning
Bluegrass Roll Patterns
The Forward Roll Pattern
The Mixed Roll Pattern
The Forward-Reverse Pattern
The Backward Roll
"Bile 'Em Cabbage Down"
Forward Roll
Backward Roll
Forward-Reverse Roll
"Salty Dog Blues"
Backward/Alt. Forward Roll
The Standard Chord Patterns
F-Position Pattern
D-Position Pattern
Barre-Position Pattern
E-Minor Chord Pattern
"Cumberland Gap"
Alternate Part B
"Train 45"
"John Hardy"
Alternate Forward Roll
Variation
"Little Maggie"
Up-the-neck Arrangement
1st Arrangement
2nd Arrangement
3rd Arrangement
"Don't Let the Deal Go Down"
Variation #2
Variation #3
"Wildwood Flower"
"House of the Rising Sun"
Basic Up-the-Neck Licks
Lick #3, #4, #5, & #6
"Train 45"
"Little Maggie"
"John Hardy"
"Mama Don't Allow"
"Crying Holy Unto the Lord"
The "Identity Factor"
Chord Progression #1
Chord Progression #2
Chord Progression #3
"Lonesome Road Blues"
Substitute Licks
"Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
Variation #2
Pick-Up Notes
G Licks
C Licks
D Licks - 1st-4th lines
D Licks - 5th-8th lines
A Licks
F Licks
E Licks
B Licks
B-flat Licks
F-sharp Licks
Am Licks
Bm Licks
Cm Licks
Em Licks
Dm Licks

Disc 2
Chord Progression #1
Alternate Licks
Chord Progression #2
Chord Progression #3
"Lonesome Road Blues"
Substitute (Alt.) Lick
Variation #2
"Little Maggie"
Substitute Licks
"Salty Dog Blues"
Variation #2
"Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
Alternate Licks
"Jesse James"
Harmony Notes
"Worried Man Blues"
Forward Roll Pattern
Chord Positions
Other Roll Patterns
Substitute Licks
"Red River Valley"
Variation #1
Variation #2
"Hand Me Down My Walking Cane"
Forward Roll Pattern
Substitute Licks
"Wreck of the Old 97"
Alternate Forward Roll
Variation #2
Variation #3
The Ending
Connecting Links: Up and Down the Neck
"Lost Indian"
"Sitting on Top of the World"
Variation #2
Altered Roll Patterns & "Blackberry Blossom"
"Wildwood Flower"
Variation #2
"Sally Goodin"
Variation #2
Variation #3
"Sally Ann"
Variation #2
"Don't Let the Deal Go Down"
Variation #2
Variation #3
"Look Down, Look Down"
Variation #2
Melodic Licks
"Dixie"
"Cuckoo's Nest"
"Crazy Creek"
"Limerock"
"Gray Eagle"
Using Chromatic Licks
"Hamilton County Breakdown"
Variation #2
Variation #3
"Cumberland Gap"
Variation #2
"Lonesome Road Blues"
"Working on a Building"
Variation #2
"Salt River"
Moveable Licks
F-Position Licks
F-Position Licks Continued
Barre-Position Licks
"She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain"
"Dill Pickle Rag"
"Black and White Rag"
"Salty Dog Blues"
"Salt River"
Part B
Using Back-Up Licks for Up-the-Neck Lead Arrangements
"12-Bar Blues"
"Hear Jerusalem Moan"
"I Don't Love Nobody"
Endings-Group 1
Endings Continued
Group II

WERNICK PETE, GET ROLLING! EASY INTRO TO BLUEGRASS BANJO. TAB. DVD

GET ROLLING
An Ultra-Easy, No-Fail Introduction to Bluegrass Banjo
Series: Homespun Tapes
Publisher: Homespun
Medium: DVD
Artist: Pete Wernick

Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick gets total novices to make good banjo music almost immediately. With only two chords, Pete has newcomers strumming and accompanying ten bluegrass standards. By learning a third easy chord, they are now able to play along with almost any bluegrass song. Next, it's time for the basic banjo rolls that really start sounding like bluegrass picking. This super-easy lesson has been time-tested at Pete's many workshops and music camps, and it works! Includes play-alongs with guest students.
60-MIN. DVD - INCLUDES CHORDS + LYRICS - LEVEL 1