 |
|
intermediate Cripple Creek G tuning: DGDGBD
|
This is an adaptation of a famous old banjo song. It offers some very common left hand techniques used
on the banjo to generate the melody that are not often thought of for playing the guitar. I think these
techniques developed another dimension and challenge to my thinking and playing on the guitar.
First
off, notice that this arrangement is in open G tuning. Open tunings are good to experiment with. In
most cases, pieces are limited to the key that the guitar is tuned to. ex: open G = key of G, Open D
= key of D. I also find open tunings to have more geometrical patterns in the left hand than pieces
in standard tuning. I don't think open tunings are as adapt for the chromatic lines necessary for playing
Rag Time or Jazz, but for the more diatonic structures of traditional based music they can be very rewarding,
and add a new dimension to your playing!
Notice the first and third measures of line 1 are
the same and generate the melody with left hand pull off's. The second measure of line one is the most
important concept to master in this piece! Look carefully at the that pull off on the first beat.....?
The pull off looks like an error in the tablature but it's not. That open first string on the up beat
is not played with the right hand. You generate the note by putting your left hand in the C chord position
I've diagramed below. You then pinch the 5th and 2nd strings as indicated and pull off the 1st string
to the open position with the ring finger of your left hand. At first this will seem unnerving and maybe
a little unbalancing to the way that you think. It certainly was for me. I think it's a cool trick
that will developed and add dimension to your playing.
Look things over, listen to the mp3. The
coda is a very cool lick that I stole from an old "Nitty Gritty Dirt Band" song called "Euphoria". Remember
this is an old banjo song and should be played like one !
|
TABULATURE
you need Adobe Acrobat
Reader to open this. If you
don't have it, go HERE.
MP3s....a fast and slow
version. Listen to the fast
version a few times to
get the feel of
the tune.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
questions, problems with guitar? ericlugosch@yahoo.com
problems with the site? webmasterlugosch@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
