What the difference in a roll and a run? A roll is a pattern of notes
played with the picking hand such as the Scruggs 3251 located on my
banjo page. A run is a pattern of notes played with the fretting
hand which would be the notes. I hope that helps.
Thanks Bill
Check out this mandolin site. Many people have asked for tab and
it can be found here at http://www.mandolincafe.com/
For banjo tab, go to http://bluegrassbanjo.org/bluetabs.html
Click here to
read my page on banjo bridges. Learn what makes bridges do what they
do.
I would like to say "Thank You" for all of the kind words
that new subscribers have to say when subscribing. I look forward to
getting them every day. I try to answer all that I can, but the
numbers are growing fast. I hope the lessons have really helped as
much as the people are saying. Thanks again! Sincerely, Warren
Yates
Broken Strings
Why do my new strings break? I have had more
problems with this lately, than ever before. This is most common with mandolins. The mandolin's string length is almost one inch (25.4mm)
longer than that of the violin, yet the strings are pulled as high as a
violin. This means more tension or a tighter string. To beat
all, there twice as many strings. It is a wonder that a mandolin does
not fly apart. The area that I have had the most problem with is at
the loop end. The laws of physics state that if two strings together are
pulling as much as one, then the load would be divided in half between the
two that are together. This is the case at the loop. Even though
the two strings are really a single string, they are set up like two.
In other words, the loop should be stronger than the rest. Machines
are used in manufacturing to wind the loop. Scratches, grip marks,
and plain stress can be a factor that weakens that area. A weak string
can break.
| How to salvage a string that is broken at the
loop. In this event, tie a new loop and pull it tight with the
pegs. If you know this trick, you will learn to allow a few extra
turns on the peg so that you can let out some slack in the event that
it breaks. I do this all of the time and it has always
held.
Does the top picture look familiar? The bottom is about the diameter
of your finger. Place the larger loop over whatever holds it
and start tuning. After a few minutes, all of the slack will
pull out and the string will stop slipping.
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Banjo
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How To Play, "Amazing Grace"
Amazing Grace is
one of the most beautiful and most requested and played songs in the world. For
the beginner, there could not be an easier song to play. There are
no rolls or complicated chords to deal with. The process is simply
using the thumb and pointer finger at the same time. Pinch the two
strings and slide from position to position where indicated below.
Tip! 1st
picture: Pick 1, hammer on 2. Slide from 4 to 5, then
from 7 to 8.
2nd picture:
When picking the 33, hammer on 4 and let the second 3 ring as well while
holding the 2 with the pointer finger.
3rd picture:
Same as 1st picture.
4th picture:
Here the notes are straight forward. There is a dead spot coming
here. When you hear it, hold the 3s (the D chord) and play this
short roll: Let's call the bottom string 1. Pick the strings in this
order, 12324. Now you are ready for the next section of the song. |
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| This next section is very close to the first section but
the end of it
uses an E minor. In the Example, I will play the entire song.
You can put slides in where ever sounds right. In the last
picture, you will notice that there are four 3s. That is an E
minor, just slowly strum it. |
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Mandolin
How to play, "Soldier's
Joy"
in the Key of
"D"
This is the first part of the song. It is hard to
teach all of the song in just one lesson so I will add to this section
next month. This will give me a chance to set it up and you a chance
to learn it. Once you learn this song, you will be very close to
being able to learn almost anything else.
Listen
to the Example
Tip! A stiff pick sounds better on a
mandolin. On any instrument, a thin, flexible pick can sound sloppy
because after the string has been picked, the pick will slap the next
string from the recoil. This sound would be similar to how a piece
of cardboard sounds when hung up in bicycle spokes. A thick pick can
supply a clean punch.
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