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so many versions--wonder what this tune was in the British Isles before coming to Appalachia? This version sounds a lot like Maybelle and Sara--Carter Family.
I understand and agree with the principle being espoused here but, while probably more true in sports than music, I think there are limits to this. As a teen I played tennis and my most accessible partner was my next door neighbor who was a natural athlete at easily 10x what I could ever be. One summer he had a winning string of (IIRC) 16 straight 6-0 sets against me (or I had a string of losing sets: yin / yang). By comparison, my older sister and I were reasonably evenly matched and could carry on lengthy volleys. It's rather hard to see that my tennis playing improved more (if at all) by playing my neighbor when our skills were at such disparate levels. All of that said, I certainly wish I knew other musicians to play with, regardless of their skill level. Right now that's a complete gap in my overall musical experience.
Amazing banjos: six from east, two panjos from west, five banjos from south and one from north. Inside these banjos was sound. They gathered to play together a tune long forgotten but still in memories somehow.
@@ClawhammerBanjo Thanks for your reply! I'm having a hard time with this; it feels so foreign from regular strumming like on a guitar or mandolin. I'll keep at it a little while longer though.
Those videos did not show up at that url. Are they still available? I found the full speed backing track for the song but would love to try at slower speeds. Rhythm is definitely my weakest skill.
Lovely. I was just thinking what it would sound like if you sang together a verse of this beautiful song without the accompaniment of your instruments?
Any tricks, part 1, first measure, getting that sound right when you sound 4th string open and then 4th string 2nd fret? Seems like such a subtle timing
This is briliiant, thank you Sir. You not only give clear, helpful directions but you also provide reasoning & information on how & why this stuff works. Love it!
I really like this arrangement. I can play it but my playing, my performance, is pretty rough. I think one major problem here, and elsewhere, is that I don't know how/when to add strums. The strums form an important rhythm element. I find myself just flailing away with the fifth string and the whole thing just sounds cluttered when compared to your 'cleab' rendition. How can I learn about getting strums into my platying? 1:59
Hey, Josh. This is a great lesson that’s given me a lot to chew on. I really struggle to recognize, find, and replicate pitch. One thing I’m confused about here is that you clarify that we are in the Key of G, and knowing that is crucial to finding the right notes. However, half of our notes here for the first phrase aren’t in the Key of G: 4th string, 3rd fret (F), and 3rd string, 3rd fret (A#/Bb). I was struggling trying to figure out what the phrasing would be, and I never would have come up with those notes since they aren’t in G. I understand that songs use accidentals all the time, but how do you know when to work outside the 7 notes within your key? Or are we actually playing in the Key of F here? Any clarity you can provide me here?
Pretty Polly is known as a “modal” tune since it uses one of the “modal” scales (in this case G Dorian). As far as how to “know” what notes are in the melody, I’d suggest really working on ear training. That’s not only the key to being able to pick out melodies, it’s an essential skill in general, and will pay off in all sorts of ways in your playing.
@@ClawhammerBanjo ahhhh i gotcha, thank you! Does G Modal tuning give you greater access to various versions of Key of G modes or is it keen to play G Dorian specifically? For example, if i want to try and work out Clarence Ashley’s “The Cuckoo”, as it is in Sawmill Tuning as well, am I also working within the G Dorian Mode? So sorry if these are obvious questions!
