Goats. They get stuck sometimes in high mountain tops – but this Billy, well he got stuck in the lowground. Anyway, bad jokes aside, Billy in the Lowground is a great fiddle tune that I love to play. This is a great jam standard that I’ve heard in just about every place I’ve ever jammed […]
My buddy Orion introduced me to June Apple tune a while back but I honestly forgot about it for a while. Lately I’ve been hearing this song pop up in jams again though, so I figured I’d break it down. While the progression and melody are pretty easy to grasp, there’s a lot you can […]
Cherokee Shuffle is a great jam standard tune that seems to be called at jams all over so it’s a great one to get down. It’s sort of unique in that the chord progression contains a minor 6th chord which isn’t too strange – but definitely less common. Sheet Music for Cherokee Shuffle Here’s a […]
Bluegrass music is filled with songs borrowed from other genres – especially Irish folk. Red Haired Boy, also know as Little Beggar Boy, is a great example of an Irish tune that made its way into the bluegrass cannon. As a standard of many bluegrass jams, it’s a great tune to work on. Sheet Music […]
The author recommends the Skaggs and Rice album, particularly praising their version of “Bury Me Beneath the Willow.” Key points include its foundational role for mandolin learners, the significance of practicing scales and arpeggios, and learning the melody for improvisation. The content encourages engagement through comments and donations for ongoing support.
Learning classical pieces on mandolin can provide huge benefits for players of nearly any genre. The masters of these works incorporated some great musical ideas into their pieces including things like counterpoint (great for harmonies) and motifs (great to keep a song or album together). In all honesty, I don’t play classical pieces on mandolin […]
This week’s Mandolin Song Breakdown focuses on “Southern Flavor,” a song the author grew fond of after hearing it at the Summergrass festival. The breakdown includes listening recommendations, chord charts, song format, and tips for mastering the melody with double stops. Donations to support the site are encouraged.
The content describes a fiddle tune, “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” emphasizing its variations and learning strategies. Key focus areas include mastering chord progressions in multiple positions, understanding the D major scale, and playing the melody in different positions. Additionally, techniques like double stops enhance soloing and rhythm. Listening to various versions is encouraged.
Blackberry Blossom is a standard fiddle tune called frequently at bluegrass jams. Like most standard fiddle tunes, there’s no one “right” way to play this song. Listen to a few versions by different artists and you’ll hear a slightly different melody from recording to recording. These variations make Blackberry Blossom a great song to study thoroughly. Additionally, […]