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Church in the Wildwood Banjo Tabs

Traditional

Church in the Wildwood Banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #old time, #fiddle tune

The 'Church in the Wildwood' is a song written by Dr. William S. Pitts sometime around 1857. He wrote it during a coach ride to visit his fiancée that lived in Fredericksburg, Iowa and they had to make a brief stop at Bradford. Dr. Pitts wandered around and found a particular beauty in the wooded valley that formed by the Cedar River. It was during the beautiful view he had of the spot that he had a vision of a beautiful church occupying it. So, he wrote the 'church in wildwood' for his own self. However, in 1862, after marrying the fiancée he visited years back, he moved to Fredericksburg to be near his wife’s elderly parent. But one thing that surprised him was finding a church erected exactly where he had envisioned it. Since he was a music teacher at that time, he had his student come to sing at the opening dedication of the church in 1864 and that was the first time anyone ever heard the church in the wildflower been sung publicly. Series of events occurred after this time, especially the moving of Pitts and the decline of the population of the village. This made the church close and the song all but forgotten. But in 1914, a revival happened especially with the enactment of a society to preserve the little brown church. Once again service was held and the song came back to live. Some of the recent performances of the song were by Dolly Parton, the Carter Family, and even Bill and Gloria Gaither found a way to tune the song into a beautiful one.

Learn how to play Church in the Wildwood on Banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Banjo Church in the Wildwood Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      100 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    The Gospel is strong with this one. A nice Scruggs arrangement with a strong melody. It would be good for you to learn the lyrics and sing this song. Why? Because if you can sing thi...

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  • Banjo Church in the Wildwood Scruggs Style-2

    Scruggs Style-2

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      100 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Going back to the key of G for this one. It's always good to learn songs in multiple keys and be comfortable in all of them.

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  • Banjo Church in the Wildwood Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      100 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    A melodic arrangement that stays very true to the original vocal melody. Try using a sweeter tone by picking closer to the neck. Really try and make this melody sing. Remember, just ...

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  • Banjo Church in the Wildwood Backup

    Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      100 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This backup would fit nicely behind a vocal or fiddle. Remember not to play louder than the singer or instrument you accompany. Try moving your picking hand closer to the neck when p...

    Learn



Practicing Tips

Begin your tuneful journey with 'Church in the Wildwood,' a versatile learning resource offering bluegrass banjo tablatures in Scruggs, Scruggs-2, Melodic, Backup Styles. Perfect for intermediate players, this course embraces the spirit of old time, fiddle tunes and provides an enriching experience filled with harmonic variations.


Unleash the full potential of the Tunefox platform as you progress. One useful feature you'll be using routinely is the Lick Switcher. Not just a feature, it's almost akin to a style guide, allowing you to add new licks and see the song light up in different ways. With the freedom to modify individual measures, you can investigate various unique variations for the song. Just a simple tap on a measure and you're on your way to discovering hidden licks and broadening your musical horizon.


Seeking more personalization? The Arrange slider stands ready to assist. By sliding to the left, you can simplify your arrangement by shedding extra fill-in notes, revealing a simple, core arrangement in the tablature. Swipe to the right and you'll discover a more complex rendition with added notes, presenting the full depth of the song. You don't just learn the song - you make it your own.


Mastering 'Church in the Wildwood' entails playing with tempo, a feat easily achievable with the Tunefox's tempo slider. Musical growth often lies in repetition: focus on selected measures and repeat them. The 'Speed Up' function of Tunefox is your window to progressive tempo increases. Begin at a comfortable pace and let the 'Speed Up' feature gradually lift the tempo as you loop through the song.


Remember, enjoying the journey is just as important as learning. Equip yourself with backing tracks for a more immersive experience. As you delve deeper, don't forget the universal rule of practice – consistency. The key to your success lies in constant learning and relentless practice. Embrace the challenge and unlock your inner musician.