Banjo tablatures for Down the Road

Learn 3 different versions of Down the Road, which are all shown on this page. We recommend that you get started with the Scruggs style version, where you’ll learn basic roll pattern and left hand articulations like slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. Next, move on to the Melodic arrangement to learn how to play the melody for Down the Road using scales and up the next positions. Lastly, you can check out the Backup arrangement, which shows you how to play behind others while they are soloing.

There are many Scruggs, melodic and bluesy licks in these three banjo Down the Road tablatures, which can be used to personalize each arrangement into your liking. To change measure into different arrangement, just click on the "Original Measure" text above the measure and select a different lick. You can also click the "Shuffle licks" button at the bottom of the page to randomly change all of the licks in the tablature and create a wholly unique arrangement of this song.

There are a number of fantastic learning tools in Tunefox to help you memorize, learn by ear, and improve your speed. These special features are found in the "Tools" menu at the bottom right of your screen. The "Hide Notes" tool will hide a number of the notes in the tab so you can use your ears to learn parts of the melody of the Down the Road. Next, try out the "Memory Train" tool, which will hide more and more notes each time the song or measure loops. This will help get you off of the tab you’ve been working with so you can play it by memory. The "Speed Up" feature gradually speeds up the song so you can hone your technique and challenge yourself to go faster.

Use the Tunefox backing tracks to practice the solo you’re working on or improvising over the chord changes for Down the Road. The backing tracks are recorded samples of real instruments to help simulate practicing with an actual band. You can adjust the volume of the instrument, band, and metronome to your liking.

Members can export their arrangements into PDF, allowing them to print and bring them to their next jam session.

Down the Road lyrics

Flatt and Scruggs

Down the road, down the road
got a little pretty girl, down the road

Now down the road just a mile or two
There's a little girl named "purty blue"
Bout so high and her hair is broun
Purtiest thing, boy, in this town

* Refrain

Now anytime you want to know
Where I'm heading it's down the road
See that girl on the line
You'll find her there most any ol' time

* Refrain

Now everyday at sunday school
I go to see my purty blue
Before you hear that rooster crow
You'll see me headed down the road

* Refrain

Clearin' your eggs drawn over the farm
From the hogwalk through the barn
From the barn to the rail
Man is living by curling mail

* Refrain