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I Am the Man, Thomas Banjo Tabs

Ralph Stanley

I Am the Man, Thomas Banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #vocal, #bluesy, #gospel, #traditional bluegrass, #roll-based

I Am the Man, Thomas is a gospel tune that was recorded by Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain boys. Like many of the Ralph Stanley and Stanley Brothers songs, this one has a strong blues element.


If you are going to learn I Am the Man, Thomas on the banjo then you should start with the Melody. For any song this is the place to start. Learning to sing or speak the words as you play the melody and basic chord changes engages the language center of your brain. It will help you memorize the song and internalize so many musical elements without even realizing it. Try out Playing the Syllables to learn a detailed version that more closely matches how the song is performed by singers.


Learn and memorize the melody, after that check out the Two Finger version of this I Am the Man, Thomas for the banjo. This one takes a simplistic approach to getting that banjo sound while sticking close to the melody. There's also some great licks to try if you want some more variation.


Finally if you have done that, or are a more advanced player, check out some of the Ralph Stanley Style versions of I am the Man, Thomas. The "Index Led" Forward Rolls are a hallmark of Ralph Stanley's style. If you want to learn to play even more like the master himself, then check out the Stanley Style arrangement.


Lastly, you can check out the Scruggs Style version of this tune. This one uses a lot of common Scruggs style licks that highlight important melody notes in the tune. If you don't know a lot of those common licks then click here to learn some essential Scruggs style licks.

Learn how to play I Am the Man, Thomas on Banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Melody

    Melody

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

    Learn a simplified melody for I Am the Man, Thomas on the banjo. Learning the melody to a new song is maybe the most important thing you can do besides learning the chord changes. T...

    Learn
  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Playing the Syllables

    Playing the Syllables

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

    Learn to "Play the Syllables" for I Am the Man, Thomas on the banjo. Playing the syllables is a secret of the pros. You will learn to play a detailed version of the melody that cl...

    Learn
  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Two Finger

    Two Finger

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

    Learn "I Am the Man, Thomas" for banjo in the Two Finger style. This one is simple and solid. It's based closely on the melody and incorporates the 5th string and other notes to get...

    Learn
  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Index Led Forward Rolls

    Index Led Forward Rolls

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

    Learn "I Am the Man, Thomas" for the banjo using index led forward rolls. These are just forward rolls that start with the index finger. Continuous forward rolls, leading with the i...

    Learn
  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Ralph Stanley Style

    Ralph Stanley Style

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

    Learn to play "I Am the Man, Thomas" on the banjo and in the style of Ralph Stanley. This one is closely based on the way he 'kicked off' this tune on his recording from the "Cry Fr...

    Learn
  • Banjo I Am the Man, Thomas Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

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

    Jump in and learn this Scruggs Style version of "I Am the Man, Thomas" for banjo. This one uses common Scruggs style banjo licks that highlight the main melody notes. This is a grea...

    Learn