John Hardy - Melody

The melody for "John Hardy" is a classic one that sounds great on banjo. Understanding the melody and chord changes for a tune is important for all players. When learning the melody, strive to play it with good tone. Make a pretty sound - slowly. This is more beneficial for the development of your musicianship than playing fast and sloppy.

If you are planning on learning a Scruggs style arrangement of this tune, then follow the fret-hand fingerings indicated in the banjo tablature. This will prepare your fret hand for the banjo chord shapes that are happening at different points in the song. In Scruggs style banjo you will combine "rolls", chords, and melody.

Listening is just as important as playing. All players should strive to memorize melodies. Do this with repeated listening in Tunefox and to original recordings. Sing the song and learn lyrics. It will help you immensely. Singing or singing while playing is another great memorization aid. You can see the lyrics in the banjo tablature. Each syllable matches with a different note.

We also have some "licks" available. These short musical ideas give examples for how to "embellish" a melody or create variations based on the chord progression. Try these out after getting familiar with the basic melody

Explore more John Hardy Banjo Tabs:

Rolling Backup, Vamping Étude - Pentatonic Walk, Scruggs - Basic, Scruggs Style Étude - Lick Based Solo, Earl Scruggs: Transcription, Earl Scruggs: Transcription # 2, Earl Scruggs: Transcription # 3, Scruggs Style, Melodic Style, Backup