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Little Darlin' Pal of Mine Banjo Tabs

Earl Scruggs

Little Darlin' Pal of Mine Banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #old time, #bluesy, #medium-tempo, #banjo tune

Bluegrass musicians have recorded and performed Little Darling Pal of Mine as instrumental many times. It is frequently used as a banjo-feature tune when played as an instrumental. Nevertheless, the initial recorded version of the song (by the Carter Family) that many of the bluegrass musicians of the first and second generation learned the melody was a sung version, and some bluegrass artists recorded sung versions of the song. I choose to sing the song at jams, instead of leading it as an instrumental. This music is from The Carter Family and features on The Carter Family Volume 1-1927-1934 (2002), it can also be found on the Carter Family Volume 2-1935-1941 (2003) compilation set.

Learn how to play Little Darlin' Pal of Mine on Banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Banjo Little Darlin' Pal of Mine Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

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

    Little Darlin' Pal of Mine is a great jam tune, and an example of a song that is in the key of G but starts on the IV chord - C. It's definitely worth it to check out Earl's version ...

    Learn
  • Banjo Little Darlin' Pal of Mine Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

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

    Due to this arrangement's "Adam Steffy-esque" stream of notes, it's pretty technical. For it to sound right, all of the notes need to be even. Practice slowly to achieve this.

    Learn
  • Banjo Little Darlin' Pal of Mine Backup

    Backup

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

    This is a down-the-neck rolling backup arrangement of Little Darlin' Pal of Mine that sounds great behind vocalists or other instrumentalist's solos.

    Learn



Practicing Tips

If you're interested in bluegrass banjo, 'Little Darlin' Pal of Mine' is a fantastic learning resource. These tablatures, which come in Scruggs, Melodic, and Backup styles, are perfect for intermediate players. The song has an old time, bluesy, and medium-tempo feel that both challenges and excites.


One of the key learning tips is to make full use of the Tunefox platform. The Lick Switcher feature, for example, is instrumental in learning this song. This tool helps you add new licks and see the song from a fresh perspective. Since you can alter the licks for each measure, there are countless variations you can experiment with. By simply tapping on the measure, you can discover hidden licks and tailor the arrangement to your liking.


Further, the Arrange slider on Tunefox is a useful tool for customizing difficulty levels. By sliding to the left, you can remove many of the “fill-in” notes for a simpler arrangement. By moving the slider to the right, you add those extra notes back in for a full arrangement. Moreover, you can use the tempo slider feature to adjust the pace of the song.


Playing along with backing tracks can also be beneficial and enjoyable. You can isolate specific measures and repeat them to help reinforce learning. Another beneficial feature is the 'Speed Up' function, which gradually increases the playback speed. This is a useful tool to progressively boost your playing velocity. Start with a comfortable tempo and let 'Speed Up' nudge you towards faster speeds each time you replay the song.


In addition to these features, remember to pace yourself as you learn this song. Practice regularly, break down the song into manageable sections, and most importantly, have fun while you're mastering 'Little Darlin' Pal of Mine'.