Lonesome Pine - Melody Outline

The melody is important to learn for all. It's also important to know what the "main point" of the melody is - the big notes. If you aren't familiar with this concept then check out the melody tab and do a bit of light reading to get familiar with it

When you know what the main point is, creating a more adorned Scruggs style banjo becomes much easier. Check out the licks to get some examples of how you could incorporate banjo rolls, pinches and Scruggs style licks to begin creating a more bluegrass style sound with this great melody. Try to analyze the concept and apply it to another measure or melody you know. Even if you don't end up with a full version, just starting to try is a success. The first step in a new journey begins with a single step!

Besides using melody notes, it's also important to try and use some chord tones with your rolls or pinches. Notice that many of the licks also include chord tones from the "chord of the moment".

Not all the words are in the banjo tablature, neither are all the melody notes. This one is easy to play, but to truly understand it learn the melody to get context. That way you'll hear and see the notes that aren't being played. There's no pickup or lead in notes here, only the big notes - just the "main point".

For the licks, sometimes the last note of a typical roll pattern is left out. This provides the player with several benefits and helps to avoid a couple problems. It gives a split second rest before starting a new measure. That also creates some "phrasing" and gives some musical variety instead of being a complete barrage of notes. It also ensures that the same finger will not be used twice in a row in the middle of a banjo roll. That is something that can completely hinder the ability to play at faster speeds.

Explore more Lonesome Pine Banjo Tabs:

Scruggs Style, Melody