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Banjo tablatures for Old Home Place

J.D. Crowe

Recomended level: Beginner

Tags: #medium-tempo, #vocal song

It's the title of many traditional songs, including at least one venue (in McClure, VA). Yet followers of Phish recognize "The Old Home Place" as the song of country legends and progenitors of bluegrass, The Dillards. The protagonist of the song regrets that he had pursued a woman from his farm into Charlottesville's emerging metropolis, ultimately losing both the girl and his home the title refers not only to the left or abandoned physical estate but also to the left behind life. Phish chose the song as they turned away from their old lives in another corner. The West Virginia debut started the encore to a show that featured Gamehendge (nearly ten years old) as the first set and Hoists as the second set (recently released). The latter debut helped highlight the transition of the band from four-track recording in a dorm room to an extravaganza studio that was almost overproduced. As one of the acoustic parts, Phish recorded "The Old Home Place" ten times, including 10/10/94 with Steve Cooley from The Dillards on banjo, 10/18/94 with Béla Fleck, and 11/18/94 with "Reverend" Jeff Mosier and 10/18/98 with Mike on banjo and Page on bass at Neil Young's Bridge College. Notable electrical appearances include 12/31/94 Boston Garden, 8/17/96 opening the second day of the Clifford Ball at about 4:20, 11/30/96 Sacramento with John McEuen on banjo, and 4/3/98 Nassau Coliseum between "Mike's Band" and "Weekapaug Groove." Since the (first) break of Phish, "The Old Home Place" has deteriorated to uncommon, featuring in just two shows in the 2.0 era: 7/21/03 at Deer Creek and 4/15/04 at Vegas. The performances have been rare since their return in 2009, often with years in between.

  • Banjo Old Home Place Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

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

    This arrangement of Old Home Place is based on J.D. Crowe's amazing playing. It's got an interesting chord progression, which features a B7 chord leading to a C chord. Great stuff!

    Banjo Old Home Place Scruggs Style
    Learn
  • Banjo Old Home Place Verse and Chorus - Backup

    Verse and Chorus - Backup

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

    Learn backup for the Old Homeplace - Verse and Chorus! There's tons of great ideas to use in the lick switcher. Have fun with this one :) This song is taught in G, but a lot of peop...

    Banjo Old Home Place Verse and Chorus - Backup
    Learn
  • Banjo Old Home Place Backup

    Backup

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

    Play Old Home Place backup with style. This gives you some cool chord positions and licks to work with.

    Banjo Old Home Place Backup
    Learn
  • Banjo Old Home Place Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

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

    This version of Old Home Place gives you lots to work on in regards to positions on the neck. It starts low, goes high, and then ends up low.

    Banjo Old Home Place Melodic Style
    Learn



Practicing Tips

Bluegrass Banjo Tablatures for Beginners: 'Old Home Place' is an all-inclusive learning resource designed primarily for beginners. Our instruction spans across Scruggs, Verse, Chorus - Backup, and Melodic Styles. Organized in an easy-to-follow manner, it opens up the world of mid-tempo, vocal bluegrass music for budding musicians. Making use of the Tunefox platform, students can exploit the unique features offered to make learning more exciting and engaging.


Flexibility with the Lick Switcher Tool: The Lick Switcher tool works wonders in promoting a creative approach to learning. This tool allows students to swap licks in different measures, bringing in a versatile element to their practice sessions. It pushes learners to think outside the box, enhancing their flexibility and adaptability in playing banjo.


Difficulty and Tone Adjustment with the Arrange Slider: The Arrange slider is another standout feature of the Tunefox platform. This tool enables students to adjust the song's difficulty and tone according to their skill level and preference. It encourages customization, hence helping learners to have a personalized and comfortable learning experience.


Ear Training with 'Hide Notes' Slider: For those who learn better by listening and retaining sounds, the 'Hide notes' slider is particularly useful. By concealing individual notes, this tool aids in strengthening ear training. It motivates learners to grasp the tune by ear, which hugely improves their musical intuition and memory. This way, they become adept at tuning into melodies, rhythms, and music patterns with much more ease and proficiency.


General Tips for Practice: Additionally, we provide general tips to make your practice sessions more productive. Regular practice, patience, and repetition are the keys to mastering this song. Make use of the metronome feature to maintain a steady tempo and gradually increase speed as you gain confidence. Also, remember that the ultimate goal is to enjoy the music; so go ahead, relax, and immerse yourself in the beautiful world of bluegrass banjo music.


Old Home Place lyrics

Many years ago, when I left my old home place
Seeking what life would behold
I bid them farewell, and left on my fourney
Not thinking of stories, my mother had told

I'm going back, to see the old home
I'm going back, today
I'm going back, to see the old folks
It's been many years, since I drifted away

I miss the old time singing, by the fireside
As darkness would steal up the lane
Old days gone by, in my memory still lingers
I'm going back to my old home, again

* Refrain

Each night I have missed, Mom kneeling by my bedside
Praying I'd always go straight
When I get back, her smile will be missing
She won't be there to welcome, me home at the gate

* Refrain