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The Old Spinning Wheel Banjo Tabs

Traditional

The Old Spinning Wheel Banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #vocal song, #instrumental, #medium-tempo

"The Spinning Wheel" is a song that dates back to the 1800s, the romantic era in art history. No doubt, there was an abundance of literary works during this time as art flourished endlessly. Tapping into the spirit of art, the Irish lawyer and poet named John Francis Waller penned down this tune in the mid-1800s. It's a beautiful ballad written in 'waltz.' There are certain words deployed in writing the tune that might make it difficult for you to understand what he is saying. For example, the word "a chara" means "dear", "The Coolin", which refers to a traditional Irish air called "A Chúilfhionn", which translates to "The Fair", etc. The tune flows in slow waltz time with its beat giving off a rigid yet gentle vibe that makes it easy for listeners to picture the girl spinning the wheel. Through this tune, he tells the tale of family love with the central character being a woman. The young woman in question happens to be in her home in Ireland, spinning while she caters to her grandmother, who is blind and is sitting by the fireside.

Learn how to play The Old Spinning Wheel on Banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Banjo The Old Spinning Wheel Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      125 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This version of The Old Spinning Wheel is a transcription of a Sandy Rothman solo from a recording he made with Larry Sparks. Use the lick switcher to make your own unique version of...

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  • Banjo The Old Spinning Wheel Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      100 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Learn the basic melody of The Old Spinning Wheel up the neck using the melodic style. It is simple, but good tone and timing is not. It's a constant journey. Try to make this basic m...

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  • Banjo The Old Spinning Wheel Single String Style

    Single String Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      110 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This a simple, and for the most part unadorned, melody. This gives you a chance to really try to make the banjo sing. It also gives us more of a blank slate to work with. Use the lic...

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Practicing Tips

Unleash the power of your banjo with our comprehensively designed learning resource, 'The Old Spinning Wheel.' Ideal for intermediate players, the course comes with bluegrass banjo tablatures in Scruggs, Melodic, and Single String Styles. Each lesson places significant emphasis on understanding the tune as both a vocal song and medium-tempo instrumental piece.


Your learning experience will be powered by the Tunefox platform, the first tip being to fully utilize the Lick Switcher. This feature is your ticket to exploring variations for each measure, adding new licks, and seeing the song in a different light. Tap on the measures to uncover the hidden licks and create a personalized arrangement, inspiring new interpretations of the tune.


Next, get to know the Arrange Slider. This neat feature lets you customize the difficulty level of the song with precision. Slide it to the left, and you'll get a simplified arrangement with the 'fill-in' notes removed. Slide it to the right, and the tablature will display the full song with all those extra notes. You control the learning pace and arrangement.


Another essential tool is the Tempo slider. Adjust this to change the song's tempo and match your comfort level. As you gain confidence and skill, gradually increase the tempo.


Make your practice sessions more fun with the backing tracks. Repeat selected measures as many times as needed. Use the 'Speed Up' function to gradually increase the playback tempo, perfect for transitioning to higher speeds. Start at a slow tempo, then 'Speed Up' will incrementally increase the tempo every time you play the song. All these functions contribute to a dynamic, flexible, and enjoyable learning journey.


Overall, the key here is consistent practice. Take the time to understand each feature and exercise within the resource, and always remember that a slower yet accurate approach usually wins over rushing. Happy picking!