Tunefox
The Clever Way to Learn & Practice Bluegrass Music
While the chords used in "Working on a Building" are relatively simple, the melody is full of intricacy - especially when it was sung by Ralph Stanley. This version for the banjo is based on the way Ralph sung it. It features some typical "blue notes" Ralph would use to get that mournful and lonesome mountain music sound. Now, the exact way he sung it is even more detailed and nuanced, but this version gets us close and shows how you might add in those "blue notes"on banjo. Read through, listen to and learn this melody before tackling our single string arrangement of this tune.
After the word "do" in measure 5, Ralph holds that note out for an measure longer than Bill Monroe typically does. A lot of people treat this point in the melody as an opportunity to showcase the ability to sing long notes and add tension. It's up to the band to know how the chord changes connect to the melody. This type of improvisation is common, and some people might add as many as 4 extra measures here! When the singer comes back in, the form is back to business as usual - just 2 measures before that D chord comes in.
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