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Hello everyone! I’m going into my third month learning banjo and I’m getting a few tunes into my repertoire. Just wondering what your top tunes to play or tunes you’re learning to play.
My top tunes right now are Old Blue, Wedding Dress, Now Is The Cool of the Day, and trying to learn Brodie Button’s Liza Jane…or at least something close.
Soldier’s Joy is one of my favorites (I’ve now learned it in 3 different styles), also Whiskey Before Breakfast. In a recent jam I discovered that Cripple Creek is actually the song I’m most comfortable playing, probably because it was the first I memorized, even if I play it rarely now.
You mentioned Brodie Buttons, which made me think of Blackest Crow. It’s a really simple tune, great for a beginner, but he plays it differently than you’ll typically find. Normally it’s a waltz, with 3 beats per measure, but he plays it in 4/4 (which is a bit easier to do in clawhammer). It’s another favorite of mine, but I usually play it like it’s written in Brad Leftwich’s Round Peak book, which is the more traditional 3/4 time.
What style are you learning?
This is a cool topic.
A favorite (modern) old time player has been Frank Fairfield. He plays finger style and clawhammer on old and cheap banjos, which I can relate to and appreciate.
Nine pound hammer
Cumberland gapfeel free to post videos, if you are not able to, let me know< trying to figure out what this forum is capable of thanks everyone
I adore Button’s Blackest Crow. Normally don’t learn from books but I’ll check that round peak book out. I’m learning Clawhammer right now and a little bit of two finger which works well coming from finger style guitar.
Fairfield is wicked too! I’m drawn to styles that feel “chunky” if that makes sense. Nora Brown has “Jenny Put the Kettle On and it’s so sweet to listen to with that lurching nylon tone.
Also old, cheap banjos rule.
I absolutely love Nora Brown. 🙂 She has a great collection of old time tunes in both clawhammer and two finger styles. She’s certainly wise beyond her years in old time music.
Clawhammer is my go to style, but I got to know Matt Brown a couple of years ago and probably actually play more two finger songs than clawhammer these days. He actually has a new 2F book coming out really soon.
The Leftwich book is really good, in my opinion. It focuses specially on musicians from the Round Peak area in North Carolina, so many of the songs are familiar, but they’re regional variants of the songs.
That’s awesome! I agree about Nora Brown. I especially like that she learned from east KY when my girlfriend’s family is from. I visit there often so I’m hoping to run into a couple banjoists…banjoer…banjist. Whatever it is.
2 finger is kind of a hassle my thumb gets confused but I’ll be on the lookout for his book!
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