Contents

• About the Author
• Foreword by Ross Nickerson
• Tips On Learning The Most From The Book
• Chapter 1: The Basics
• Holding the Banjo, Using the Picks
• How to Read Tablature
• Parts on a Standard Five-String Banjo
• Tuning Your Banjo
• Right-Hand Postioning
• Overcoming diffitculties
• Final tips on right-hand positioning
• Left-Hand Positioning
• Do's and don'ts for common problems with left-hand technique
• Photos of left-hand positions
• Final Note
• Chapter 2: The Right Hand
• Rhythm & Timing
• Rhythm and timing exercises
• Learning the Basic Rolls
• More tips on rolls
• Earl Scruggs' contribution
• Examples of basic rolls
• Timing Review
• Using a metronome
• Some suggestions about using a metronome
• Timing exercises using a metronome
• Advanced Rolls
• Working with and learning some advanced rolls
• Working with the thumb
• Working with the index and middle fingers
• Middle finger exercises
• Index finger exercises
• Exercising the index and middle fingers together
• Developing Tone and Dynamics
• Angle of attack
• Balance of tone
• More about positioning
• The effect of picks on tone
• Dynamics in your banjo playing
• Dynamic examples
• Developing Speed
• Technique factors in speed building
• Psychology of speed
• What if I make a mistake?
• How hard should I pick?
• Should I use a metronome?
• Always use a metronome?
• Speed-building metronome?
• Tone Exercises
• Advanced Rolls for Practice
• Chapter 3: The Left-Hand
• Overview
• Finger Exercises
• Several reminders for practicing the exercises in this chapter
• Memorize
• A reminder before you start the exercises
• Left-Hand Exercises
• Left-hand exercises using thirds
• Exercises for learning the notes on the fretboard in the G scale
• Learning tips
• Ways to Improve Slides, Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Chokes
• Tips and reminders on slides, pull-offs, chokes and hammer-ons
• Improving slides
• Improving hammer-ons
• Improving pull-offs
• Improving chokes or bends
• Adding and Improving Slides, Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Chokes in a Song
• Banks of the Ohio - basic version
• Banks of the Ohio - with slurs (slides, pull-offs, etc.)
• Bury Me Beneath the Willow - basic version
• Bury Me Beneath the Willow - with slurs (slides, pull-offs, etc.)
• Chapter 4: Practice Habits and Practicing Priorities
• Practice builds confidence
• Practice priorities and making the best use of practice time
• How often should I practice and for how long?
• Your practice area
• Setting goals
• Lesson Plans
• Practice outline
• Practice outline example
• Splitting up practice time in the lesson plan
• Working on Physical Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles
• Isolating areas of practice
• Tablature Discussion
• Using CD, Video or DVD
• Memorizing
• Suggestions for memorizing
• Working on the left and right hand separately while memorizing
• A few more general suggestions on memorizing
• Chapter 5: Earl Scruggs' Style
• Learning the Basics of Scrugg's Style Picking
• Accenting Notes
• Accenting Exercise
• Bringing out the Melody
• Sitting on Top of the World
• Blues in the Scruggs' Style
• Nine Pound Hammer
• Learning a Breakdown in Scruggs' Style
• Banjo Students' Breakdown
• Chapter 6: The Melodic Style
• Melodic Style Exercises
• Learning Songs in the Melodic Style
• Sailor's Hornpipe
• Turkey in the Straw
• John Hardy
• Playing in Harmony in the Melodic Style
• Devil's Dream - Lead part
• Devil's Dream - Harmony part
• Playing the Blues in the Melodic Style
• Blues Scale Melodic Exercise
• Chapter 7: The Single-String Style
• Exercises Using the Single-String Style
• Learning Some Scales in the Single-String Style
• Chord shape single-string exercises
• Don Reno Style Exercise
• The Darktown Stutters' Ball
• Learning Songs in the Single-String Style
• Wildwood Flower - basic single-string version
• Wildwood Flower - more complex single-string version
• Arkansas Traveler
• Whiskey Before Breakfast
• Chapter 8: Mixing the Scruggs', Melodic and Single-String Technique, Learning to Play
• Up the Neck, and Learning More About the Blues
• Mixing the Scruggs', Melodic and Single-String Styles
• Banjo licks that serve a similar purpose in each style
• A Song Mixing the Three Styles With Some Blues
• The Scruggs, Melodic, Single String Blues
• Playing Up the Neck
• Licks serving the same purpose, up and down the neck
• Learning Both Down and Up the Neck Versions of a Song, for Comparison
• She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain - lower neck version
• She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain - up the neck version
• Bonus Song, Mixing the Styles
• Oh, Susanna
• Learning More About the Blues
• Blues Scales
• Making Common Banjo Licks Bluesy
• Blues comparison licks
• Learning the blues scale exercise
• The Blues Scales Blues
• Another Song Mixing the Styles
• Chapter 9: Rhythm, Chords and Playing Backup
• Learning Chords and More About Them
• F form chords
• D form chords
• Barre form chords
• More about chords
• Chromatic scale for finding any chord
• Chord Inversions for G, G7 and G Minor
• Chord Inversions for D, D7 and D Minor
• Chord Exercises - Blackberry Blossom
• Chord Progressions for Practice
• Augmented, Diminished and More on Seventh Chords
• Augmented chords
• Diminished chords
• Learning More About Scruggs' Style Backup
• Scruggs' style backup lick examples
• Passing Tones
• An exercise using bass run passing tones
• Bass Run Passing Tone Exercises With Chords
• Four Examples of Playing Backup
• Backup example for verse and chorus
• Song Example for Verse and Chorus Backup
• Playing backup on a slower tempo song
• Slow Backup Song Example
• Backing up a fiddle
• Fiddle Backup Example
• Waltz backup
• Waltz Backup Example
• Using Seventh Chords
• Seventh chord form chart
• Seventh Chord Exercise
• Chapter 10: Improvising and Learning to Play by Ear
• Improvising
• Taking what you know and turning it into ten things
• Improvising in small steps
• Thinking in terms of playing by the chords
• Improvising practice assignments
• Sample Chord Progression Using a Specific Roll
• Reverse Roll Chord Breakdown
• Building Up Your Chord Changing and Locating Ability
• Sliding into the Chord Exercises
• Tip on changing chords
• Recovering from mistakes
• Knowledge of the neck
• Notes on the fretboard chart
• More on Improvising
• Plugging in licks that work with the chord changes in the song, and other
• Options
• Comments on improvising
• Improvising using chords
• Writing your own arrangements and playing songs that you have never
• Heard before
• Learning to play without tablature
• Cautions when improvising
• Importance and joy of not using tab
• Chapter 11: Beginnings, Turnarounds and Endings
• Beginnings
• Common bluegrass song beginnings or kickoffs
• Bluegrass Song Kickoff Example
• Pig in a Pen
• Bluesy Kickoff Example
• Kickin' Blues
• Turnarounds
• Basic turnarounds
• Endings
• Some common endings to bluegrass songs
• Final Tips on Beginnings, Turnarounds and Endings
• Chapter 12: Jamming
• Priorities in Preparation for Jamming
• Preparation and practice
• Practice timing
• Know you chords and how to back others up
• Learn songs that others should know and standard bluegrass
• Arrangements
• Taking the scare out of it
• Learning How Standard Bluegrass Arrangements Work
• Typical bluegrass vocal arrangement
• Popular Vocal and Instrumental Songs at Jam Sessions
• Other Tips and Suggestions for Learning How to Jam with Others
• No One is Perfect and Everyone Makes mistakes
• Chapter 13: Adapting an Easy Melody to a Bluegrass Banjo Arrangement
• Music Reading Basics Made Easy
• Learning the notes
• Counting time
• Rests
• Creating a Bluegrass Banjo Arrangement Using Quarter and Eighth Notes
• When the Saints Go Marching In
• Red River Valley
• Chapter 14: Playing in Different Keys, Tunings and Using a Capo
• Using a Capo
• Types of capos and tips on using them
• Capoing the fifth string
• Playing Chords in Different Keys
• The I - VII chords in seven different keys - chart
• Playing a song using roman numerals rather than chord names
• Chord Progression Practice
• Learning to Play the Same Song in Three Different Keys
• Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky - Key of G
• Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky - Key of C
• Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky - Key of D
• C Tuning
• Wildwood Flower
• D Tuning
• Home Sweet Home
• Jesse James
• G Minor Tuning
• Pretty Polly
• Chapter 15: Playing at Slower Tempos and Time
• Different Techniques Used in Playing Slower Songs
• Learning Some Songs in Time
• Some suggestions for learning the songs
• Silent Night
• Amazing Grace
• The Streets of Laredo
• Chapter 16: Banjo Maintenance by Mike Munford
• Introduction by Ross Nickerson
• Preface by Mike Munford
• Bridges
• Bridges and tone
• Tuning, intonation and setting the bridge
• Changing the Strings
• More on Strings
• Tailpieces
• The Nut
• The 5th string nut
• 5th String Spikes
• Actual spike location
• The head
• Action Adjustments
• Neck and Resonator Woods
• Good Tools
• General Maintenance Tips
• Cases
• Chapter 17: Advanced Song Section
• John Henry
• Train 45
• Glossary of Common Banjo Terms
• Acknowledgements
• Closing Comments and Credits