Banjo Teacher Advice
Questions / Answers from Ross Nickerson

Comment, Request

Learning new techniques and new songs has been the driving force for me to play every day and your Website has added a new dimension to my quest. I've watched your newest video of "Boil Them Cabbage Down" and thoroughly enjoy the style you've created with that song. I know a simple version of that song but would love to get my hands on the tab from your video.

Answer

Thanks for your email. That version I just played a couple weeks ago and I just improvised it so I don't have tab for that. Most of what I play on the video is based on the chords and what licks work over the chords changes.

I have a DVD on Playing by Ear and By the Chords that teaches how to build up your ability and technique within the chord progressions. Have you got that one yet?

When you learn the songs in the song book be sure and take note of the chords in the song and the licks or phrases you play on that chord change. That will help you to build a vocabulary of licks that work over certain chord changes, for instance, any measure of what you play on the C chord in Will the Circle be Unbroken will work for a measure of C in Boil the Cabbage as a substitute, another example is. a measure of G from Jed Clampett can be substituted for a measure of G in Boil the Cabbage. You may already understand this but even if you do you can always develop it more, and keep striving to learn things that you can use in lots of songs.

Thanks again,
Sincerely,
Ross Nickerson
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