Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

2023 Cabin Camp Song List

#1

This song list is simply a common curriculum of tunes that helps us find common ground during jams and instruction time. I don’t require you to have solos prepared for camp, but I do want you to be familiar with the songs (particularly the melody and chord progressions!). Perhaps the best way you can prepare is by using the PickAlong lessons! PickAlong lessons are virtual jam videos that are instrument-specific and help with “real world” playing by teaching the melody and chords. If you’d like to learn solos for the songs, I encourage you to do so and there are lessons/tabs for each of those if you need help. See you soon at Cabin Camp!

Banjo
Cripple Creek
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Amazing Grace
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Unclouded Day
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Old Joe Clark
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Nine Pound Hammer
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Guitar
Cripple Creek
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Amazing Grace
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Unclouded Day
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Old Joe Clark
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Nine Pound Hammer
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Mandolin
Cripple Creek
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Amazing Grace
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Unclouded Day
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Old Joe Clark
PickAlong Lesson
Solo Lessons

Nine Pound Hammer
PickAlong
Solo Lessons

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#2

Those pickalongs seem very well suited to cabin camp prep! Glad to see a 9# hammer pickalong is on the way.

#3

Can you still go to Cabin Camp if you struggle beyond words and have a giant mental block about one song in particular, and probably wouldn’t play it even under threat of “No BBQ for you!?” :thinking::wink:

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#4

Not only that, you can be a guest of honor.

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#5

Are you planning on a Nashville cabin camp in 2023?

#6

…currently not planning on that. More news to come soon.

#7

THIS IS MY YEAR!!! Gonna practice, practice, practice and the band I’m in is gonna break into the top 5!!! WOOHOOO!!! :rofl::rofl:

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#8

This is a question from a rookie mandolin player and first timer going to camp in Kilgore in March…I think I barely have the right skills to attend but I want to put in the time to get prepared for the camp. I am following Ben’s direction to be familiar with the chord progressions and the melody for the 5 songs on the Cabin Camp list. My question is which versions of the tabs for the songs should I work on for the melody. The chord progressions appear to be the same for all the versions of each song which makes sense. However the melodies in the beginner, intermediate and advanced version are different which also makes sense. In particular I am looking at Old Joe Clark. Is being familiar with the beginner version sufficient or do I need use intermediate in order to “keep up” with the camp program… I am probably over thinking this as usual but I’d appreciate any advice on this topic and others related to being prepared for the camp. Thank you.

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#9

Hey Jay! Welcome to the forum :slightly_smiling_face:
Like you said, both versions will give you a good sense for the tune – the beginner version is perfectly sufficient for studying and jamming the song. That being said, if you feel like tackling the intermediate one, go for it! It’ll give you some experience with hearing the same tune different ways and you’ll have fun varying up the melody.
The song list is there to give you a good idea of songs that will be useful for you to be familiar with – you don’t need to be able to memorize and play a blazing break for each song. :slightly_smiling_face:

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#10

Thank you Michael

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#11

@jayherrmann60, welcome to the forum!

#12

Thanks JohnM

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#13

@Michael_Mark’s advice is spot on. If you can play rhythm/chords with the pickalongs. To get familiar with the melody, listen to the basic melody to where you can hum it on your own. Try learning it on your instrument using the most basic tab version. Then, just prepare to have fun! You’ll be good!

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#14

Hello Ben & Crew! I just signed up for the April '23 Cabin Camp in Athens, GA (partly a birthday gift from my wife). I’m excited to attend and I am now diving into this prep material. Two things I’ve noticed right away.
#1) Based on the Cripple Creek Mandolin Pickalong lesson, where the Mandolin is playing lots of A,D,A,E chop chords, a message pops up during the lesson that “if your had is cramping then either it is out of shape or your technique is bad.” PROBABLY BOTH! :-o so I’m going to work on that. The switch from the Chop A to Chop E looks oh so smooth, easy and graceful on the video (and it sounds so nice), but my fingers aren’t cooperating - I’m not used to that fingering change and my hand is cramping up. So I’m going to start a workout regime to strengthen those muscles, …but any tips about technique to help along the way?
Issue #2: I own a fairly low-end mandolin that sounds decent most of the time, but playing the E at 9th fret on the G-string (the bass note of the A chop chord), I get a buzz. It is the one note on the whole mandolin that buzzes despite my attempts to adjust the bridge. The cause (I believe) is that the metal fret there is inlaid just a tad too low into the neck compared to the adjacent frets. I don’t want to drive the rest of the Camp attendees crazy with that buzz, so I want to fix it beforehand. Problem is, I don’t know any good luthiers (but will need to look around). Any suggestions on what to try next? And if I can’t fix it, and end up attending Camp with it like this, can one of your crew take a stab at it? Just wondering.
Thanks!

#15

Great, can’t wait to meet you! If you want to do a 3 finger version of that A chord to get you going, that’s fine. But the cramps and stamina will increase pretty doggone quick if you chop with me for 15-20 minutes a day in 5 minutes bursts.

We won’t have a set up station at this camp but I can look at it. There are probably some decent luthiers around you. I wouldn’t worry about it bothering other campers! No biggie, if you find a luthier, that’s fine. If not, we’ll deal with it at camp to the best of our ability!

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#16

For mandolin setup in the Athens area, consider Dylan Keel at Classic City Vintage Guitars or the folks at Acoustic Cellar Guitars in Clarkesville.

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#17

the cramps and stamina will increase pretty doggone quick if you chop with me for 15-20 minutes a day in 5 minutes bursts.

Yes- you’re absolutely right! I’m already making progress - my fingers are responding - which gives me great hope. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? :slight_smile:

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#18

Thanks - but I live in northern Virginia and will only be visiting Athens for the camp. I appreciate the thoughtfulness though.

#19

@cdodeda I live in Midlothian/Chesterfield VA. You could contact Richie Dotson in Chesterfield and see if he will take a look at it. www.acousticbox.com

1 Like