Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

(Another) question about playing a song in a different key

#1

Hi, So I know the easy answer is to capo, but going from C up to D really makes the song sound differently.

So, the scenario goes something like this. I practice a bunch of songs and end up learning Bury Me Beneath the Willow (or whatever, please don’t get hung up on the song) in G. I go to the jam and it gets around to Ol’Reliable Joe and Joe says, “Bury me Beneath the Willow” so I’m all set until he says, “in C”. Now, I can capo up 5 frets but there are times that the songs just don’t work just by capoing. They just don’t sound right. I picked bury me because in Ben’s lesson he does a C and a G arrangement. Any way to fake these alternate solos?

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#2

Ok, how about we use this actual song and scenario.

Are you able to find the melody to Bury Me in C in open position, no capo?

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#3

Yes. I tried just now and was able to plunk it out with a little trial and error.

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#4

Good! Man, that’s very encouraging. Can you try building a break from it in C, a simple one, just messing with it? Give it a shot over the weekend and touch base with me on Monday here. I’m about to be out of town but I want to help you with this.

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#5

Ben, on vacation now but I’ve got a banjo with me. I picked out a simple break and will try to post it when I get a chance.

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#6

OK, Ben. Here it is. A few mistakes but this is basically what I came up with. https://youtu.be/_GX0G0oK57Q

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#7

This is why the mandolin is my primary instrument…very often it’s just a matter of moving to an adjacent string and playing the same places along the neck. One thing that has helped me learn to solo in “surprising” keys is playing the major scales in those keys. This helps my fingers remember where they should go when trying to pic a simple solo in the key. Do I hit wrong notes? Yup…and I just call that “improvising”. haha.

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#8

Check out this video:

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#9

Thank you so much Ben! You’re the best. I’ll work on it and post again as soon as i can.

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#10

OK @BanjoBen . Sorry it took me a while but here’s my second try at it. Hopefully I hit all the melody notes correctly this time.
https://youtu.be/dz9RaywXeNY

#11

Been meaning to make you a video but I think just a message will do for now. You’re doing a great job on this, but losing the melody in a couple places. I want you to try something, which may seem silly but it’s part of the learning process. Can you make me a video of only the melody notes, just as you’d sing them? Don’t worry about rolls or anything else, just single note melody.

#12

Ben, hopefully I got it right. https://youtu.be/4VDhEJL3Aqc?si=onKL_tG_wfolKyH8

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#13

Very close, it’s the first couple notes that are not the melody, and I think that’s where we’re missing one another. This is a great exercise!

Listen to the first solo on this guitar lesson and try to match the melody notes, though your banjo will be one octave higher: https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/bury-me-beneath-the-willow-guitar-advanced

Trust me that the work you’re doing in this is profitable.

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#14

Ben, hopefully 3rd time is the charm.

#15

Hi Keith, Your missing the pickup notes and jumping straight to the melody. Go listen carefully to Ben’s video.

#16

I was under the impression I was just doing the melody notes as he said "just the melody notes as you’d sing them.

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#17

Yes but read his post above - “first couple of notes”

#19

That’s perfect, great job!

Now, compare that with your video here: https://youtu.be/dz9RaywXeNY?si=uWMxP96hGXM5QwaI

Where do you hear the melody getting off in that video? Good job!

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#20

Ben, thanks. So first it sounds like I’m off at “Beneath” and then I think towards the end where it says “perhaps you’ll think of me”.

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#21

Precisely! Good, this is what I wanted you to accomplish! I wanted you to be able to play the actual melody, then think about how the other break lost that melody a little. I’m not bothered by the end “perhaps you’ll…”, but both times you would sing “beneath”, your old break is missing the melody notes.

NOW, see if you can alter your break so that you catch those melody notes.

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