Is there any lesson/info on the site as to how to locate the melody in a song ?
I have a fully loaded tab with all the bells n’ whistles but I would like to dissect it
like Ben’s standard Build-A-Break levels down to level 1 (melody) and go from there.
Thanks so much.
BUILD A BREAKdown HELP
1 Like
Make-a-Break talks about that some, but the best way to become acquainted with the melody is to simply listen to a lot of versions of the song. If it is a fiddle tune, each person may play the melody slightly differently, but the direction and skeleton of the melody will still be there. If the song has lyrics, listen to the lead singer as they will usually sing the melody very faithfully.
A well-written break, even an advanced one, should ideally still communicate the melody, but this is not always the case. It’s difficult to hear the melody in a “fancy” solo unless you already know the song, so listening to the song just being played should be your first step.
For instance, listen to the three solos played in this video and try to “hear” the melody in each one. It’ll get progressively harder:
Now, listen to the lead singer in these traditional, full band versions of the same tune. Just observe the melody, just as you would if you were about to sing along for fun:
Then return to that first video and see if you can tell where Jake is highlighting the melody, where he is ignoring the melody, etc. By the third solo, he almost completely ignores the melody (but his solo stays faithful to the chords in the song)
You’ll find that a faithful listen to different versions of the song, especially with singers, familiarizes you with the melody and makes you better at detecting where it is. We can apply this to whatever song you are learning too—what song is it?
6 Likes
Michael it’s The Marines’ Hymn. I know the song of course and have the tab for it.
However, the version I have would be similar to Ben’s 3rd level in a Build-A-Break lesson and,
the tab I have obviously does not have the melody notes highlighted.
As a beginner right now, I literally have to dissect each measure to see where the melody notes are and
separate them from the frills/fill ins, etc.
Very time consuming needless to say.
I was just wondering if there’s an easier way to do this.
@kooseman this may be an oversimplification, but if you can hum or sing the melody, then you can just use your ear to pick it out on the banjo by trial and error.
4 Likes
Thanks, that’s what I’ve been trying to do but it’s very time consuming and often not easy for a beginner as the melody notes are tied into slides and other frills/fill-ins.
I’ll keep at it for sure. 
Hi Steve
It’s not only beginners who have to dissect each measure. In time you’ll learn to do this quickly as you gain knowledge & experience. Learning the banjo is not only time consuming it’s much more complex. That’s what set us apart from other musicians.
Set aside the TAB for now and try to find the melody notes. Keep it real simple. Sometimes it’s better if you learn this in sections. Then put it all together.
@kooseman not sure what key you’re aiming for, but assuming the key G, maybe this will help:
I believe that the first line “From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” is composed of the following notes in the key of G:
GBDDDDDGD
BCDDCAG
So, on banjo, you can find the G open 3rd string, B open 2nd string, D open 1st string, C 2nd string 1st fret, and high G 1st string 5th fret. I assume that you can get the proper timing of these notes for that first phrase.
Or, you could use the Nashville Number System format and apply it to any key:
135555515
3455421
Hopefully that will help you get started and you can take it from there…
2 Likes
I know it’s slow going right now, but digging in and figuring out those melody notes as a beginner will propel you further than any lesson would when it comes to learning where notes are on the fretboard.
Also, the more songs you learn, the more your fingers will naturally know where the notes are. So if you find yourself getting frustrated, hop over to another song. Once you learn it, your fingers will learn new stuff, and you’ll have a new song in your repertoire.
2 Likes
Thank you Archie, rspillers, and Mark_Rocka for the great advice and information.
Much appreciated.
Archie just a side note. The song I’m inquiring about is the Marines’ Hymn that you provided the
site for. I purchased it and downloaded and I’m trying to highlight the melody notes similar to Ben’s
lessons. Not having much success however.
I understand that Steve. But in order to isolate the melody from the TAB you need to know the tune (which I am sure you do) and find those melody notes on the fret board. Most banjo tunes come with lots of filler notes mostly rolls and pinches.
1 Like
Yup they sure do.
Banjo is life …
That’s why our hearts have beats
Thanks again.
2 Likes
this should help. he sells the tab, but it’s so simple that you should be able to get most of the standard filler licks just by listening. Good ear training practice. There’s plenty of software / websites that you can use to slow the audio down to listen to dissect it a little easier. Lmk if you need some help. I can send you a file.
Thank you sir. Bought it previously and this is the version I’m attempting to
pick out the melody notes.
Slow going but getting there. 
1 Like