Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Discuss the Banjo lesson: Black Mountain Rag in A

https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/black-mountain-rag-in-a-banjo

This here is a great, succinct version in the Key of A. This is a “must learn” for all you banjer pickers! Black Mountain Rag is very often played blazingly fast, and this one is built to keep up with all your caffeine-charged pickin’ partners!

There’s 2 extra measures at the end of the 160 BPM backing track and I can’t figure out why it doesn’t end with the 3rd playthrough. I’m playing the potatoes at the beginning.

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It sounds like it’s a place to put a standard fiddle tune ending (like the “Shave and a haircut” or “Cripple Creek” ending) if you know one.

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Thanks Michael. I finally figured that after a few play throughs.
Also, measures 25 and 26 are super clunky. There is always those few measures in Ben’s arrangements that are just really difficult due to timeing. This seems like something that, sure I can learn through tons of repetition but there just something that’s going to throw me off when actually playing the piece with other people. I don’t understand why they’re always in there.

Just because our brains don’t think the same, and I find the same thing in others’ arrangements. Sub it out for something you like!

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Ben. Sorry, I think that sounded a bit too complaining. I apologize.

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You didn’t dude, trust me. I get it!

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