https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/how-great-thou-art-build-a-break-banjo-intermediate
This old hymn strums a special chord in my soul! We’ll start with the basic melody, then learn two solos that travel up and down the neck!
Discuss the Banjo lesson: How Great Thou Art Build-a-Break
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@BanjoBen I love this old hymn and I’ll definitely be working on this lesson over the weekend. I learned the Jim Mills arrangement from his DVD “A Winning Banjo Style” about 7 years ago and that was quite a challenge using the D Tuners but regrettably I didn’t keep up the practice so I’ll need to go back and start again. THIS Lesson is the incentive I have been waiting for to help me get back to some regular practice which has been sadly lacking in a long while. Thank you Ben just what I need right now.
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I cannot wait to learn this song! It’s one of my favorite hymns! Thanks, @BanjoBen, for another great lesson!
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Hat off to you for such a great rendition of this great hymn.Really wonderfully crafted to work on👍
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This hymn has a very special place with me! I’m really excited to learn it and plan to spend this weekend on it! Thank you, Ben, for presenting it!
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Great lesson, Already spending time learning this song, a very special song for me.
Thanks
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That was really nice! I thought you’d play it close to the neck, but it sounds great the way you did it.
I was a little surprised you didn’t work in that C# in the verse going from the first C back to G on “consider all…” I guess you’re leaving that low hanging fruit for us amateurs to pick out ourselves. 
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this banjo is so doggone bright. It woulda sounded much rounder playing it on other banjos in the same place. Thanks!
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Same exact thought!
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I do not usually check out Banjo lessons but since this is a popular hymn, this was an exception. Also visited with an anticipation of a follow up guitar lesson. Not only this is an amazing arrangement, but I also find a POV type lesson hidden beneath for guitar backup - with application of G licks, G run, VIP notes etc. Somehow the music flow reminded me of another hymn version that also has “Great” on the title. I don’t know if that song version had some influence on Ben with this arrangement. But I’m so fond of this arrangement. A special thanks to Ben!
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This is beautiful. I have loved this song all my life and I can’t wait to learn this. Thanks! Maybe I will play it with my church band some day!
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For How Great Thou Art,
I was struggling to learn just the melody and follow your playing of the chorus in the video and then trying to match what I saw i.e. 0059754520 to the tab but the tab does not reflect those same notes from the video. Is the tab incorrect? Everything else seems to match up.
@banjobenclark, I would suggest you play the real Banjo Ben’s video at 50% speed and then try to follow along. The notes are not just only in first or second strings. It is in fingerstyle with melody has accompanying notes falling in other strings.
Those are the melody notes, but in the tab we get some of those melody notes in different places. For instance, the E note that you get on the 2nd fret of the D string is the same note you get on the 5th fret of the B string. So yes, the melody is there in the tab, even if some of the notes are played on another string. The point of playing through the melody by ear is so that you can hear it and connect to the banjo with the timing. Keep at it! It’s a good process!
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What a GREAT song. As soon as I saw the lesson I knew it would be fun. So now I’m planning on playing it at my in laws, Mom and Pops funeral in June. They passed 3 days apart and loved hearing me play banjo. Thanks Banjo Ben
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After two years of learning, this is the first song I’m going to play for my elderly mom. It gives me the best chance of her recognizing it, and maybe get a small tear.
Thank you SO much for teaching it.
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Wow, thank you for sharing that. This is why I teach. So sorry for your loss.
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Y’all are really blessing me by sharing these things–thank you.
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