Love this! Thanks for making it easy 
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Silent Night- Beginner Version
I used Strum Machine for the longer backing track. Are you familiar with it?
Here’s my stab at Silent Night in G. Maybe someone with more experience can suggest which path to take. I was thinking of the modulation from C to G. Would that sound better, or perhaps G to C?
5 Likes
Great job on this, @JohnnyD!
I would do the C version first because it’s simpler, then I’d play a D7 then go into the G version here.
2 Likes
hey ben! do you think you could do a lesson on i’ll fly away?
2 Likes
Hi @mightymanarchery Charles 
to @BanjoBen 's Forum. As you are new here you won’t know that Ben doesn’t do lesson’s on material that is still in copyright, he needs to protect his livelihood. I’ll Fly Away is still in copyright. However the good news is there are other teachers out there that have covered this tune. Check the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=i'll+fly+away+banjo+lesson
Hey @mightymanarchery, I’m not able to teach a lesson without the licenses but I can upload the tab here on the forum…you can find it here: Banjo Tab for I'll Fly Away
2 Likes
thanks!
I’m so new everything hurts my brain but I love it. I’m half way through or a bit more with memorizing this then just ad some speed and proper timing. That partial F is cool sounding and I don’t recall using it in the beginner track so far so that was new as was starting with the 2nd finger winding up a string. All good skills to practice and I’m seeing little bit by little bit how the skills or techniques start to build on each other. Thanks Ben for doing an easy one like this for the new guys at it gives our families something different to suffer through that is at least seasonal! 
2 Likes
So, I have a technical question. Enjoying learning the song a lot. I am having issue picking the second string with my 1 finger on the inside roll on the 8th measure. I have picked that string with that finger thousands of times, if not more. But, as far as I know, never as part of an inside roll. Is it normal to have trouble with it? I know that solution is to practice it over and over to get muscle memory. Just wondering if this is a common issue.
Hi Peter, So in Measure 8 the roll starts not with the Index finger but the Middle finger. Pick the second string with the Middle Finger. The G string with the Index Finger and the D string with the Thumb
Pause the video and just practice the inside roll over and over. Play it slow, what you need to do is educate the brain to do something it’s not familiar with.
I would add it’s not any more difficult than measure 7 which uses the same picking sequence just on slightly different strings
@Archie Thanks. I may have not made myself clear. I am not having an issue with the first string picked, it is the the last string picked with the index finger. My index finger is just having a hard time finding the string despite the fact that I have played that string with the index finger thousands of time. I have been doing as you suggested,just practicing the roll over and over again. I am sure that I will get it.
Regards
I am confused the last string (the 4th string ) is picked with the thumb if you look below the notes in the TAB you’ll see @BanjoBen has typed the numbers 21T meaning 2=Middle 1=Index T=Thumb on strings 2 3 4
I remember back to when first started playing banjo. I could never seem to hit the right string in the right order on any roll pattern then all of a sudden I was doing it. Fast forward five years and I was working on a lesson with Alan Munde and he introduced me to the inside roll. I was lost, I just could not grasp the concept, it took me the best part of a year to get it down pat. Trust me you’ll get it if you put in the practice. That said, don’t let it frustrate you. A little practice each day.
@Archie I think we are talking about two different rolls. I tried posting a picture, but it was too big, and not sure how to post a picture from a cloud. From your description, it sounds like you are talking about the 7th. The 8th is the inside roll. the last there strings are 2,3, and 4 which Ben has played with T,T,1, Either way, the only way for me to get it right is to practice it,
Peter
So lets make sure. Measure 8 has a red circle with the inside roll. Look below the TAB see the numbers 2 1 T that represents the picking pattern the last note in that picking sequence is picked with the THUMB
Yes, that is the one. But it is the last chord in the measure that I am having an issue with. I am assuming that I screwed up and assumed that the 4th and 5th chords to be played in the measure are part of the inside role. Still learning the banjo lingo 
1 Like
In the video, Ben almost splits this measure in two, treating the last two notes more as part of the next sequence. For me this was made manageable by the fact that the 3rd note is a quarter note. That gives me time to move the thumb from the 4th to the 3rd string. With the thumb playing 3, the index on 2 for the last note of the measure becomes easier.
I’m sorry if that’s not clear, I’m still very much a beginner myself.
2 Likes
@cafferata.richard, I agree. The quarter note makes it possible to play those consecutive notes with the thumb.
3 Likes
Hi Peter
Ok I see why we are NOT on the same page. This is kinda like a split measure. The first half of the measure comprises of the inside roll. Simply three notes in a row.
The second half of the measure comprises of 2 pick up notes which lead you from the G7 chord into the C Chord in measure 9. Everything in the red box is considered to be the C chord including the 2 pick up notes which are actually in G. But don’t let that confuse you. Just think of them as steps that lead you to the next room.
Now I see why you may be struggling with this. Measure 9 starts with a C melody note on the second string. picked with the Index Finger but measure 8 ends on a B note also picked with an Index Finger. That may well feel awkward but not impossible. In Bluegrass it is said you shouldn’t pick with the same finger twice. That’s a myth, as you gain experience you’ll figure out how. Except perhaps on a really fast tune, But this is not a fast tune and it’s definitely not bluegrass.
Because it is such a slow tune you should have ample time to pick the string twice. Personally I would pick the melody note starting measure 9 with my thumb followed by the first string played with the middle finger.
It would also be fine to leave out the B note at the end of measure 8 it’s really a fill note and is intended to guide the listeners ear to what follows.
One final point, The last note on the inside roll is picked with the THUMB that quarter note gives you ample time to pick the next note (the pickup note) also with the THUMB
My advice would be to play around with the picking pattern here. Maybe @BanjoBen can offer up an alternate suggestion.
Sometimes you just got to figure stuff out on your own. All of @BanjoBen 's lessons are well written, all the detail you need is there in front of you. If you are unsure pause and rewind the video as many times as you need most times that helps. I do it all the time
2 Likes
Thanks Archie,
I have practiced the part that I was having issues with and I think that I finally have it. On the other issue you noted about picking with the same finger in a row, I usually do not have an issue with it when the song is slow. That said, at the beginning of the song (and three other times) there are there strings in a row picked by the thumb in the tab, third string 2 times then the second string. That third string was tripping me up.Playing the second one two fast, So, now playing it with my index finger.
Now the tough part it getting the timing right with the 3/4. First time playing this time signature. It is taking some time to get used to, especially when the measure has the 1/4 note at the end. I have been playing the next chord to fast…but getting there.
3 Likes
Stick with it you’ll get it, it may take a while.
2 Likes