https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/softly-and-tenderly-banjo-intermediate
This classic hymn has one of my favorite melodies, and fits an expressive banjo solo quite well! Though it’s slow, it requires some quick moves to keep it clean & make it sound pretty!
Beautiful melody. I am heading off to grab my banjo. 
Same!!!
Great melody-perfect to work on! Thank you Ben.
Love this! These classic hymns never get old. Thank you.
That is just beautiful and so inspirational! A lesson to strive towards.
Lookin forward to tryin my hand at this hymn!
Wonderful. Beautiful rendition of a beautiful old song. Love it. Gonna start working on this now.
Hi @BanjoBen
In measure 16 how are you fretting the D triplet? - You quickly skip over that to explain the Scruggs lick that follows. I am just trying to get my head round the best way to finger this. I have tried a few ways to fret this but they all feel a little awkward moving into the Scruggs lick.
Looks like he’s doing index finger on the 5th fret, G string and ring + pinky on the 7th frets, B and D strings?
Thanks @Michael_Mark I have tried that also tried baring index and pinky. Just trying to figure out what works out best. I am finding it especially tricky moving into that position from the partial 4-5 G chord position that precedes the triplet
Hi @Michael_Mark I think I have finally settled on using the Index on the 3rd String, the Ring on the 2nd String and the pinky on the 1st String. Moving down the neck from the C Chord measure 15 and back up to the D Chord Measure 16 feels just right for me and I no longer fumble.
Love this hymn and arrangement! Nice to see in the chat @Archie! How are things in Scotland! Scotland is on my bucket list!
Take care!
Dean
Hi @Deano1 Dean. Nice to hear from you.
How are things in Scotland! You ask. Well much the same as always, Lot’s of rain to fill your bucket list, lots of midges to bite your bum.
Seriously though Scotland is a great place to visit. Lot’s of Cities, Towns, Villages, Loch’s, Glen’s, Mountain’s River’s, Castle’s, Ghost’s, Monster’s, TAM THE GUN, Rabbie Burns, 100’s of Golf Courses (two owned by Mr Trump - well maybe not any more pending his day in court this past week) Royal Yacht, Pub’s, Strange Food and Drink to savour, Big hairy men wearing tartan skirts playing bagpipes on street corners, plus lots and lots of other strange and interesting things to explore.
Do your own research make a plan of the places you want to visit. Scotland may look like a small dot on the map but don’t let that fool you. It’s not a quick weekend break. Give yourself plenty of time to take it all in.
Our city streets are pretty safe to walk, except late at night when you might encounter the odd drunk heading home or to the nearest Fish & Chip, Curry or Kebab shop.
And last but not least the dog that won the FREEDOM to wander the streets of Edinburgh
@Archie Thank you for you kind reply! I am definitely coming to your beautiful country! I will be in Nashville with brother @BanjoBen next week for one of his camps! I can’t wait! Really looking forward to having some fun and hopefully becoming a better banjo picker! I recently retired so my wife surprised me with the camp! Love her! We are also going to tour Nashville for a couple days after the camp. God bless my friend.
Dean
Ben, I really enjoyed this lesson. It helped to solidify some concepts that I’ve been chewing on for a while and I found a few small variations as I was learning your arrangement. It might be ready for Sunday… I’ll keep working on it. Thanks again!
That makes my day!! I love the variations!
Ben I love this song thanks. I love it so much it has taken me away from about 5 other songs I’m learning. Do you think its better to work on one song at a time to the memorized level or work on many at once with a slower timeframe to memorize. I’m 2 years practicing regularly now 3 years total and starting to pic up faster but am stuck to the tabs. I’m trying to wean myself by memorizing
I don’t have a strong opinion about how many songs to work on at a time. What’s more important is to get off the tab dependency. Can you sit down and find the simple melody of this song on your instrument without tab?
