THAT is AWESOME!
Mark and Ben… I like that story so much!
Discuss the Banjo lesson: The Foggy Mountain Lick
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An Iconic banjo tune for certain! This also, was one of the first banjo tunes I learned back in High School. I played it so much, my mother would shoo me out of the room. I also picked up some bad finger habits which were much more difficult to remove than to acquire. One of my resolutions this year, is to get to play this tune at 160-bpm cleanly. A couple things have helped me out a great deal. (My 2-cents) One, is to get the tune memorized. Not hard to do, but then you can watch your right hand closely to make certain you aren’t developing “I’ll fly-away” fingers. (Pun intended). Economy of movement is absolutely needed, keeping the picking fingers low with minimum movement. Also, I observe if my right hand is tightening-up or getting tense. Relaxation is so important. A sure sign, is that you are tending to push-around your anchor fingers which will destroy your accuracy (I like to anchor both fingers). Another thing that’s helped me move to the next level of speed, is to practice for a few minutes at the new faster speed, getting your fingers accustomed to moving that fast even if initially, you’re accuracy is not quite as good. Then return to a speed you can play accurately keeping the hand relaxed and your right hand-form anchored & stationary. Banjo Ben’s lesson is dead-on and can be used to make a “loop” and do scales with it. The crazy thing about FMB, is that it is a great joy to listen to it done well, but it can be pure torture to listen to someone playing faster than their ability will allow with a lot of mistakes. Let’s all join together to keep the Banjo in high-esteem and play as cleanly as we possibly can! Happy Picking!
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Great post!
Hi Banjo Ben,
I’m new to your site and only been playing for 2 years. I was going through the FMBD lesson but can only find tabs for Alternative Thumb, Hammer and different variations. I’m looking for the tab and lesson to play the entire song. Can you tell me where to find it on your site, please?
Thank you,
Steve
Hey Steve! Welcome to the forum!
FMBD still has a copyright on it, so Ben hasn’t released it yet. He’s working on being able to teach such material, but it’s really complicated with a lot of lawyer jibberish and site programming details.
Now, no promises, but if you’re a gold pick member, Ben has been known to privately email lessons that used to be posted that he has since removed for copyright reasons. If you send him an email, he just might send you the tabs if that’s one he’s tabbed out already.
I just did a quick Google search and found a few examples, none of which I would consider 100% accurate, but then again, that song has hundreds of variations, so they’ll probably all work.
Hey Steve, If you purchase Earl Scruggs book “Earl Scruggs & the Five-Stringed Banjo”, You’ll find the FMBD Tab exactly like Earl played it along with many other classic songs he played. Might find a copy on Amazon used / cheap. Anyways, it’s a great book to have in your library. I recommend it anyways. Happy Picking!!
Hi Guys, thanks so much for all the help. It was more information then I could hope for. I will pick up the book off of Amazon. I wasn’t aware of the legal issues surrounding the piece.
I’m 55 and been picking just 2 years. I found an older women by the name of Patsy that teaches me once a week. I found this web site just 6 weeks ago and I have learned a ton more. I’m trying so hard to pick up speed and be accurate. Thats harder to do then it sounds.
Thanks again guys!
Steve
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Send me an email and I’ll send you my tab for my arrangement 
Boy dont take this lesson lightly. Kinda passed over it thinking it will work itself out. Got into Ben’s break down and sure enough got hung up on the lick, had to go on back and go through it again. This is such a well thought out program.
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You couldn’t be more right Steve2. The speed and accuracy are the hardest part. I am not a patient person but am finding these lessons naturally making me more confident and with that quicker. Keep pickin is what they keep telling em and it seems to be working. Good luck!
Hey y’all I need some hep, I tried to learn this lick when I first got on the sight, back when I was just starting banjo, I gave up on trying to learn it other than what I needed to play in other songs, I try to play it at least once every day, and still no improvement on the FMBD arrangement, I can drop my thumb down no problem and can play it slow just fine but cannot increase the tempo at all. I need to learn this song for something and need help let me know what you think I need to change. Thanks https://youtu.be/dTfUbTV26ds
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Hi Jesse, It sounds like you have the FMB Lick nailed assuming your dropping the thumb. It’s hard to tell from the camera angle and we can’t see your picking hand. The Em lick doesn’t sound right and maybe you should go back and review the lesson.
One thing I can see is you are lifting you’re middle finger a bit too high off the finger board. ( economy of movement ) Try to keep it closer. The key to the FMB Lick is listening and timing.
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Sounding pretty good! But yes you’re losing the hammer-on effect the faster it goes…it’s frustrating but more slow practice is what the doctor orders.
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I don’t know if this will help you, but when I learned that lick I said it in my head. Hammer Hammer 5215, Hammer Hammer 5215. It might be worth a shot
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Many many years ago I was trying to learn Foggy Mt BD. I was sitting on the porch as not to bother the family when my brother came in with a friend who paused to listen. She said “you are not doing that exactly right.” I stopped and handed her my banjo. As I removed my picks to loan her, she reached into her pocket and announced “I have my own.” A note to all here, when the girl has her own picks, YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET A LESSON. She introduced me to the alternating thumb and kindly helped me with the lick. That was over 40 years ago. Recently I started playing again and to me the FMBD lick requires much attention to keep it smooth and in time. Don’t get discouraged and by all means get a banjo mute. 
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It was a girl who taught me the Foggy Mountain Breakdown Roll Her name is Murphy Henry. She has her own picks and knows how to use them.
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Ben
Could I get you to send your version of the tab on Foggy Mountain Breakdown? My email is boonem@swbell.net
I have been reading through this post hoping to find a reference.
Thanks!
Mike Boone
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Thank you, I also noticed just today that my alternating thumb had a timing issue so I fixed it and it’s starting to improve, thank you all for your input.
I prefer variation 3 , than 1
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