Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Discuss the Guitar lesson: Away in a Manger- Fingerstyle

https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/away-in-a-manger-fingerstyle-guitar

This a beautiful fingerstyle guitar version of a classic Christmas carol. It’s in “Drop-D” tuning and I actually have two different solos in this tab, as well as the backup for the mandolin solo. This can be played as a duet with the mandolin, or you can use the two solos as a solo performance.

Well, someone asked me to learn this, and of course I said sure I’ll learn it… then I got to the lesson and oh shoot, it’s advanced! I had been expecting it to be easy or intermediate, not advanced… eish, it’s hard, but I managed. The hard part will be remembering the backup… I don’t usually learn scripted backup lines

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You definitely don’t have to memorize the backup, it’s just a suggestion, of course.

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I memorized it already, it just took a bit of work

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Great guitar work! Was there any Keith Whitley (guitarist) influence in this? Especially that one slide that you mentioned you really liked.

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You know, not consciously but I wouldn’t doubt it at all.

Ha! And I thought banjer was challenging! Bought a Preston Thompson after I sold my CA house during the pandemic in June, tried Wreck of the Ole97 first which was fun wasn’t too bad. But hadn’t done much ‘cause my focus is banjo. So I thought I’d do this for our quarantined Fam. Started before Thanksgiving, and whew! It’s a climb (every single day now for at least an hour). Hope I make it to the top by the 24th!

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