https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/beaumont-rag-guitar
This is a great version of this parking lot favorite in the key of “C.” I especially like the B part, where we learn some really cool crosspicking licks that can be used in other songs as well!
Discuss the Guitar lesson: Beaumont Rag
I just learned this yesterday, and I can play along with the full speed backing track, mostly. I can very cleanly play with the 180 bpm track. This is a fun tune! Surprisingly (or not) the crosspicking licks in the B part were the easiest part of the song for me, they flow off my pick smoothly. This seems to be one of the easier advanced arrangements you make.
Thanks!
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Loving your site, Ben! Absolutely the best. I have joined with the free membership just for now, but once I have learned the three songs (one I already know, but I want to compare how it feels to play your version) I will be continuing either on an ad hoc basis or as a member. Thanks again for your great work.
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Best laugh of the day is the looming Banjo Ben wig in the background awaiting the next funny sketch. 
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Hahaha!
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I noticed Billy Strings has a different technique for the crosspicking rolls. Instead of a down-up-down picking pattern, he uses a down-down-up picking pattern.
Check out the YouTube video of him doing Beaumont Rag.
I even cued it up to 2:28. Slow it to half speed or 25% speed. You’ll see it. Interesting stuff.
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There’s been a lot of debate about that over the years. Logically, I see the speed advantage to down down up, but my pick refuses to cooperate at more than a snail’s pace.
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I just transcribed his version in this video and never noticed that ha. Might have to play around with that and see how it sounds.
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Hi Ben
What a great website.
Your Beaumont Rag lesson looks great, thanks.
I came across your site by chance when looking for Tony Rice playing Beaumont Rag. I don’t know much about Tony Rice maybe you could share your thoughts about his uniqueness.
Acoustic Guitar Magazine had a great article and video by Alan Barnosky here:
Beaumont Rag
Dermot
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Here’s my favorite Tony Rice video ever. Watch it and tell me what you think:
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Tony Rice (to·ny \ rīs) n.
- The greatest guitarist who ever lived.
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That’s a great video.
Folk born to guitar have that back bend in their thumb.
Tony Rices thumb is super bendy in that video.
His picking is amazing.
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Being able to play fast is great, but we have to be careful not to let the speed obscure the music behind the tune. If you notice, Steve Kaufman, Dan Crary, Ben Clark, and others don’t play tunes too fast. That way we enjoy the tune along with the music behind it. If it’s played too fast, the music itself will get lost.
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Ben, I just listened to a Doc Watson video of this. He played it very similar to the way you play it than plays a variation of it the second time through. Is there anyway you could do a variation of this so I don’t just repeat your version over and over? I’m not good enough yet to throw in appropriate variations yet but what you did with wildwood flower regular and cross picking really helped me being a better performer.
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His stuff is so good.
When I watch this it seems most of the time he is alternate picking for the cross picking parts but sometimes, especially when he is moving down the scale , towards the lower notes, that he doesn’t alternate and picks each string in the direction of the flow. like up up up.
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Correct, Tony will break the alternate picking rules quite often, and he’s earned that right 
I think it’s important for us to learn the rule first, then you can go break it.
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Thanks thats what I thought. I’m have gone back to your cross picking foward roll intermediate lesson to religiously work on those excercises. I want to become a great crosspicker, I love it. I am going to comment on it there.
Beaumont Rag and the C-scale - I love having those light dawning moments. This morning I was practicing my C-scale and heard Beaumont Rag in my mind. Sure enough, Beaumont Rag is kind of a C-scale exercise. Y’all are probably way ahead of me on this but this finally clicked for me. I think my listening skills are improving.
Thanks Ben for teaching me to listen.
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