https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/bill-cheatham-melody-guitar
I taught an advanced version with lots of tricks years ago, but here’s a straight-ahead melody version. We also work on fret-hand economy as we shift positions.
Discuss the Guitar lesson: Bill Cheatham- Melody
Ben, I really like the “straight ahead, no frills” versions of some of these songs where you have previously done advanced versions. Speaking only for myself, in a jam I mostly just need the straight ahead version; it is usually too loud to hear the frills, slides, pull offs, etc that characterize the more advanced versions. Also - where you have included rhythm at varying speeds (e.g., “Bill Cheatum”) it would be helpful if, in addition to the full speed melody solo, you also included a melody version at a somewhat lower speed, too.
Keep up the great work!
2 Likes
Love the rhythm & chords lesson as I haven’t tried flat picking a melody yet. The walk down sounds mighty fine.
You can change the speed of the demo video of the lead playing using the little gear at the bottom right hand corner. of the video…
2 Likes
Thanks so much! As @fiddle_wood suggests, you can control the playback speed of the lesson preview solo by clicking on the gear settings button.
Initially I listened to the intro and downloaded the PDF and began to try to play in the home position which was difficult for me. After watching Banjo Ben’s video on how to play the A Part I realized how much easier he made by explaining when to move our index finger so that we could use our stronger fingers to play certain sections more quickly. What a difference it made in my ability to play this piece. Thank Banjo Ben for a great lesson.
3 Likes
Hi Joel Welcome to @BanjoBen 's Forum. Glad to learn you are fining your way around.
Ben’s PDF files are great but I much prefer using his .tef files.
Check out this thread to learn more.
Hello All,
Just learned the melody for Bill Cheatam and I’m confused as to when to play measures 35-38. Fiddle tunes I"m familiar with mostly seem to follow the pattern of two A parts and two B parts but this version seems to have those extra four measures in the B part. I tried playing it with someone the other day and the other guitar player would finish two B parts and then I would still be playing those last four measure. If someone could explain how and when to use them I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
Hello All,
Just learned the melody for Bill Cheatam and I’m confused as to when to play measures 35-38. Fiddle tunes I"m familiar with mostly seem to follow the pattern of two A parts and two B parts but this version seems to have those extra four measures in the B part. I tried playing it with someone the other day and the other guitar player would finish two B parts and then I would still be playing those last four measure. If someone could explain how and when to use them I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
Hi Eric! Welcome to the forum!
Those measures are an ending lick – it’s just a lick used after the last break, to signal to everyone else that the tune is ending and to wrap it up essentially. It’s very common in fiddle tunes like Bill Cheatham 
Hello Michael,
Greetings from Maine! Thanks for such a quick response. So, if I’m in a jam and it’s my turn to take a break I stop at 34 and the next person takes a break and if I’m ending the song I continue to those last four measures?
If I’m playing with a backing track or taking a second turn through I disregard the last two eighth notes in measure 34 on the E string and return to the start of the A part? Thanks. Hoping to try it out tonight at a jam.
2 Likes
Yep, you’ve got it Eric! I think the only thing tripping you up was that you thought the ending lick was part of the B part. Enjoy your jam!!
1 Like
Thanks!
1 Like
cant do any playing now my bridge on my martin guitar is cracked caused by bad humidity