https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/cripple-creek-mandolin-beginner
Cripple Creek is a standard tune, and you’re up a crippled creek without a pick if you don’t know how to play it! Learn a basic version to get a handle on the melody with the first solo, then dance the rapids a bit with the second solo in this tab. Come on in…the water’s fine!
Sometimes I find my pointer/ring finger doing the 2-4 hammer-on rather than the pointer/middle like you exemplify in the video. Is this something that’s no big deal, or should I will my fingers to shape-up?
I say it’s no big deal I do the same on occasion playing banjo. So log as the timing is right and it sounds right, you figure out what works best for you.
Make your middle finger man up and get the job done. We have other fretplans for your ring finger.
Ben, sorry for the ignorance here. I’m playing along to the mp3 tracks while using the PDF. They don’t seem to match. The jam track is longer than playing what is on the PDF tab, but not long enough to play it through twice before the ending part. There are no indications in the tab to repeat anything. Just trying to stay in sync with the track. I seem to run out of tab before running out of jam track 
Thank you.
You’re right! I’ve got this on my list to fix. The jam track goes through the progression 3x instead of 2x like the tab, then it doesn’t have the ending. If you want to match the jam track, play all the way through the track then go back and play measures 5-20
Thank you for the response. That helps! And thank you for this great site. Though I’ve played for some years, I have learned some huge fundamental habits, concepts and practice approaches in your lessons that are helping me get off the plateau I’ve been on.
Hi Ben. I’m working my way through the song list for the April camp (2022). You have a lesson on Amazing Graze for the chords and rythum but I don’t see one here for Cripple Creek. (I know the chords…I just want to practice the correct strum.)
Thanks!
I’ve got good news for you…I’m recording some slow jam videos for these songs, and Cripple Creek will either be released next week or week after.
But as far as the “correct” strum, go check out my rhythm courses and all of that will apply to Cripple Creek.
Thanks. I’m working my way through the rythum courses now. BTW the little one liners in the lessons are cracking me up…e.g. “Are you sure it isn’t past your bedtime!”
Ben, it seems like there are some added measures on the backing track vs. the mandolin solo. Can you lay out the song structure for the backing tracks here? Thanks!
Yep! I can see how this can be confusing.
Mandolin Performance
There are four intro (or potatoes) measures at the start. The mandolin then goes through the entire progression two times. The first solo is a very basic then we add some eighth notes the 2nd time. THEN, the mandolin does a 4 measure ending.
Rhythm Tracks
The intro is the same: 4 measures. Then, it goes through the progression/solo THREE times. It then ends after the 3rd solo with no ending.
As I said, I know that can be confusing.