https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/john-henry-mandolin-advanced
We start down low, then go up high to get jiggy with Johnny Henry. We’ll also talk about how to fill up a solo with things other than a constant barrage of eighth notes!
Discuss the Mandolin lesson: John Henry
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Love it! That Northfield mandolin sounds AWESOME! Thanks Ben!
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“I almost always have to oblige… if it’s legal.” Ha!
Nice arrangement!
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Hey @BanjoBen, are you using some new lighting or high def or something? Man, that video looks nice, sharp, vivid, I don’t know, something’s improved. Looks great.
The arrangement is fantastic too.
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Actually, I just reviewed the last three or four lessons, same quality. Just beautiful.
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Good eye! I think he recently got some new cameras.
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I think he also said he had ordered new lighting but it wouldn’t arrive in time for this weeks lesson.
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Yep! I got two new cams and completely new lighting in the Cabin, all LED. I had been needing (read: wanting!) to upgrade for years but it is so expensive. I had been using the same cheap handycams and box lamps for 8 years. They served me well, but it was time to upgrade especially since I’m having more and more guests come into the Cabin to record.
I went with the Panasonic GH5 camera (have to get two of them), which record in 4K. The video files are massive now but they are much better quality. I’m also sending all my audio through my recording rig (even the lapel mics) rather than through the camera, so there should be a higher quality there as well (though it’s tough to tell with a phone).
Anyway, THANK YOU for noticing…makes my investment seem a bit more worth it 
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Talk about an investment!
You’ve come a long way @BanjoBen. Very well done. Congrats and thanks.
Although there is a certain charm to the old living room or hotel room videos. We haven’t gotten any awkward rapping or overalls in a long while. The price of progress, I suppose.
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Oh yeah, very worth it. Well done Ben 
THIS is a real teacher dedicated to his craft.
@BanjoBen, as this is instructional, thank you for continuing to invest in us by bringing us the very best equipment you can offer.
Striving to deliver the best product to your students speaks volumes as it is abundantly clear you embrace continuous improvement.
Thank you.
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I just learned this. It’s fun, and will be even more so once I can play it up to speed!
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Hey @BanjoBen :
I’m a relatively new member here, and this is the 5th thing I think I’ve dedicated myself to learning from the site.
One thing I’m curious to get your input on:
Obviously, most of this is in Key of G, but in a lot of the soloing, the notes are F, and not F#, like you would expect to find in Key of G. (Measures 8, 19, and especially measure 45).
Sorry if I’m rehashing something you explained somewhere and I just didn’t catch it.
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That is a great question, and I bet I’ve talked about it in 2 dozen lessons here and there but don’t know if I’ve officially explained what’s going on. Try this lesson: https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/pentatonic-boogie-in-g-mandolin-intermediate
Essentially the F natural is in the blues scale and is the dominant tone. We’re very very friendly with it in bluegrass/blues/jazz music.
Another thought that just came to me… and I am a bit surprised I never really realized this before…
The major scale is somewhat “lopsided” that the tone steps or intervals in G Major scale are:
G - A (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
A - B (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
B - C (1 semi-tone, 1/2 step)
and continuing…
C - D (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
D - E (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
E - F# (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
F# - G (1 semi-tone, 1/2 step)
So… we get the following steps ascending:
1, 1, 1/2, 1, 1, 1, 1/2… or when split the scale in half…
2-1/2 steps for the lower part and 3-1/2 steps for the upper part within the scale structure… which could feel lopsided for this reason as they aren’t equal: 2-1/2 (lower) + 3-1/2 (upper)
However, when the 7th note is flattened, it makes the interval pattern more “even”…
G - A (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
A - B (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
B - C (1 semi-tone, 1/2 step)
and continuing…
C - D (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
D - E (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
E - F (1 semi-tone, 1/2 step)
F - G (2 semi-tones, 1 step)
So… we get the following steps ascending:
1, 1, 1/2, 1, 1, 1/2, 1… or… or when split the scale in half…
2-1/2 steps for the lower part and 2-1/2 steps for the upper part with a whole step left over between the 7th and the octave root note. Thus, the intervals in the scale tones are now equally balanced at 2-1/2 steps each: 2-1/2 (lower) + 2-1/2 (upper)
Another observation is that the F note is part of the major IV chord (C Major chord uses F, not F#) where as that same F natural note is the flatted 7th (blues tone) of the V chord (G Major + flatted 7th again).
I hope this helps… rather than to confuse.
Nice lesson and solos BB! I recently became addicted to this song after hearing Dawg and Del play it on the Hardcore Bluegrass album. Grisman’s solos are fabulouso.
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