https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/what-a-friend-we-have-in-jesus-mandolin-intermediate
The guitar solo is first, but stick around for a tasty mandolin take on this classic hymn! I love the space in this arrangement combined with the syncopation!
Discuss the Mandolin lesson: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
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Yay! Love this song. Great arrangement. I like the way the Northfield sounds on that.
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I am LOVING this Northfield! I bought it to sell, but it hasn’t been listed on the store yet…for some reason.
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Well, now I know what I’m learning on mando next… Is that the artist series? the headstock looks like an F5s
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Yep, the Artist series. The best mandolin I’ve ever had in the Cabin.
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Wow, even better than your Gibson, Snake, and the Big Mon? Thats gotta be some mandolin…
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Yes, blows them all away.
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You may not want to use it in videos… someone might make you an offer you can’t refuse!
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You are simply an Outstanding Musician Ben. Worldwide music thanks you for your existence. Perfect arrangement.
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Wow… High praise indeed!
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Just finished learning this, great arrangement. I noticed several parts sounded very similar to Hannah’s song
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Ben. Question on technique. On the two string tremolos (measures 37, 38 etc.), are you using an up-and-down motion of the wrist, or are you rotating the wrist/forearm so that you see the pad of the thumb (if you follow what I’m saying). I came across an instructional video from Sharon Gilchrist recently, who was talking about using the latter approach, which seems harder to me. Thanks.
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Interesting question…
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I’m doing a little of both. It’s a 3-dimensional movement, not a 2. Does that make sense?
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Yeah, it does. Takes work to get everything right-all four strings, musicality and the timing.
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I’m really struggling to figure out the fingering for the first measure of the chorus
Do you have a video explaining what the mandolin plays during the guitar solo? I’m working on this song to play as a duet with my sister. I really like the way the mandolin chords are a background to the guitar, but I don’t know what exactly I’m supposed to play to make it sound the way it’s supposed to.
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Howdy Erich!
He is chopping there. Here is a great course of Ben’s on closed (chop) chords. I think this will get you where you need to go, but if not, let folks know and we’ll try again.
https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/closed-major-chord-shape-1-the-1-4-5-mandolin-beginner?from_track=beginner-mandolin-checklist
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Thank you! That did help. I do have another question though. What chop chords should I use for Aminor and D7 chords in this song? Thanks again!
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Glad that helped! Chops are a blast and they open up a whole new world.
For an A minor chop, I typically just use a three string chord and mute/skip the other string,
2 2 3 X (2nd fret on G and D strings, 3rd fret on A string and mute or skip the E string).
For a D7, you CAN just play a D chop or there are some easy 7 variations as well.
5 4 5 X or
5 4 5 5 both work well.
For me, often when playing the 7 chord to being it back home, I’ll play with an open (not chopped) variation such as
2 0 3 2
Depending on where you are on the neck there are lots of other variations for these chords. As one plays chops more, you’ll find there are variations all over the neck. These shapes are closed so you can move them all around (slide the D7 up two frets and voila! E7). Also, just personal preference, but I think less is more on chops. 2 or 3 fretted notes often sounds better (to me) than getting all 4 strings. Lastly, if you are in a situation on the fly where you can’t remember or get to a particular chord quick enough, you can lightly mute the strings and just play a percussive sound without tone.
Have fun!
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