Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Top 5 songs you wish Ben could teach

We all know that Ben keeps his lessons strictly on public domain material. I talked with him a bit about what it takes to legally teach lessons for copyrighted material. Suffice it to say, I really had no idea. Not only is it expensive, the legal hoops he’ll have to jump through would be enough to make me just say “No thanks.”

That being said, if Ben COULD teach any songs we wanted, what would be your top 5?

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Which is why I would put some of my questions to fellow members instead of to Ben.

Now I will have to think to come up with a 5. But I have several of Ben’s lessons to go through though.

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Chopin Étude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary” for Solo Banjo.

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Oh, you just HAD to throw in “revolutionary” :wink:

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Hi @Mark_Rocka It’s 5 am and I just woke up so I can’t think what tunes I’d like off the top of my head. Over the years I have been a Gold PickMember I have suggested many tunes some he has covered others I guess remain on his long, long to do list. If possible I’d like to see @BanjoBen complete the Waypoint course. Teach some Build-a-Break tunes in the Key of D without a capo. I think this would be quite a challenge for him since he sticks mostly to G and C. I have worked through ALL his banjo lessons on the site to date and I find myself searching YouTube craving for lessons in the Key of D without a capo. I do have another online teacher who does teach lessons in D. But alas not much in the way of bluegrass. Mostly Celtic single string and a few melodic arrangements. Now that Ben has relocated to Texas and Katie Lou is teaching banjo at camps. It would be great to see her teach a few solo lessons in the cabin. She has mastered the skill of playing and singing at the same time and I know that many banjo players like me find this really difficult.

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Amarillo By Mornin’ - George!
When you say Nothing at All - Keith Whitley
Less Like Me -Zach Williams
Sing Me Back Home - Merle Haggard
Ballad of Jed - Earl Scruggs

With the exception of “Jed” none of the above are bluegrass - which is why I’d love to hear an arrangement done. Playing banjo in church has made me super-aware of when to mute and when to tactfully add some “spice” but to keep the banjo away from the steering wheel. :rofl: Great question @Mark_Rocka!

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My list.

Old Home Place
Roll in my Sweet Baby’s Arm’s
Blue Ridge Mountain Home
Bugle Call Rag
Sally Goodin

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