Temperance Reel, Part 3: Variations on the Melody

from: Advanced Flatpicking Guitar with Scott Nygaard

This lesson is part of the course Advanced Flatpicking Guitar with Scott Nygaard.

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Learn the essential techniques of bluegrass flatpicking guitar through classic and lesser-known songs and tunes, from bluegrass blues to old-time fiddle tunes to country swing sounds.

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Home Sweet Home

In Part 2 of the lesson on crosspicking, you'll learn the first part of Scott's arrangement of "Home Sweet Home," which mostly uses the traditional 3-3-2 roll. Since crosspicking is usually used to play song melodies, it's a good idea to learn the melody of a song before tackling a crosspicking arrangement, so Scott starts by making sure you know the melody to "Home Sweet Home" and then takes the arrangement apart phrase by phrase (or roll by roll).

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Temperance Reel

Temperance Reel, Part 1

Temperance Reel, Part 2

Temperance Reel, Part 3: Variations on the Melody

Temperance Reel, Part 4: Play-Along Track

Temperance Reel, Part 3: Variations on the Melody

When you start thinking about coming up with variations (or even improvising) on a fiddle tune like “Temperance Reel,” it’s good to narrow your sights a bit and just take it a measure or two at a time. Start by finding the melodic signposts that give the tune its character and then try getting to those places in different ways. You can also just try changing a note or two in a simple melodic phrase. Scott demonstrates both approaches in this lesson.

“Temperance Reel” Variations (Available to subscribers)

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← Temperance Reel, Part 2

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Temperance Reel, Part 4: Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Temperance Reel, Part 2

Next Lesson

Temperance Reel, Part 4: Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Temperance Reel, Part 2

Next Lesson

Temperance Reel, Part 4: Play-Along Track →

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Temperance Reel, Part 3: Variations on the Melody

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