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Your first picking techniques will be the “pinch” and the “bum ditty,” and you’ll learn how to use them in the context of an old favorite that BB calls “Boil Them Cabbages Down.” More commonly known as “Boil (or Bile) Them Cabbage Down,” this ubiquitous folk ditty is a great first banjo tune. BB starts by showing you the three chords you’ll need for playing “Boil Them Cabbage Down” in the key of G: G, C, and D. Then she’ll show how to play the basic melody and combine it with a “pinch” and a “bum ditty.” In this video, BB shows you a basic “pinch” for playing two strings together using the thumb and middle finger, and walks you through the first half of the melody and how to combine that with the pinch.
| The G Scale and Chords |
| The G Scale and Chords, Part 1 |
Because so much banjo music is played in the key of G or using G-position fingering with a capo, it makes good sense to learn the rudiments of that key in some detail. In this lesson, BB gives you a basic fingerboard orientation and shows you some ways to play the G-major scale (G A B C D E F# G), first on one string, then across four strings. Then she dips into some easy music theory to discuss the chords associated with that scale. Along the way, she gives you some essential terminology so that you can discuss notes and chords with other musicians. In this video, BB shows you two ways to play a basic G scale and gives you some melody fragments to help you start memorizing the notes.
