Bill will conclude the melodic style section of Melodic and Single-String Banjo by looking at two important banjo solos. “New Camptown Races” (1964) from Bill Keith, recorded with Red Allen and Frank Wakefield, was the first recorded solo to significantly mix Scruggs/roll-based playing with melodic elements in the same solo. “Huckleberry Hornpipe” (1973), from Alan Munde, recorded by Country Gazette with Byron Berline on fiddle and Clarence White guesting on guitar, is a three-part tune employing arpeggios requiring right-hand crossovers and up-the-neck movable left-hand shapes. He also shows you Ben Eldridge’s solo on “Panhandle Country” from the Seldom Scene recording Live at the Cellar Door.
After looking at these solos, Bill returns to exploring ascending and descending licks, but this time over two octaves. He finishes up with a discussion of four- and five-note movable positions with a finger-busting series of scale exercises, employing positions used by such players as Béla Fleck and Noam Pikelny. Beginners and less experienced intermediates should follow these advanced materials as best you can as the information presented in this session will come in handy in the months and years to come as you further explore melodic style.
