The Dead March

from: Old-Time Mandolin with John Reischman

This lesson is part of the course Old-Time Mandolin with John Reischman.

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Learn to play old-time fiddle tunes and song melodies with mandolin master John Reischman. Includes advice on picking technique and playing old-time rhythm on the mandolin.

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Little Liza Jane

John adds a drone string to much of the melody of the B part of “Little Liza Jane,” and the first phrase begins with a clawhammer-style rhythm. John walks you through it phrase by phrase and then shows you how to find the melody of the A part an octave up the neck.

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The Dead March

“The Dead March” Play-Along Track

The Dead March

“The Dead March” is a march composed by Bill Monroe and recorded on his tribute album to his uncle Pendleton Vandiver (“Uncle Pen”) in the 1960s. There’s also a nice live version by the Muleskinner band, with Richard Greene on fiddle and David Grisman on mandolin (at 22:32 in the live recording). John also recorded “The Dead March” with mandolinists Butch Baldassari and Robin Bullock. It’s a three-part tune in the key of A, although the second note of the tune is a G natural, but that's the only time it occurs in the melody.

"The Dead March" Notation/Tab (Available to subscribers)

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