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Hi Ric,

Thanks for your interest. I just got back from conducting the 90-minute workshop on Bluegrass Banjo Backup Basics at the CBA “Fathers Day” BG festival in Grass Valley, Calif. about 20...

Here is virtual version of a 90-minute workshop on Bluegrass Banjo Backup Basics that I have conducted at several bluegrass festivals in the past few years, most recently at the CBA festival in Grass...

Mike,

For basic rolling backup behind a fast fiddle tune, I have found it most effective to play mostly simple forward rolls and avoid playing the 3rd scale-tone of whatever chord is being...

timtim,

For the past seven years or so, I have put on a “Basic Bluegrass Banjo Backup” workshop at the Fathers’ Day BG Festival in Grass Valley, CA that has been very well received. I usually...

Jeff,

A lot depends on whether your goals include playing in a bluegrass band, or you just want to play fiddle tunes at home by yourself or with a couple of friends (not that there is anything...

BanjoBelle,

Alternate tunings are not very common in traditional bluegrass as played by Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, JD Crowe, etc.
I’d estimate that at least 80% of the time traditional...

Hi 9LbShellhamer,

You asked for an example of both Scruggs-style and Keith-style.

Here’s a recording of Earl Scruggs playing a fiddle tune with his impeccable sense of melody, timing, and...