Songs

Songs Others Don’t Know

by

Banjo picker writes: Question for you about jams. If I am leading a song, an instrumental, and no one else knows or wants to take a break on it, what do you think is a reasonable number of times to run through it without hogging too much of the floor. Is three times about right or is there any pat answer?

My quickest answer is that if you want to play an instrumental that no one else knows or can take a break on, you may want to skip it altogether. At jams, it’s best if everyone gets a chance to shine, and if there are people present who can improvise breaks to easy songs, that gives them that chance. Instrumentals are much harder to improvise breaks on (the breaks are longer length, and the instrumentals are typically played faster than typical songs).… More Info!

Which Version of Stoney Creek?

by

Pam writes: Hi Pete. When I request to play Stoney Creek with a group over at this guy’s house — lets call him Jim — he always starts it, which, number one, is incorrect because it is my song request and I want to start it but anyway he proceeds to play it correct except for the end part which he puts an extra beat in it. The others go ahead when it is their turn and play it the way Jim started it. I learned it from an Eric Thompson CD which he does not put an extra beat in it.

When it comes my turn I always play it the way I learned it and then the others do also but then when it comes Jim’s turn again he plays it the other way.… More Info!

The 6m in “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”

by

Mike in Colorado Springs writes: I noticed when I jam with other bluegrass players some insert an Em into WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN (when [playing in key of G). Your JAM Songbook does not show this chord change. I was wondering if you run into this a lot?

Mike,

That’s a good and appropriate question. It does come up sometimes and there’s no simple answer. The answer is a bit nuanced, depending on who’s leading, and matters of taste.

Some people put that 6 minor chord into the song. Many don’t. I doubt that the Carter Family did — it’s just a bit on the “sophisticated” side, and they weren’t too sophisticated.

It’s possible to use different chords behind the same melody, and the melody can sound OK with either chord.… More Info!