Throw me suggestions. :)

[WmBuoymaster]

Ok..I start lessons this coming Thursday and my teacher suggested I pick a song I want to learn. I want something simple and maybe a med to slow tempo but exercises my fingers with a F cord in it. Lol.

What yall got as suggestions?

[Charlie Bernstein]

"Dark Hollow" in G. On the word "alone," some people go from G to G7, but others go from G to F, which is prettier, in my humble.

You can get some easy F practice playing "Wimoweh" in C.

A little chordier but not hopeless is "Wild Horses," which has a couple of F's in the chorus.

Keep on pluckin'!

[FLATROCK HILL]

Rank Stranger

[WmBuoymaster]

Thats not bad! Its in the list now.
Really wanting to stick to bluegrass on this. Not that i wouldnt want to learn other stuff but it does make it easier to pick at the jams and such.

More Please.

[Timbofood]

Old Joe Clark?
Clinch Mountain Backstep

As for "Wimoweh" 40+ years and NEVER heard that one at a jam. Not being disparaging, just never heard it, different circles.

[jasona]

Tune I have been learning lately has has an F in it, perhaps Molly and Tenbrooks?

e. nope, that's just G and C. I was confusing it with a Woody Guthrie song (that would sound swell in a bluegrass arrangement but is not what you are looking for)

[gtani7]

Dennis Caplinger's 2 BG books for Banjo and Mandolin are good and have the same songs, you can see Table of contents, about 20 songs, here: http://www.alfred.com/Products/The-C...-00-34495.aspx

It's good to learn a few different versions of a tune, and when you go on youtube, you'll see people throw in all kinds of double stops, melodic variations, alternate chop chords etc

[WmBuoymaster]

I do love Little Maggie. Maybe in G would work that F chord.

[Br1ck]

Your teacher didn't have any suggestions?

[WmBuoymaster]

Your teacher didn't have any suggestions?

Im sure he does but I watched his teaching style yesterday and had a good chat. I used to teach drum lessons and if a student is very interested in a reasonable tune, they are more likely to enjoy and stay with the practicing.

Plus he heard my playing during a jam session before his class. We had never met until after it and knows I'm a tad more than bottom beginner. If that makes sense...

[Br1ck]

My question lies in my belief that a good teacher should have a plan. Not just what song do you want to learn. He's heard you, so if he thinks you could improve your tremolo, he should have a song in conjunction with exercises to do that. That kind of thing. I guess what I would look for is more like a classical music approach. Like here are the skills you will need to play bluegrass, and this song will help us work on those skills. IMHO, I look for someone to recognize weaknesses, and provide solutions. Perhaps some teachers can comment.

[allenhopkins]

This Land Is Your Land in the key of C. Goes immediately to the F chord.

[soliver]

Good medium slow song with an F chord is "Amazing Grace" in the key of C... only thing is it's in 3/4 time rather than 4/4 time. If that doesn't throw you off, it's great because it's a very well known melody that is frequently played at jams.

[Mark Miller]

Bill and Charlie Monroe. Lots of great stuff in C and in F. Good place to start is Foggy Mountain Top in F. Or What Does the Deep Sea Say in C. Both really will teach you how to find your way around a tune in those keys.

[WmBuoymaster]

Good medium slow song with an F chord is "Amazing Grace" in the key of C... only thing is it's in 3/4 time rather than 4/4 time. If that doesn't throw you off, it's great because it's a very well known melody that is frequently played at jams.

Ah. 3/4 won't bother me. Ex drummer for many years.

All great suggestions. I may just have to learn more at home while I do my homework too. Amazing Grace is a definite. Thanks for that suggestion.

[WmBuoymaster]

Bill and Charlie Monroe. Lots of great stuff in C and in F. Good place to start is Foggy Mountain Top in F. Or What Does the Deep Sea Say in C. Both really will teach you how to find your way around a tune in those keys.

I'm actually trying to get the melody down to Foggy Mountian now. That ending is tough for me but I know it by heart. Just need to work on speed and accuracy.

[soliver]

Ah. 3/4 won't bother me. Ex drummer for many years.

All great suggestions. I may just have to learn more at home while I do my homework too. Amazing Grace is a definite. Thanks for that suggestion.

I like this version by Matt Flinner. It is in the key of G but can easily be played in C, just move the whole thing down 1 string and back 2 frets and it will be in the key of C.

[Strad]

John hardy in G

[mandroid]

Fiddle tunes.. I got my head around Fishers hornpipe, many years ago*.. first..


* old analog paper books era.

[WmBuoymaster]

John hardy in G

Haha. My father in law would agree!!

[Strad]

Fallen leaves and old lonesome home are a few more.

[WmBuoymaster]

I wanna say Old Lonesome Home I've heard before. I was a rock guy but have always loved all music. Bluegrass has interest me for a long time. I'll look into to that tune. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Charlie Bernstein]

Old Joe Clark?
Clinch Mountain Backstep

As for "Wimoweh" 40+ years and NEVER heard that one at a jam. . . ..

Yeup, which makes it ideal jam fodder: easy to play, not many words, everyone knows all the parts, and no one is sick of playing it at every gol-dern fretathon.

Likewise: "Tequila."