Here are some of my favorites I've learned over the years of fiddling in the key of C: Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow, Home Sweet Home, Silver Bells, Swinging Bridge, East Tennessee Blues, Denver Belle, Billy in the Low Ground, Mc Hattie's Waltz, Grassy Fiddle Blues, Ashland Breakdown, Black Velvet Waltz, Dark Hollow, Back Up and Push, On My Mind, Tennessee Wagoner, Londonderry Air, Little Rock Getaway, Roxanna Waltz, Blue Water Hornpipe, etc.......
Edited by - wilford on 09/26/2023 09:21:44
I only have 1 and half...
Billy and TN Waltz!
quote:
Originally posted by ErockinI only have 1 and half...
Billy and TN Waltz!
Oh Yeah, I forgot. I play TN Waltz in C, D, Eb, E, F, G, Bb and F (Eb is the prettiest key of them all!)
Once I learn a tune I try to play it in other keys as well. Some tunes lend themselves better than others. ;)
Edited by - wilford on 09/26/2023 08:37:13
--C--, Cranberry Rock, East Tennessee Blues, Fourteen Days Through Georgia, Hell Broke Loose in Georgia, Katy Did, Last Shot Got Him, L&N Rag, Little Rose (A min - C), Maysville, Monkey in the Dog Cart, Paddy Won't You Drink Some Cider (also D), Peacock Rag (also D), Tennessee Mountain Fox Chase
I like The Skillet Lickers "Four Cent Cotton" in C. And when Paul Warren and Earl played a tune together in C that Lester called "The Old Folks" it was nothing but "Soldiers Joy." Maybe because C works better than D on the banjer, at least that's where I always used to pick it. Anyhow try Soldiers Joy in C sometime, it's a whole new set of licks
quote:
Originally posted by SaltcuredI like The Skillet Lickers "Four Cent Cotton" in C. And when Paul Warren and Earl played a tune together in C that Lester called "The Old Folks" it was nothing but "Soldiers Joy." Maybe because C works better than D on the banjer, at least that's where I always used to pick it. Anyhow try Soldiers Joy in C sometime, it's a whole new set of licks
Thanks for the challenge. I now like playing Soldier's Joy in C. It's even fun in F ;)
A short aside - I think Earl Scruggs played more in C than most modern banjo players. Like this: youtu.be/dKv-m0q1S9U
Frog on a Lillipad
Back up and Push
Billy in the Lo-ground
The usual appendix: a song requested in that key.
Edited by - farmerjones on 09/26/2023 10:12:26
quote:
Originally posted by DougDA short aside - I think Earl Scruggs played more in C than most modern banjo players. Like this: youtu.be/dKv-m0q1S9U. The Martha White theme song won't sound the same anywhere else. And good fiddle breaks on his "Farewell Blues" and "Nashville Skyline Rag" too
quote:
Originally posted by DougDA short aside - I think Earl Scruggs played more in C than most modern banjo players. Like this: youtu.be/dKv-m0q1S9U
Our Banjo picker crapped when I called White Freightliner Blues in C...although he's a pro and nailed it. He saisdbefore he kicks it off..."Don't think we've done this one in C but let's give it a shot."............nailed it!
quote:
Originally posted by SaltcuredAnyhow try Soldiers Joy in C sometime, it's a whole new set of licks
I have three friends that I've been playing old time music with for about 50 years. Somehow our band (Thornbury Ramblers), has gotten the notion that C is the official key of the band. Now, the other fiddler often switches to guitar banjo, the banjo player is still in C and the harmonica player just picks one of the right key, so there's plenty of D tunes that I can now play in C (a couple are in the list I already posted).
I find that each key has its own character and the same tune, for me, plays differently in each key. Though there are some similarities in that tunes I play in F and C only involve moving over one string; same for G and D.
I like to hear about how others might have tried the same tune in different keys. What say you?
Eric - So, did your banjo player actually play the song in C tuning, like Earl did in that video, or did he capo up five frets and play in G tuning, like some people do these days.
I left out
Chinese Breakdown (or Rag)
Much for fun for me in C than in D.
quote:
Originally posted by DougDEric - So, did your banjo player actually play the song in C tuning, like Earl did in that video, or did he capo up five frets and play in G tuning, like some people do these days.
That's right. No capo...just plain ole ripped it. I like the famous banjo picker question they ask....."how fast ya want it??"
Let's not forget Panhandle Country, & Sailor's Hornpipe. May be wrong but think I recall hearing Howdy Forrester play one night on the Opry a neat C tune called Trot Along (?). It had a second part in A minor
Chinese Breakdown is my all time favorite in C, so much fun to play.
Hell Broke Loose in Georgia
Jack of Diamonds from Snake Chapman
Billy in the Lowground (of course)
Texas Gals (Gales)
Mace Bell's Civil War Match (Am?)
Georgia One Step
Eight Days in Georgia
That's My Rabbit, My Dog Caught It
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