Banjo tabs

Jingle Bells

banjotabs — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:01:25 +0000

“Jingle Bells”, also known as “One Horse Open Sleigh”, is one of the best known and commonly sung secular Christmas songs in the world.

Foggy Mountain Breakdown

banjotabs — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:55:47 +0000

“Foggy Mountain Breakdown” is a famous bluegrass music instrumental by the seminal bluegrass artists Flatt and Scruggs.

Many 5-string banjo players consider Foggy Mountain Breakdown one of the instrument’s fastest and most rhythmically challenging pieces. Only very skilled 5-string banjo players can play it at the same speed and beat that Scruggs can.

Down-the-neck break.

Up-the-neck break

Tablature guide

banjotabs — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:09:30 +0000

This article helps you read banjo tabs.

Tablature is the most common form of notation used for writing

transcriptions of banjo music.

Tab (short for tablature) uses a staff similar to that used in standard music notation.

Each line of the staff represents one string of the banjo. Remember that the fifth string is the short one!

Numbers resting on the lines represent the fret (metal bars on fingerboard) number.

The time value of each note is indicated in much the same way as in standard music notation.

Salt Creek

banjotabs — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:21:00 +0000

Original break by Nathan Torkington.

Part A:
 G                          C           F                  	  G
+---0-----7-----9-+---7-----10--------+-7-------7-------+-7-------0----0-+
+-7~8---8-----8---+-----8----------6--+-----6-------6---+-----6----------+
+-----------------+------------x------+-----------------+-------9---x----+
+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+
+-----0-----0-----+-0-----0------0----+---0---0---0---0-+---0---------0--+

 G                          C           D             	   	  G
+---0-----7-----9-+---7-----10--------+-12--10---10-----+-10----7------0-+
+-7~8---8-----8---+-----8----------11-+-------11---11---+-----7----------+
+-----------------+------------x------+-----------------+-----------x----+
+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+
+-----0-----0-----+-0-----0------0----+---11----11---0--+---0-----0---0--+

 G                          C           F                  	  G
+---0-----7-----9-+---7-----10--------+-7-------7-------+-7-------0------+
+-7~8---8-----8---+-----8----------6--+-----6-------6---+-----6-------6--+
+-----------------+------------x------+-----------------+-------9---9----+
+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+----------------+
+-----0-----0-----+-0-----0------0----+---0---0---0---0-+---0----------0-+

 G                          C           D                  	  G
+---0-----7-----9-+---7-----10--------+-12--10--------0-+---0----------0-+
+-7~8---8-----8---+-----8----------11-+-------9---6-----+----------------+
+-----------------+------------x------+-------------9---+-2-----2-0-x----+
+-----------------+-------------------+-----------------+-----4----------+
+-----0-----0-----+-0-----0------0----+---11----0-------+-------------0--+

Part B:
  G                  	    C         F              		G
+-----------------+-0---0-----0---0-+-----------------+-----------------+
+---------0---0---+---5-----5-------+-6---0---5---0---+-6---0---8---0---+
+-0---0---------5-+-------5---------+---5---5---5---5-+---5---5---5-----+
+---4---7---7-----+-------------7---+-----------------+---------------7-+
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

  G     		    C         D 	                G
+-----------------+-0---0-----0---0-+-------0---------+-7-------0-------+
+---------0---0---+---5-----5-------+---0-----7---7---+-----7-------0---+
+-0---0---------5-+-------5---------+-5---5-----9-----+-------9---5-----+
+---4---7---7-----+-------------7---+-----------------+---------------7-+
+-----------------+-----------------+---------------0-+---0-------------+

  G                                   F                         G
+-----------------+-0---0-----0---0-+-----------------+-----------------+
+---------0---0---+---5-----5-------+-6---0---5---0---+-6---0---8---0---+
+-0---0---------5-+-------5---------+---5---5---5---5-+---5---5---5-----+
+---4---7---7-----+-------------7---+-----------------+---------------7-+
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

  G     		    C         D 	                G
+-----------------+-0---0-----0---0-+-------0---0---4-+-------7---------+
+---------0---0---+---5-----5-------+---0-----5---5---+---7-------------+
+-0---0---------5-+-------5---------+-5---5-----------+-----------x-x-x-+
+---4---7---7-----+-------------7---+-----------------+-----------------+
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-0---0---0-------+

Rickett’s Hornpipe

banjotabs — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:27:36 +0000

Tab from “Bill Keith Banjo” by Tony Trischka and Bill Keith, Oak
Publications 1978. Copyright belongs to Bill Keith and Tony Trischka.
Key of D
(Capo at 2nd fret)

Part A
        [C]                [G7]
+-3---0-+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+-|-5-|-+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-|-|-|-+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+-|-|-|-+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+-|-|-|-+------------------+------------0-----+
  +-3-+ 

[C]        [F]     [G7]
+----------7---0---+-----0--------3---0-+
+---5---6----6-----+-0-----0------|-5-|-+
+-----5----------5-+---5------0---|-|-|-+
+------------------+----------|---|-|-|-+
+-0----------------+----------|---|-|-|-+
                                  +-3-+

[C]                [G7]
+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+------------------+------------0-----+

[C]        [F]     [C]
+----------7---0---+-----0--------3---0-+
+---5---6----6---0-+---5---0------|-5-|-+
+-----5------------+-5--------5---|-|-|-+
+------------------+----------|---|-|-|-+
+-0----------------+----------|---|-|-|-+
                                  +-3-+

                   [G7]
+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+------------------+------------0-----+

[C]        [F]     [G7]
+----------7---3---+-0------------3---0-+
+---5---6--------5-+-----0--------|-5-|-+
+-----5------------+---5------0---|-|-|-+
+------------------+-------7--|---|-|-|-+
+-0----------0-----+----------|---|-|-|-+
                                  +-3-+

[C]                [G7]
+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+------------------+------------0-----+

[C]        [F]     [C]
+----------7---0---+-----0----------3-++
+---5---6----6---0-+---5---0------5---++
+-----5------------+-5--------5-------++
+------------------+----------|-------++
+-0----------------+----------|-------++

Part B
[C]                [F]
+------------------+-7---7----0-----3-+
+---5---5------6---+-------6--|---5---+
+----------5-------+----------|-------+
+----------|-------+----------|-------+
+-0---0----|-----0-+---0------|-------+

[C]        [F]     [G7]
+----------7---0---+-----0------------3---0-+
+---5---6----6-----+-0---|---0--------|-5-|-+
+-----5----------5-+-|-5-|-5-|----0---|-|-|-+
+------------------+-|-|-|-|-|-7--|---|-|-|-+
+-0----------------+-|-|-|-|-|-|--|---|-|-|-+
                     +-3-+ +-3-+      +-3-+

[C]                [G7]
+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+------------------+------------0-----+

[C]        [F]     [C]
+----------7---0---+-----0----------3-+
+---5---6----6---0-+---5---0------5---+
+-----5------------+-5--------5-------+
+------------------+----------|-------+
+-0----------------+----------|-------+

[C]                [F]
+------------------+-7---7----0-----3-+
+---5---5------6---+-------6--|---5---+
+----------5-------+----------|-------+
+----------|-------+----------|-------+
+-0---0----|-----0-+---0------|-------+

[C]        [F]     [G7]
+----------7---3---+-0------------3---0-+
+---5---6--------5-+-----0--------|-5-|-+
+-----5------------+---5------0---|-|-|-+
+------------------+-------7--|---|-|-|-+
+-0----------0-----+----------|---|-|-|-+
                                  +-3-+

[C]                [G7]
+------------------+-0--------------3-+
+---0------------5-+-----0--------5---+
+-5---5-0----0-5---+---5------0-------+
+----------2-------+-------7----------+
+------------------+------------0-----+

[C]        [G7]    [C]
+----------7---9---+-10---------------+
+---5---6----------+----8-------------+
+-----5------7---9-+------9-----------+
+------------------+------|--10-------+
+-0----------------+------|---|-------+

Old-Time Religion

banjotabs — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:22:09 +0000

One break, arranged by Phillip Mann.

prometheus.frii.com

Lonesome Road Blues

banjotabs — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:53:27 +0000

Lonesome Road Blues.
Scruggs Style.

  G
+-------12--------12---+-14-------12-----+-----------------0---+
+-10=12--------12------+-----------------+-10---10------10-----+
+----------x-----------+----x---x----x---+----x----x-----------+
+----------------------+-----------------+---------------------+
+------------0-------0-+------0--------0-+------------0------0-+
                                           ch   ch

                      C
+-9------9----------+-10-----10----------+-10-----10-----10--+
+-----11-----8---8--+------8------8---8--+------8------8-----+
+--------------8=9--+----9----------9----+-------------------+
+-------------------+--------------------+-------------------+
+---0------0--------+-----------0--------+----0------0-----0-+

  G                                    C
+--------9-------9-+---------9-----9-+-----10-------10---+-10-----10-----10---+
+-8---11-----8-----+-8-----8-----8---+-----8------8------+------8------8------+
+---x----------9---+---x-------------+-8=9----x----------+--------------------+
+------------------+-----------------+-------------------+--------------------+
+----------0-------+-----0-----0-----+----------0------0-+----0------0------0-+

  G                                    D
+-9------9-------9-+---------9-----9-+-------12--------12---+
+-----11-----8-----+-8-----8-----8---+-------10-----10------+
+--------------9---+---x-------------+-10=11----x-----------+
+------------------+-----------------+----------------------+
+---0------0-------+-----0-----0-----+------------0-------0-+

                       G
+----------------0---+---------9-----0-+------
+-10---10-----10-----+-8-----8---8-----+-8----
+----x----x----------+---x---------9---+---x--
+--------------------+-----------------+------
+-----------0------0-+-----0-----------+------

More authentic Scruggs break.

  G
+-------12--------12---+-14-------12-------+----------------0---+
+-10=12--------12------+-------------------+-10---10-----10-----+
+----------x-----------+----x---x----x---x-+----x----x----------+
+----------------------+-------------------+--------------------+
+------------0-------0-+------0--------0---+-----------0------0-+

  G                  C7
+------------------+-----10-----10-----+-10------10------10---+
+-10-------8-------+---8------8------8-+------11------11------+
+----x---x---x---x-+-8=9---------------+----------------------+
+------------------+-------------------+----------------------+
+------0-------0---+--------0------0---+----0-------0-------0-+

  G                                    C7
+-9--------9-----9-+---------9-----0-+-----10-----10-----+
+-8-----11---8-----+-8-----8---8-----+---8------8------8-+
+---x----------9---+---x---------9---+-8=9---------------+
+------------------+-----------------+-------------------+
+-----0------------+-----0-----------+--------0------0---+

                       G
+-10------10------10-+-9-------9-----9-+-------12---12------12-+
+------11------11----+-8-----8-----8---+-10=12-----------11=12-+
+--------------------+---x-------------+----------x----x-------+
+--------------------+-----------------+-----------------------+
+----0-------0-------+-----0-----0-----+-----------------------+

  D                                         G
+----------------0---+----------------0---+---------9-----9-+------
+-10---10-----10-----+-10---10-----10-----+-8-----8---8-----+-8----
+----x----x----------+----x----x----------+---x---------9---+---x--
+--------------------+--------------------+-----------------+------
+-----------0------0-+-----------0------0-+-----0-----------+------

Arkansas Traveller

banjotabs — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:45:08 +0000

Traditional (from the playing of Mark O’Connor)
Transcribed by Nathan Torkington.
Lead in:

+-0-------0-------+
+-7-------7-------+
+---x-x-x---x---6-+
+-------------7---+
+-----------------+

Part I:
                                  +-3-+
+-0-----0------0---+----------0-----0---+
+---7------0-----0-+------------------5-+
+-----9------6-----+-2---2-6----x-6-----+
+------------------+---4----------------+
+------------------+--------------------+

                              +-6-+
+-------7--------7-+---9---0--------------+
+-5---5----7---7---+------------------0---+
+---6--------7-----+-----9----6=7=6-----6-+
+------------------+----------------7-----+
+------------------+-0--------------------+

                                  +-3-+
+-0-----0------0---+----------0---------+
+---7------0-----0-+----------------0---+
+-----9------6-----+---0---2----x-----6-+
+------------------+-7---4--------7-----+
+------------------+--------------------+

                                  +-+
+-0-----0----0-----+------------------0-+
+----------0-------+--------------0-----+
+-----6----------0-+------------x---6---+
+---7----------7---+-4-0-2-4--0---------+
+------------------+--------------------+

               +-3-+                +-3-+
+-------0------0-----+----------0-----0---+
+---7------0-------0-+------------------4-+
+-7---9------x---6---+-2---2-6----x-6-----+
+--------------------+---4----------------+
+--------------------+--------------------+

                     +-3-+      +-6-+
+-------7--------7-+-----9---0--------------+
+-5---5----7---7---+--10----------------0---+
+---6--------7-----+-------9----6=7=6-----6-+
+------------------+------------------7-----+
+------------------+-0----------------------+

+-0-----0----0---0-+----------0-------+
+---7----------0---+------------------+
+-----9----6-------+-2----------x---6-+
+------------------+---4-3-4------7---+
+------------------+------------------+

+-0-----0----0-----+----------------7-+
+----------0-------+------------------+
+---7-6----------0-+------------x-----+
+--------------7---+-4-0-2-4--0---7---+
+------------------+------------------+

Part II:
                     +-3-+          +-3-+
+-------7----------+-------0------0-------+
+-----7------------+-7=8=7---7--------0---+
+-x-x--------x-9---+------------9-------6-+
+------------------+----------------7-----+
+----------0-----0-+----------------------+

                     +-3-+
+-0-----0--------5-+-------0------7-----+
+----------5---5---+---7-----7------7---+
+---x-6------6-----+-----9------9-------+
+------------------+--------------------+
+------------------+-0----------------0-+

+----9---------9---9-+---9--------0-----+
+-10---10-9--8---8---+-7---7-6------0---+
+--------------------+----------9-----6-+
+--------------------+------------------+
+--------------------+------------------+

           +-3-+
+-0---0--------0-----+----------------7-+
+----------0---------+------------------+
+---6--------6-----0-+------------x-----+
+-------7--------7---+-4-0-2-4--0---7---+
+--------------------+------------------+

                     +-+
+-------7----------+-------0------0-----+
+-----7------------+-7=8=7---7------0---+
+-x-x--------x-9---+------------9-----6-+
+------------------+--------------------+
+----------0-----0-+--------------------+

+-0-----0------0---+-----0------7-----+
+----------0-------+-7-----7------7---+
+-----2------6---9-+---9------9-------+
+---4--------------+------------------+
+------------------+----------------0-+

+----9----9----9---9-+-----0------0---0-+
+-10---10----8---8---+-7--------7-------+
+--------------------+---9---9------9---+
+--------------------+------------------+
+--------------------+------------------+

+-----0--------0---+------------------+
+-0--------7-----0-+------------------+
+---6---9----9-----+-2----------x-x-x-+
+------------------+---4-2-4--0-------+
+------------------+------------------+

Cripple Creek

banjotabs — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:20:55 +0000

Cripple Creek banjo tabs, DBGDG tune.

Calloway

banjotabs — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:55:30 +0000

“Calloway” – banjo tabs for 5-string banjo, eCGCD tune