The Kickoff Book
Build Your Repertoire!
The Jerry Book
Old and In The Way
Banjo Transcriptions
(In order to playback the TablEdit files you'll need to install the free viewer: Tefview)
Please contact me with any questions at all or for discount pricing on multiple orders and thanks to all who support seanray.com
Come Hither to go Yonder is a classic Bill Monroe composition. According to Bill the original album title was misprinted as Go Hither to go Yonder. Regardless of what you call this tune it’s an excellent example of Monroe’s later work.
I try to keep the song as Scruggsy as possible but there is no getting around the melodic run needed to pull off the signature lick.
Key of A, Capo 2nd Fret
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Crosspicking is basically the technique of using a flatpick to simulate the fluid sound of finger-picking. It’s most commonly associated with Bluegrass guitar and mandolin players.
The effect is a rolling syncopated sound similar to Scruggs style banjo playing and just like three finger banjo rolls, crosspicking is based on three note phrases played across multiple strings with a four beat pulse.
There are three fundamental patterns or rolls.
The first is alternate picking or down-up-down (DUD) – This is the equivalent to the Square or Double Thumb banjo roll.
The second is down-down-up (DDU) – This is basically a forward roll
And the third is down-up-up (DUU) – Which is like a backward roll
Once you become familiar with these three patterns you’ll start mixing them up in order to fit them into four beat measures. The ultimate goal is to accent melody notes so they stand out among the array of filler notes.
To hear classic examples of crosspicking check out Jesse McReynolds’ mandolin playing with Jim & Jesse, George Shuffler’s guitar playing with the Stanley Brothers or just about anything from Doc Watson, Clarence White or Norman Blake.
The following videos demonstrate the three fundamental patterns and give you some ideas of how to use them along with open string drones, harmonized scales and double-stops.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Billy in the Lowground – Key of C
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Cherokee Shuffle (aka Lost Indian) is usually played in the Key of A capoed at the 2nd fret G position.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
My take on Salt Creek complete with Bela-isms. The idea of the backup is to show what can be done with one or two fingers and some standard rolls.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Soldier’s Joy is a well known fiddle tune usually played in the key of D. For guitar it works well with or without a capo though I prefer using the capo and playing out of the C position.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Salt Creek is a festival favorite and a flatpicking essential. Usually played in the key of A capoed at the 2nd fret (G position). Most pickers have learned this tune directly, or vicariously, from Doc Watson’s famous rendition. In this particular example I play a variation of the B part that is slightly different than the way you usually hear it though the structure remains intact. The ending tag is one of my favorite Tony Rice licks.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
Old Dangerfield is one of my favorite Bill Monroe tunes. It has three sections (A,B,C) instead of two. Monroe would add an extra 2/4 bar between the B and C sections that a lot of players omit. I like the added two beats so this arrangement includes them. I’ve kept the arrangement as Scruggs-ish as possible but in order to get some of the key melody notes it’s necessary to venture into some melodic style. This demo is around 90 bpm and up tempo would be closer to 140.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
This arrangement is a good exercise for changing positions while trying to keep a consistent tone. The tune is in the key of G and has a similar vibe to Blackberry Blossom though is far less known.
My computer recently suffered a catastrophic hard drive failure but fortunately I had a decent backup. While sifting through said backup I discovered some interesting stuff that I forgot even existed. Most of what I found would be of no interest to the average reader so I’ll spare you the details however I did come across a video outtake of me screwing around with Drop D tuning and a very slow improvised version of the tune Over The Waterfall. I never posted this since it wasn’t really intended for educational purposes and most of the opening licks are out of frame but since I haven’t posted in a while I figured I’d put it up.
Tab in PDF and TablEdit formats - $6.00
© 2025 SeanRay.com
eCommerce and Web design by Clicks Web Design Inc.
