Deep Elem Blues Intermediate Banjo

[Mike]

This is the discussion topic for the lesson Deep Elem Blues Intermediate Banjo. Please leave your comments or any questions you might have about the lesson here!

[dpdevendra]

During the lesson, Mike, you indicate this song is in the key of d. I think it is in the key of E. Is that correct. Also you indicate to capo the 5th string to B. Is it B or A? Thanks for this lesson. This is one of the songs in our jam. Keep this coming.

[Mike]

Yes, Key of E but playing out of D chord shapes.

No, the 5th string is tuned to A in this arrangement. I mentioned that you could tune the 5th string up to B if you wanted but that’s not how I wrote it. Sorry if that was confusing.

Keep picking.

– Mike

[dpdevendra]

Okay – I love this lesson. Anything else Grateful Dead play would be fun to learn. Keep it coming.

[Mike]

A lot of their songs are copyrighted unfortunately but let me see what other public domain tunes they did and I’ll add them to my list.

– Mike

[Doug Warden]

MORE DEAD SONGS PLEASE!!!!! This was an excellent lesson with lots of applicability to straight up bluegrass and more! Did I mention MORE DEAD SONGS PLEASE!!!!

[Drew Sturtevant]

Are the tabs of this version available on your site? TY

[Mike]

Yes, you can download the tab on the right side of the lesson page under “Lesson Tabs.”

Best,
Mike

[George Spencer-Green]

Mike
A little confused. In the note above (June 22) you say the 5th string is tuned to A. However, at 1:27 of the first part of the lesson, and several times in the lesson, you say the 5th string is in “standard tuning”. As I listen and play, it does sound as if the 5th string is tuned to G, and the 1-4 only are capoed 2 frets. Please clarify.
Thanks.
George

[Mike]

George,

The fifth string should be tuned to A for this song. Not G, which would clash with the harmony.

If you want, you can try playing it with no capo at all, just standard G tuning gDGBD.

You’ll hear how it’s supposed to sound and then you can add the capo to the 2nd fret and tune the 5th string to A and it should sound the same just up a whole step.

If you’re still having trouble let me know.

– Mike

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