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Banjo tablatures for Cripple Creek

Earl Scruggs

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #fiddle tune, #banjo tune, #old time, #up-tempo

"Cripple Creek" is an excellent starting point for advanced beginners interested in Scruggs or melodic banjo playing. With its combination of rolls, melodies, and a versatile chord progression, this classic tune offers a valuable learning experience while also being a delightful addition to your banjo repertoire. Whether you're playing it solo or jamming with others, "Cripple Creek" is a must-know banjo song for any enthusiast of the instrument.


Don't miss our video lesson on How to play Cripple Creek on banjo. There is also a Facebook Live video with Bennett Sullivan and you can also check a few people's different arrangements of this tune.


Don't forget to practice the backup. Backup is crucial when jamming with others.

  • Banjo Cripple Creek Tunefox video preview

    Video Overview

    Explore learning strategies, tips, and a rundown of style variations.

    Banjo Cripple Creek Tunefox video preview
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Melody

    Melody

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      50 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    The melody! It's the heart of a song. Always start by learning the melody first, no matter what skill level you are. All the wild Scruggs, melodic, and single string breaks are base...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Melody
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Two Finger Style

    Two Finger Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      80 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Pay attention to the pick hand fingerings in the tab. This one is mostly thumb lead. That means, besides picking the 5th string for fill-ins and pinches, the thumb picks the main mel...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Two Finger Style
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Scruggs Style - Beginner

    Scruggs Style - Beginner

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This version of cripple Creek is built on the basic melody and incudes a few pinches and partial forward rolls. The licks start simple. #2 licks are just a little tougher than the or...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Scruggs Style - Beginner
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Single String

    Single String

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      80 bpm
    • Tuning
      GDGBD

    Most people learn this tune Scruggs style first. Learning this single string familiarizes you more with the core melody notes and can give you some great lick ides to incorporate wi...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Single String
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Rolling Backup

    Rolling Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Rolling backup is a critical skill for a Bluegrass banjo player. It is great to play behind a fiddle solo and on any driving bluegrass tune behind a singer. More important than all ...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Rolling Backup
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Vamping

    Vamping

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Vamping backup works great behind vocals, but is especially useful when backing up a mandolin player's solo. When they stop "chopping" we, as banjo players, need to fill that roll....

    Banjo Cripple Creek Vamping
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Kickoff

    Earl Scruggs: Kickoff

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      125 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Here's a song that's most banjo pickers first tune. If you haven't mastered the melody, and some rolling backup, please check those out before jumping into this. The big thin...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Kickoff
    Learn
  • Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Rolling Backup

    Earl Scruggs: Rolling Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      125 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    Learning to play backup like the man himself will do wonders for your playing. Make sure to listen repeatedly and practice repeatedly - repeatedly. Notice how a lot of what is being...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Rolling Backup
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Ending Lick

    Earl Scruggs: Ending Lick

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      125 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This is the classic ending lick as played by Earl on this tune. This is a classic ending riff, a one measure lead up and measure two has that classic "shave and a haircut" sound, but...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Earl Scruggs: Ending Lick
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      90 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This version of the Cripple Creek is designed to teach you how to play slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. Take each one slow at first to get them sounding nice and clean.

    Banjo Cripple Creek Scruggs Style
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Backup

    Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      90 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This is a forward roll driven backup variation of Cripple Creek based on Earl Scruggs's playing on the original recording. This rolling backup is best suited for backing up a fiddle...

    Banjo Cripple Creek Backup
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  • Banjo Cripple Creek Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      G
    • Tempo
      90 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    A classic arrangement of "Cripple Creek" with a little single string style added in. The B section features some fancy up-the-neck melodic work, so practice slow for cleanliness!

    Banjo Cripple Creek Melodic Style
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Practicing Tips

Start your bluegrass banjo journey with "Cripple Creek." This resource provides tabs in Scruggs, Melodic, and Backup Styles, specially catered for beginners. You'll explore various aspects of the genre like fiddle tune, banjo tune, old-time, up-tempo. High-quality learning with the Tunefox platform.


Our Lickswitcher tool is an essential part of your learning process. This feature allows you to swap licks in specific measures, urging an adaptable and innovative approach to music. It challenges you to think creatively and not be beholden to the sheet music, empowering you to develop your unique style.


The Arrange slider is another innovative tool to take advantage of. You can adjust the song’s difficulty and tone according to your skill level and musical preference. This means you can start learning at a pace and complexity that suits you, and gradually increase the difficulty as your skills improve, all within the same piece of music.


For those who learn best by listening, make use of our 'Hide notes' feature. The tool allows you to hide individual notes, promoting learning the tune by ear. This method not only strengthens your ear training but can also enhance your musical instinct and memory.


Additionally, some general tips for practicing "Cripple Creek" include consistent practice, breaking down the song into smaller sections, and mastering each part before moving on. Always maintain a slow, steady tempo until you're comfortable, and then gradually increase speed. Remember, music is about expressing yourself, so stay patient and enjoy the process!


Cripple Creek lyrics

Traditional

I got a girl and she loves me
She's as sweet as sweet can be
She's got eyes of baby blue
Makes my gun shoot straight and true

Going up Cripple Creek going in a run
Going up Cripple Creek to have some fun

Cripple Creek's wide and Cripple Creek's deep
I'll wade ole Cripple Creek before I sleep
Roll my breeches to my knees
I'll wade ole Cripple Creek when I please

* Refrain

I went down to Cripple Creek
To see what them girls had to eat
I got drunk and fell against the wall
Ole corn likker was the cause of it all

* Refrain

Alternate Refrain:
Goin' up cripple creek, goin' in a whirl,
Goin' up cripple creek, see my girl

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