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Banjo tablatures for Fire on the Mountain

Traditional

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #fiddle tune, #instrumental, #up-tempo

"Fire On The Mountian" is a famous fiddle tune 'American' with various variations (some quite far from each other) and ubiquitous across the South and Midwest. It's on the list of '100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes' by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. It is normally played at breakneck speed, giving rise to the popular legend for the source of the song: i.e. the rendering of Wilkinson is almost similar to the track as it occurs in the Dublin dentist's 1841 set of music documents (with the title "Fire on the Mountains") and music compilation Henry Hudson (1798-1889), whose narrator (for this and several other tunes) was a man named James Barton. Red' Graham, recorded the tune in 1929, called' Far in the Mountain' by the recording engineers— obviously, they were from the North and could not recognize the right title when pronounced with Southern accents. The title may have a Celtic origin: Scottish clans frequently used blazing bonfires as gathering signals on Highland hills (ironically, this may also be the origin of the blazing crosses of the Ku Klux Klan). A famous fiddle tune ' American' with various variations (some quite far from each other) and ubiquitous across the South and Midwest. It's on the list of' 100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes' by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. Winston Wilkinson, in the Southern Folklore Quarterly vol. Wilkinson's "Fire on the Mountain" edition recorded from Albermarle County, Va., fiddler "Uncle Jim" Chisholm is identical to the story of Glen Lyn, Giles County, Southwest Va., fiddler Henry Reed."

  • Banjo Fire on the Mountain Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      A
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      aDGBD

    This is a fun arrangement of this tune. Learning this one song can help you get more comfortable playing in two different key! It's definitely worth it. Use a partial bar with your f...

    Banjo Fire on the Mountain Scruggs Style
    Learn
  • Banjo Fire on the Mountain Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      A
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      aDGBD

    The time has come banjo players...For us to stop being afraid of tunes with key changes! We could have played this one using open G position and open C position for the second part, ...

    Banjo Fire on the Mountain Melodic Style
    Learn
  • Banjo Fire on the Mountain Backup

    Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      A
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      aDGBD

    Some rolling backup for fiddle with a unique pattern. Add a slight accent(play a little louder) the notes with your middle finger to make this groove a little bit more.

    Banjo Fire on the Mountain Backup
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Practicing Tips

If you're an intermediate player looking to expand your repertoire, 'Fire on the Mountain' presents an excellent opportunity for growth. This traditional bluegrass fiddle tune lends itself especially well to the banjo, with opportunities to play in Scruggs, Melodic, and Backup Styles. The fast-paced instrumental tune offers the right blend of technical skill and musicality, making it a gratifying challenge for budding musicians.


Learning to play 'Fire on the Mountain' becomes all the more thrilling when utilizing the innovative features that Tunefox has to offer. A key tool is the Lickswitcher, which helps foster creativity and flexibility in your playing style. This feature allows you to switch out different licks within individual measures, giving you hands-on control over how you learn and play the tune.


Adapting to your skill level and musical preferences is seamless with the Arrange slider. By adjusting this tool, you can modify the song's difficulty and tone until it perfectly matches your learning level and unique musical tastes.


For those who learn best by ear, the 'Hide notes' function is particularly useful. It permits the concealment of specific notes, turning the learning process into a challenge that effectively trains your ear. As you learn to play 'Fire on the Mountain' by ear, you'll see tangible improvements in your musical intuition and memory skills.


Here are some general tips: Practice consistently and break the song down into manageable sections. Use the Tunefox slow down feature to master tricky parts. Experiment with different licks and keys. Remember, the goal is to enjoy the process of learning and creating music.