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Frosty Morning Banjo Tabs

Béla Fleck

Frosty Morning Banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #minor key, #up-tempo, #fiddle tune, #old time

"Frosty Morning" sounds like the old frontier's classic fiddle tune, but other versions can't be cited elsewhere (sometimes called "Cold Frosty Morning"). Henry Reed performed it twice, and both times he started it with the high strain, demonstrating the fiddler's preference in the Upper South to begin their tunes with the loftier strain, often at or near the top of the range of the song. He appeared to conflate the high pressure with other songs in both sets of "Frosty Morning"— on this case, with the tune's high strain mentioned elsewhere in this series under the name "Betsy", and once with the low strain of "West Virginia Gals", which he had just performed. He started with another song, the "Breakdown in A" on another occasion (AFS 13037a16), then conflated it with "Frosty Night".

Learn how to play Frosty Morning on Banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Banjo Frosty Morning Scruggs Style

    Scruggs Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      Gm
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This is Bela Fleck's interpretation of the traditional tune, "Frosty Morning." It's not too technical, and includes the tasteful introduction!

    Learn
  • Banjo Frosty Morning Melodic Style

    Melodic Style

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      Gm
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This melodic variation of Frosty Morning is an example of how to play the melody up-the-neck and it's a continuation of Bela's solo on this tune. Super fun!

    Learn
  • Banjo Frosty Morning Backup

    Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      Gm
    • Tempo
      120 bpm
    • Tuning
      gDGBD

    This is based on Bela's backup playing on his record "Crossing the Tracks." Watch out for the G major chord in the 5th measure!

    Learn



Practicing Tips

Learning Overview: 'Frosty Morning' is an engaging and valuable educational tool that serves as an excellent resource for intermediate banjo players. Each arrangement comes with a variety of Bluegrass Banjo Tabs in Scruggs, Melodic, and Backup Styles. This unique song stands out due its defining characteristics - a minor key and an up-tempo fiddle tune, combined with the charm of the old time genre. The Tunefox platform's key features enhance your learning process, making it both practical and enjoyable.


Tools for Creative Learning: Among Tunefox’s standout features are the Lick Switcher and the Arrange Slider. The Lick Switcher is a vital tool in expanding your playing style, as it allows you to integrate new licks into the song, providing different perspectives of the tune. This feature presents a myriad of variations, enabling you to personalize the arrangement and paving the way for unique interpretations of 'Frosty Morning'. The Arrange Slider complements the Lick Switcher by allowing learners to adjust the difficulty level and tone of the song, catering to their specific learning needs and preferences.


Practicing Tools: Tunefox also features a variety of practicing tools to hone your skills and entrench your grasp on the tune. These include adjusting the tempo to suit your comfort level, providing backing tracks to play along with, introducing a Speed Up Function to challenge your quickness, and offering an option to hide notes, aiding those who prefer learning by ear. These functions ensure that you are not just learning to play 'Frosty Morning', but also mastering it according to your style.


General Practicing Tips: Always remember that progress takes time, so it's important to start slowly. A slow, steady pace allows you to gain familiarity with the tune, reducing the likelihood of making errors. As your proficiency improves, gradually increase your speed and experiment with the tools provided on Tunefox, refining your technique and interpretation of 'Frosty Morning'.