Banjo tablatures for I'll Fly Away
The Carter Family
Recomended level: Intermediate
As always, you should start with the Melody when you can. It's the heart of a song. Try to sing or say the lyrics as you play the basic melody on your banjo. Learning to "play the syllables" like this is an important skill that helps connect you to the music and your instrument in a very natural way. It will help with memorization as well. The licks will show you how to create basic three finger banjo variations and embellishments using the melody notes.
The foundation laid when learning the melody will pay off when you start learning the Scruggs Style version. You'll know where the important notes lay and be able to bring them out in a more musical way. It's very common for people to lose the melody amidst the flurry of rolls and licks when learning Scruggs style banjo, but if you start with the melody first, you'll be in much better shape and will more likely avoid that pitfall
Never neglect learning how to play Backup! If you plan on playing with other musicians this skill id by far the most important. It is even more important than playing lead and in some ways more important than knowing the melody.
The Melodic arrangement of this tune is pretty tough. It also combines elements of Scruggs and Single String technique. All of the arrangements have licks you can switch out. You'll learn new musical vocabulary and be able to complete completely new arrangements of a tune.
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Scruggs Style - Beginner
- G
- 100 bpm
- gDGBD
This simplified Scruggs arrangement closely follows the melody. Pay close attention to the words. Play the syllables and remember to accent that note when it is re-contextualized wit...
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Rolling Backup
- G
- 80 bpm
- gDGBD
Knowing basic rolling backup is crucial! We need to add that rolling backup sound behind a vocalist or a good fiddle. It can also be used behind a guitar, or mandolin, just don't get...
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Scruggs Style
- G
- 100 bpm
- gDGBD
One of the most recorded folk tunes. This arrangement of I'll Fly Away is for beginners and highlights the use of the forward roll.
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Melodic Style
- G
- 100 bpm
- gDGBD
This is a really fun arrangement of I'll Fly Away that features some single string licks mixed in with the melodic break. Watch your right hand fingering on those passages!