Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine on a...

[wayfaringstoner]

beautiful playing. Your picking never fails to soothe the soul.

[stigandr5]

I love this arrangement! Thanks for sharing

[alger1215]

truly beautiful

[billton12]

I really enjoy your version of this fine tune. Such smooth playing!

[TheConfederateBoy]

Brilliant, Bravo!

[LoganThomsen]

wow! that sounds really great!

[Calisafoo]

You play brilliantly - seems effortless.

[Mjollnir50]

Excellent banjo, crafty arrangement!

[bertosvids]

Very impressive!

[OldSarge111]

That is the best I've ever heard this tune played. Damn fine work Zepp! Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Keep em comin!

[mhatlie]

Brilliant. The last time through is especially nice.

[catinnahat]

5*****'s for you!

[guywolff]

Great tone on this pot Don . Nice throwty low end . Thanks as always for your very inspiring clips . Yours Guy

[zeppmusic]

I've never tried it in G. Guess I should. And thank you very much;  your comment on complexity vs. melody is one of the most flattering I've ever received, and is very much appreciated.

[EthanCommins888]

Hi Mr. Zepp, Can you tell me the tuning for this please. Really pretty version.

[zeppmusic]

Thanks! The tune is usually played in D, but I didn't capo in order to accent the bass, hence I'm in double C (gCGCD).

[EthanCommins888]

I was thinking of trying this in open G, but if you think the Double C is preferable, I will try it. Is this doable for an intermediate player in Double C?

I love the way you build on the complexity as the song progresses, but not at the expense of the melody.

[nickelsmine000]

That Is So Super!!!!

[bujifan]

very nice

[Jarrahnut]

This is a lovely little piece. Please forgive my ignorance, but who is the banjo player? Is he Will Fielding himself?

Greetings to one and all from Jarrahnut in wonderful Western Australia.

[zeppmusic]

Nope--not Will, but Donald ZEPP, owner of ZEPP Country Music in North Carolina, USA. My zeppmusic YouTube page has 60-70 different banjo demo videos, and zeppmusic with a dot then com is my website.

[Wishuey]

Great old tune, beautifully done!

[thomas1976]

Oh and thanks for all the great vids. Is these all your banjos, or do you just have access to them?

[zeppmusic]

My videos--I sell banjos, and like to demonstrate them, so I look for different things to record. I also have a bunch of downloadable MP3s at my store's site zeppmusic-com/MP3 if you're interested; help yourself!

Cheers,

Z

[thomas1976]

Wow, what a great resource, thanks. I really appreciate that you tell which tuning you are using for each song. Maybe someday I'll be good enough to steal some of your licks. ;)

[zeppmusic]

Well, thank you for the kind comments. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions. I have no secrets and am happy to help.

[thomas1976]

Question - I'm starting out on clawhammer, and I was told by a guy whose opinion I respect to not use a capo but to tune to each key. Any thoughts as to whether one should use a capo in old-time music?

[zeppmusic]

Some prefer not to use capos (especially those who play fretless banjos!); most use them to get to A and D.

I choose string gauges for tension. Tuned up 2 frets makes them stiffer; using a lighter gauge for A and D, they're too slinky when I tune down to G or lower.

Too, for A and D, I tune the 5th string up to A making it 2 frets higher than the 1st string giving me an off-beat B note by fretting the 5th string--you can see this in my "Julie Ann Johnson" recording here on YouTube.

[thomas1976]

Thanks. It seems like a lot of work learning to play banjo in four keys (G, C, A and D), I'll stick with two for the time being.

[slimpickensrx]

Is it bad for a banjo to be tuned up to A and D considering the higher tension on the banjo? I don't like to use capos but then I have two banjos at home (one for A and D and G and C). My only concern is it would be bad for it to have the higher tension.

[zeppmusic]

Depends on the banjo. Modern banjos with adjustable truss rods usually have no problem with tuning up two frets--especially if you use light strings. Check with the builder to be sure. I wouldn't do it on an instrument built for gut strings back in the 1980s, though!

Cheers!

[zeppmusic]

Sorry for the delay--I hadn't seen your question until now. Most folks use capos.  I use a capo. A minority just tune up to whatever key they're in--use of a capo minimizes retuning. It's really your choice.

[zeppmusic]

Thanks! Tried to "approve" your comment, too, but I keep getting the same error! I'll keep trying! Anyway, you said:

"great playing, were could i get a teacher and banjo to play like thaat"

Well, right here in Wendell, NC, would be a good place to start! 8-)

[ledzep4462]

great playing, were could i get a teacher and banjo to play like thaat

[Donte319]

beautiful...two questions if I may...what key(tuning) is that you use and second where do I find tabliture for songs like that? Keep up the fabulious music.

[zeppmusic]

Thanks! The tune is usually played in D, but I didn't capo in order to accent the bass, hence I'm in double C (gCGCD). Finding the tab could be trickier--I have some tunes I've tabbed for teaching purposes, but I haven't tabbed that one, I fear...

[zeppmusic]

Tried to "approve" your comment, but I keep getting a YouTube error! I'll keep trying!