Breaking Up Christmas

This is an old, primitive (AKA, low tech) banjo...... fretless, action is almost 1/2" high at the heel, very loose 12" calfskin head, pot is oval & a little bowed up. There are some songs that don't sound good on this banjo, but I like playing Jarrell/Cockerham/Creed tunes on it.

Some folks who learn from sheet music come to think that there is only one correct way to play a tune, i.e., only one correct sequence of notes. If you listen to Jarrell/Cockerham/Creed, they rarely play a tune through twice the same way. I tried to play each time through this tune a little bit different on banjo and on fiddle. I like how Tommy Jarrell and his cronies flavored their tunes a little by sometimes intentionally sharping some notes.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Breaking
• Up
• Christmas

[killerbanjo]

Nice playing!

[jakewildwood]

This sounds awesome. That banjo has a great tone. I had the pleasure of playing an 1860s vintage banjo with a similar feel (better action, though) and tone and had to remove myself from it before I got too attached. Well played!