Mandolin Lesson // Bill Cheatham // Chop Chords
In this video, I will show you how to play the chords and backup rhythm for the old-time fiddle tune "Bill Cheatham" on the mandolin. This fiddle tune is a standard jam tune, and you will find it in bluegrass, old-time, and Irish music sessions.
We use typical chop chord voicings for the following chords, A-major, D-major, and E-major. I will also give you some insights into the different fingerings for some of the chords.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Tennessee Blues // Straight Melody // Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Tennessee Blues.”
There are many ways that modern players choose to interpret this tune, but this lesson is focused on learning a version of the tune that “straightens out” the original crooked time signature of the Bill Monroe version. This version is closer to what Chris Thile and Michael Daves play on their cut of this tune.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Tennessee Blues Chords // Bill Monroe // Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the chords to the Bill Monroe tune “Tennessee Blues.”
There are many ways that modern players choose to interpret this tune, but here Hayes uses the unique “crooked time” signature of the original Bill Monroe version to show you how to play some standard bluegrass chop chords.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Tennessee Blues // Bill Monroe Melody // Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Tennessee Blues.”
There are many ways that modern players choose to interpret this tune, but this lesson is focused on learning the unique “crooked time” signature of the original Bill Monroe version.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long and backing tracks
- How-to-play-instructions
Bluegrass Chords // Gärdebylåten // Mandolin Lesson // Nordic Folk
Here is a traditional Swedish March called Gärdebylåten.
This is one of the most common fiddle tunes in Scandinavian Folk Music. I like playing it with an American touch adding some bluegrass chop chords.
In this video, I also show you a pro tip for keeping the backbeat rhythm rock steady.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs/chords charts (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Roanoke // Monroe Style Melody // Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson
In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play another variation of the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Roanoke.”
In our previous lesson, Hayes taught the melody as fiddlers would typically play it, but here, Hayes shows you some tips and tricks for how to approach this melody to get more of a Monroe-style sound out of the tune.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Roanoke // Chords // Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson
In this video, instructor Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the chords to Bill Monroe’s classic fiddle tune, “Roanoke.” Hayes helps you learn the basics of a good bluegrass “chop” sound, a skill that you will need for any other bluegrass tunes you want to learn in the future.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Roanoke // Fiddle Melody // Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson
In this video, instructor Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the classic Bill Monroe fiddle tune, “Roanoke.”
This tune is a right of passage for many bluegrass players, mainly because it is played so darn fast! Never fear though - Hayes gives you some quick tips to maximize the efficiency of your right hand and tackle some of those higher tempos.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Mandolin Lesson - New Grass Chords - Covid Fever
Play some rhythmic, driving new grass chords on the mandolin for my new bluegrass fiddle tune, Covid Fever.
The work of Bill Monroe inspires the melody, but the accompaniment uses chord voicings I picked up from players like Sam Bush and Wayne Benson.
This style of using A5-, D5-, and E5-chords adds edge to your rhythm and backup playing.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/chord charts
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Angeline the Baker - Strumming Chords - Mandolin Lesson
In this video, I show you how to play Angeline the Baker. This is a must-know old-time tune that is very common on all the bluegrass jam session. It’s in the key of D-major and we will back up this one using open position chords. I will also give you a little trade secret for the strumming technique that makes the chord shifts smooth and effortless.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
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