Clawhammer Tune and Tab of the Week: “Flop-Eared Mule”

Whereas the classical guitarist and violinist’s skill may be measured by his or her purity of tone and clarity of articulation, the old time banjoist and fiddler is judged by his or her ability to faithfully reproduce the sounds of a chicken.

And that’s the way we like it.

We’ve already covered some of the most classic chicken material as part of the Tune of the Week (though there’s certainly more material to be mined from that well) series because, well, you’ve gotta start with the basics. With today’s tune, we’ll attempt to capture the spirit of our beloved equine hybrid, the [flop-eared] mule.

Our journey begins with a happy-go-lucky and instantly likable melody in the key of G. It seems we’re all set for a pleasant jaunt aboard our four-legged companion. All seems to be quite well.

And then comes the B part, and, all of the sudden, we find ourselves in the midst of a surprisingly melodic detour. In the key of D, no less! It seems our mule, a species known for having a mind of its own, now has something entirely different in mind. So we might as well go along for the ride.

Flop Eared Mule

aDADE tuning, Brainjo level 3

Notes on the tab:

Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes. To learn more about these, check out my video lesson on the subject.

For more on reading tabs in general, check out my complete guide on reading banjo tabs.