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(ALERT: Don’t miss the special bonus this week. Read on for details.)
This week’s tune is as classic as classic gets.
Maybe even the most classic tune of all, as there’s reason to believe, based on its melodic similarity to tunes from other cultures, that it may be one of the oldest melodies known to humankind.
Certainly the multitude of variations of “Sally Ann” supports the notion of a very distant last common ancestor (as does the existence of “Sail Away Ladies,” which could easily be considered another variant).
“Sally Ann” was also a signature tune in the Round Peak tradition, which was partly why Justin and I decided to give it top track position on our recent Round Peak, Georgia album.
The way I play it here is a bit different than how I played it there, where complementing his fiddling was primary consideration.
Like Julianne Johnson last week, my solo banjo version here contains multiple stylistic elements found in the Round Peak banjo tradition.
And on the topic of playing with a fiddler, if you’re looking to hone your skills both jamming and playing in a fiddle-banjo duet, I invite you to check out the “Banjo Player’s Edition” of our album.
In addition to the complete album, it also comes with solo fiddle practice tracks at both performance and slowed down practice speed so you can take my position as banjo player. It also includes the banjo tabs for all 20 tunes, along with the instructional video I made with Justin’s assistance on “How To Play With A Fiddler.”
For a preview, and to enhance your learning, I’ve included our album version of “Sally Ann”, plus the two solo fiddle backups for your practicing pleasure (click here to learn more about the Banjo Player’s Edition).
Sally Ann
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 this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.
Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.
View the Brainjo Course Catalog
