Maiden’s Prayer, Part 2: Improvising

from: Advanced Bluegrass Fiddle with Chad Manning

This lesson is part of the course Advanced Bluegrass Fiddle with Chad Manning.

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Learn fiddle in the styles of Kenny Baker, Stuart Duncan, Vassar Clements, Bobby Hicks, and other bluegrass greats by learning classic tunes, with improvisation exercises and advanced techniques.

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Bill Cheatham

In this video, Chad talks about some some approaches to improvising on “Bill Cheatham” and shows you a few variations. He shows you the “target notes” in each part and how you can think about creating lines that get to those notes, giving you some specific examples that illustrate what he means.

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Maiden’s Prayer

Maiden’s Prayer, Part 1: Melody

Maiden’s Prayer, Part 2: Improvising

“Maiden’s Prayer” Play-Along Track

Maiden’s Prayer, Part 2: Improvising

Chad starts this lesson on improvising on “Maiden’s Prayer” by showing you how to use the pentatonic scale on each of the chords, then shows you how to add the seventh and ninth to the A and E (V) chords. Then he goes through each of the chords and shows you how he would improvise on them, giving you some examples of double-stop licks (even a cool Vassar Clements lick) how to add the sixth to chords for more of a swing sound, and how to add the augmented fifth to the E7 or A7 chord.

Previous Lesson

← Maiden’s Prayer, Part 1: Melody

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“Maiden’s Prayer” Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Maiden’s Prayer, Part 1: Melody

Next Lesson

“Maiden’s Prayer” Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Maiden’s Prayer, Part 1: Melody

Next Lesson

“Maiden’s Prayer” Play-Along Track →

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