Whistling Rufus, Part 1

from: Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo with Wes Corbett

This lesson is part of the course Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo with Wes Corbett.

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Learn the style of contemporary three-finger banjo used by Béla Fleck, Noam Pikelny, Ron Block, and others. With lessons on single-string and melodic style, fingerboard theory, improvisation, and more. For intermediate to advanced players.

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VARIATIONS ON “CRIPPLE CREEK”

Wes shows you some ways to vary the melody of “Cripple Creek” and introduces the concept of “melodic style” banjo. Melodic-style was invented by banjoist Bill Keith, who devised a way to play linear note-for-note melodies where you never play the same string consecutively. Wes walks you through the variations phrase by phrase, pointing out how each variation relates to the original melody.

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30 complete tunes to play
Detailed tablature for every lesson
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Whistling Rufus

Whistling Rufus, Part 1

Whistling Rufus, Part 2

Whistling Rufus, Part 1

“Whistling Rufus” is one of Wes’s favorite fiddle tunes. It was composed in the 1890s by ragtime composer Kerry Mills, who also wrote “Redwing,” and both tunes later became popular among old-time and bluegrass musicians. Wes’s arrangement of “Whistling Rufus” includes a lot of melodic style, along with some roll-based passages and a snippet of single string. Wes walks you through the first part of “Whistling Rufus” in this video.

“Whistling Rufus” Tablature (Available to subscribers)

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Previous Lesson

← Gold Rush, Part 2: Advanced Version

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Whistling Rufus, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Gold Rush, Part 2: Advanced Version

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Whistling Rufus, Part 2 →

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Whistling Rufus, Part 1

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