New Camptown Races, Part 1

from: Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist

This lesson is part of the course Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist.

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Learn to play solos on classic bluegrass songs and instrumentals using bluegrass mandolin techniques like tremolo, double stops, two-string melodies, and more.

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I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky

In this lesson you’ll learn the bluegrass standard “I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky” using a common technique in bluegrass mandolin: playing melodies on two pairs of strings. Sharon starts this lesson by talking about the basic right-hand technique for playing two pairs of strings at a time. She shows you how to keep the pick out on the edge of the strings and not let the pick dig in past the strings as well as how to slightly rotate your wrist so you can play all four strings (both pairs) at once. Sharon also gives you advice on practicing this technique with a metronome, with some ideas for exercises you can do.

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The Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin Subscription Includes:

More than 75 intermediate bluegrass mandolin video lessons
More than 55 great bluegrass tunes and songs to play
Extensive right- and left-hand technique lessons
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High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see close-ups of both hands in action
Play-Along videos so you can practice what you’ve learned
Downloadable audio MP3s of each tune

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New Camptown Races

New Camptown Races, Part 1

New Camptown Races, Part 2

“New Camptown Races” Play-Along Track

New Camptown Races, Part 1

The bluegrass mandolin instrumental “New Camptown Races” comes from mandolinist Frank Wakefield. It’s in the key of Bb, an unusual key for a mandolin tune, so Sharon starts by reminding you of the Bb major scale in Bb in open position, where much of the tune is played. The form of the tune is a little unusual too, with two A parts that are 16 measures long, and an eight-bar B part that is played only once, followed by the last half of the A part. Sharon walks you through the A part of “New Camptown Races” in this video.

“New Camptown Races” Notation/Tab (Available to subscribers)

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New Camptown Races, Part 2 →

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