Blue Moon of Kentucky

from: Monroe-Style Mandolin with Mike Compton

This lesson is part of the course Monroe-Style Mandolin with Mike Compton.

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Learn traditional bluegrass-style mandolin as exemplified by the father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, with original transcribed solos and tips on reproducing Monroe’s sound, rhythm, and feel.

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TENNESSEE BLUES

Learn the “fancy high part” (all the way up the 15th fret) of “Tennessee Blues” in this video. Mike takes it apart phrase by phrase, showing you the best way to finger the high notes. You’ll also learn the shorter A section, which features sliding double stops up the neck, and some variations on the regular A section. (For full transcription, see Part 1.)

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BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY

Blue Moon of Kentucky

“Blue Moon of Kentucky” Play-Along Track

Blue Moon of Kentucky

This solo comes from Bill Monroe’s second recording of “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” which he cut after Elvis Presley had a huge hit with the song. It’s a short solo, partly because the fiddles were becoming more prominent in the arrangements, so Bill wasn’t playing as many solos. The solo features tremolo in triplets, which can also be heard in his solo for “Sitting Alone in the Moonlight.”

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