Bugle Call Rag

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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Bugle Call Rag

“Bugle Call Rag” Play-Along Track, First Solo

“Bugle Call Rag” Play-Along Track, Second Solo

Bugle Call Rag

Bill Monroe recorded the banjo instrumental “Bugle Call Rag” on December 4, 1961. It’s in the key of G and Bill plays two distinctly different eight-bar solos. The first follows a familiar thought process for running lines over the chord changes with a lot of arpeggiated 16th-note phrases. The second solo is on the zany side with an initial blast featuring three-note chord forms followed by a setup into an arpeggiated ride beginning at the V chord from third position D all the way up to the A and E strings at seventh position.

“Bugle Call Rag” Notation/Tab (Available to subscribers)

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