Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 1

from: Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo with Wes Corbett

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

Get immediate access to this lesson and all of the lessons in this course when you subscribe.

Start Course
Browse Courses

About This Course

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.

Try a Sample Lesson

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.

Try a sample lesson

The Contemporary Bluegrass Banjo Subscription Includes:

More than 40 extensive lessons in the three-finger style used by Béla Fleck, Noam Pikelny, Ron Block, and others
Essential right- and left-hand technique lessons
Theory and fingerboard lessons relevant to contemporary banjo
30 complete tunes to play
Detailed tablature for every lesson
High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see closeups of both hands in action
Play-Along Tracks so you can practice what you’ve learned

$20/Month For One Course

Additional courses only $10/month each! • Save 20% with an annual subscription

Start Course

Get started now!
Use promo code WesLand at checkout

and get your first month free or $20 off an annual subscription.

GUIDE-TONE SHAPES

Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 1

Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 2

Guide Tone Shapes, Part 3: “Foggy Mountain Special”

Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 1

In this lesson, Wes shows you how he uses guide tones in his chord voicings. Guide tones are the most important notes in a chord, the notes that really define the chord and create a sense of movement from chord to chord. He shows you how to construct two voicings of seventh chords using the third, seventh, and fifth of the chord.

Guide Tone Shapes (Available to subscribers)

Previous Lesson

← Intro to Single String, Part 3: “Leather Britches” Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Intro to Single String, Part 3: “Leather Britches” Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Guide-Tone Shapes, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Intro to Single String, Part 3: “Leather Britches” Play-Along Track

Next Lesson