Have you ever played the bluegrass classic 'Cripple Creek' on banjo, listened to Earl Scruggs or been to a jam , heard the song and thought...

"Earl Scruggs wrote this, right?"

...well

...actually

...

Welcome to the 'Happy Picking!' podcast, where in Episode 5 we dive into 'The History and Mystery of Cripple Creek', taking a long look at the origins, history and lesser known facts about 'Cripple Creek'!

Sit down, put your headphones on and discover more about the classic standard of bluegrass.LEARN TO PLAY CRIPPLE CREEK:

Cripple Creek Lesson on YouTube - CLICK HERE

FREE TAB - Cripple Creek Standard Version- Click one of the links below to get the free banjo tablature for Cripple Creek.

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FULL TAB COLLECTION - Standard + Earl Scruggs Version + 3x Versions Building Cripple Creek + Banjo Back-Up Tab

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Remember to 'Follow' the podcast and drop me a comment with anything that you would like to hear about!

Watch more Sheffield Banjo Lessons content on...

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Happy Picking!

Thinking about buying a Deering banjo but not sure which model is right for you?

...or do you just want to know what goes in to choosing the right banjo?

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Deering banjo lineup, from the popular Goodtime series right through to the professional-grade Sierra, Eagle II, Golden Era and Tenbrooks models.

We'll explore the history of Deering Banjos, what makes each model different, and the key features every player should understand before making a purchase.

From tone rings and resonators to neck woods, hardware and build quality, we'll explain how these components affect banjo tone, playability and value.

Whether you're looking for the best beginner banjo, upgrading to an intermediate bluegrass banjo, or considering a high-end professional instrument, this episode will help you compare Deering banjos and make an informed decision.

We'll also share our recommendations for different budgets, discuss common mistakes banjo buyers make, and look at alternative brands such as Recording King, Gold Tone, Pisgah and Ozark.

Topics covered:

• History of Deering Banjos
• Which components make the biggest difference

• Open-back vs resonator banjos
• Tone rings explained
• Best Deering banjo for beginners
• Intermediate and professional banjo options (Sierra, Boston and the Eagle II)
• What to look for when buying a banjo
• New vs used banjos
• Alternative banjo brands worth considering

If you've ever wondered "Which Deering banjo should I buy?" this episode is for you.

Thanks for joining and as always...

Happy Picking!

#DeeringBanjos #BanjoPodcast #BluegrassBanjo #BanjoBuyingGuide #GoodtimeBanjo #SierraBanjo #BanjoReviews #BanjoPlayer #BanjoLessons #OldTimeMusic #BluegrassMusic

Do you want to build better banjo breaks?

One of the most important skills in bluegrass banjo is learning to hear and find the melody.

In this episode, we'll build a banjo break from the melody of Worried Man Blues and then strip back Earl Scruggs' break on The Ballad of Jed Clampett to discover how melody forms the foundation of every great banjo arrangement.

Let's take a look at all the building blocks so that you can then build better and more suitable banjo breaks.

*Please remember to like, subscribe and get in touch to tell me how you enjoyed the show and which sort of licks you have written.

Get the full tabs for these songs in the various arrangements from melody to banjo break by clicking the links below:

Worried Man Blues:

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SBL Tab Store

Ko-fi Store

Ballad of Jed Clampett:

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SBL Tab Store

Ko-fi Store

Get the FREE tab for this episodes here:

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🎥 YouTube Channel:

Join me over at the YouTube page for more lesson, tips, songs and tracks!

https://www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons

Happy Picking!

Welcome to Episode 2 of the 'Happy Picking!' podcast!

This episode we talk 'All About Licks'.

Playing, learning and being able to craft licks on the banjo is such a fundamental tool for all banjo players and has been for over 100 years!

In this episode we take a deep dive into the world of licks and look at understanding licks by approaching the questions of:

- What is a lick?

- When do we play licks?

- How do we know which lick toplay?

- How many licks should I learn?

With that knowledge in mind, we will progress to look atdeconstructing a lick and the recipe for building them yourself.

We look at:

- What is in a lick?

- The recipe for writing a lick.

- Writing licks in 'G'.

- The G major scale and the theorythat we need to know to write a lick.

- Adding techniques and scalenotes to licks.

- Writing licks for 'C' and 'D'chords.

In the final part of the show we will delve even furtherand get into the awesome nitty-gritty world of the blues note and the dominant 7th and how to really flavour your licks in a more 'bluegrass' way.

- Bluegrass techniques for licks

- What is a 'blues note'?

- Using blues notes in 'G' and 'C'.

- What is a 'dominant 7th'?

- Using the dominant 7th in licks.

* Please remember to like, subscribe and get in touch totell me how you enjoyed the show and which sort of licks you have written.

LINKS

Click on the links below to get the files for the show.

HP#2- 'All About Licks' Tab Sheet:

- Download the tab file for today's episode and check out the other tabs available.

Patreon

Ko-fi Store

SBL Tab Store

Blank Tablature Sheet:

- Print these blank tablaturesheets for 5 string banjo and write your own licks.

⁠Patreon⁠

⁠Ko-fi Store⁠

⁠SBL Tab Store⁠

⁠12 Bar in G Backing Tracks:⁠

- Practice different licks playingalong to these 12 bar backing tracks in the key of G.

- Available at 80/100/120/140 bpm.

Have fun writing and...Happy Picking!

Welcome to 'Happy Picking!' a podcast about all things banjo!

Hosted by Richard from Sheffield Banjo Lessons (me), this show will bring you stories, information, lessons, tips and tricks, breakdowns of concepts and other bits exploring the fabulous world of the banjo.

In episode 1 we will talk about how we all have a story when we get into the banjo whether it be from bluegrass music, country music or instrument hand-me-downs and I'll take you through my journey with the banjo.

We'll look at the artists got me into playing, got my ears listening and influenced my style; such as Ashley Campbell, Earl Scruggs and Stevie Wonder!