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Worried Man Blues

3/26/2018

0 Comments

 
Hi,
The song of the week is 'Worried Man Blues' in the key of Bb.

Recordings
The Carter Family - key of Bb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcvWrxrNk4k
 
Flatt and Scruggs - key of G
 
The Stanley Brothers - key of A
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is4WK99hPcg

Progression
On the Carter Family and Flatt and Scruggs recordings, the chord progression is:
1111
4411
5511

On the Stanley Brothers recording, the chord progression is:
1111
4441
1111
5511

If one is paying attention only to the lyrics when comparing the different versions of the song with each other, it would seem that to arrive at the 12 measure version (Carter Family/Flatt & Scruggs), you just omit the third line of the 16 measure version (Stanley Brothers). However, if one pays attention to the melody and the chord progression, then it becomes clear that the 12 measure version omits the second half of the second line and the first half of the third line of the 16 measure version rather than the whole third line of the 16 measure version. In this regard, notice the differing number of measures of the '4' chord in the 16 measure and 12 measure versions.

When I lead the song at the jam, I almost always use the 12 measure version, but be prepared for the 16 measure version to show up occasionally when other people lead the song at the jam.  On the attached melody sheets I have shown the relation between the longer and shorter versions.

The Key of Bb
In the key of Bb: 1=Bb, 4=Eb, 5=F

The notes that make up the Bb chord are Bb, D, and F.
The notes that make up the Eb chord are Eb, G, and Bb
The notes that make up the F chord are F, A, and C.

Together, these notes form the Bb Major Scale: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, and A.

The melody of Worried Man Blues uses only 6 of these notes: Bb, C, D, F, G, and A, which so happen to be the 6 notes that the Bb Major Scale shares in common with the F major scale (F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E).

If you are fiddler or a mandolin player, and you already play songs or licks in F, then, provided that these songs or licks do not require using the 4th string, you can take your same fingerings for F and move them all one string lower in pitch, and you will be thereby be playing in Bb. 

For playing chop chords on the mandolin that use no open strings, if you move the chords shapes you use for playing in the key of A up by one fret, this will put you in the key of Bb.


For playing in the key of Bb, bluegrass banjo and guitar players almost always capo to the 3rd fret, so that they can use the same fingerings that they would use for playing in the key of G. (In the key of G: 1=G; 4= C; 5=D.)

Banjo players will need to raise the pitch of the fifth string to a Bb note (registers as A# on most tuners). This is done by capoing (with a 5th string capo, or 8th fret spike) the 5th string at the 8th fret.  For banjo players who do not have a fifth string capo or an 8th fret spike (that includes myself), spike the 5th string at the 7th fret, and then tune it up a half step to a Bb (A#) note. This is best done by ear by playing the 5th string with the thumb while playing the 3rd string with the index finger, turning the 5th string tuning peg slowly until the 5th string sounds harmonious with the 3rd string. 

Happy Pickin',
Jason
Worried Man Blues - banjo tab
File Size: 471 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Worried Man Blues - guitar tab
File Size: 475 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Worried Man Blues - mandolin tab
File Size: 446 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Worried Man Blues - melody in Bb
File Size: 471 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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    ​Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2017 - 2018


    ​with
       Jason Homey

    Picture
    ​Songs regularly called at the Beginner Bluegrass Jam and links from Jason's "Song of the Week" emails.  (from Renee)

    ​

    Songs

    All
    All The Good Times
    A Memory Of You
    Angeline The Baker
    Beautiful Brown Eyes
    Blue Ridge Cabin Home
    Boil The Cabbage Down
    Buffalo Gals
    Bury Me Beneath The Willow
    Clinch Mountain Backstep
    Cluck Old Hen
    Columbus Stockade Blues
    Cripple Creek
    Down The Road
    Foggy Mountain Top
    Gathering Flowers From The Hillside
    Good King Wenceslas
    Handsome Molly
    I Can't Feel At Home
    I'll Fly Away
    I'll Still Write Your Name In The Sand
    In The Pines
    In The Sweet By And By
    Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
    Liberty
    Little Birdie
    Little Cabin Home On The Hill
    Lonesome Road Blues
    Long Journey Home
    Mama Don't Allow
    Mountain Dew
    My Home's Across The Blue Ridge Mountains
    New River Train
    Nine Pound Hammer
    Old Joe Clark
    Reuben
    Shortnin' Bread
    Silent Night
    Soldier's Joy
    Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong
    Swing Low Sweet Chariot
    Take This Hammer
    Way Down Town
    We'll Meet Again Sweetheart
    Will The Circle Be Unbroken
    Will You Be Loving Another Man
    Worried Man Blues
    Wreck Of The Old '97
    X- 30 Add. Jam-Friendly Songs
    X Basic Chord Progressions
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    X-Bluegrass Artists And Bands
    X- Music Theory
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  • Home
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    • IBA Newsletter
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  • Articles & Podcasts
    • Podcasts >
      • ​Jeremy Garrett Interview
      • Keith Reed Interview
      • Jason Homey Interview
      • Becky Smith Interview
      • Marv Quinton Interview
      • Rue Frisbee Interview
      • Donna and Mike Bond Interview
      • Honi Deaton Interview
      • Dennis Stokes Interview
      • Gary Eller Interview
    • Articles >
      • Glen Garrett - The Golden Years
      • Sammie Bush - came to Weiser
      • Mark O’Connor - My History at Weiser
      • Barbara Lamb - Fiddler Extraordinaire
      • Charlie Simmons -The Idaho Bluegrass Association from 1975 to 1985
      • Idaho's 19th century Fiddlers
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions ​ 1950s & 1960s
      • ​Byron Berline
      • Dave Frisbee
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions from 1970s and 80s
      • Megan Lynch Chowning
      • Fiddle Champion ​in 1990s and 2000s
      • Tashina and Tristan Clarridge
    • Snap Shot - Videos from IBA members
  • Events
    • Calendar (BCBB)
    • Open Mic
    • SpringGrass 2023 >
      • Springfest 2022
    • Winterfest
    • IBA Concert Series
    • Virtualgrass
    • Other Bluegrass Events
  • Jam
    • Idaho Jams
    • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • All of Jason's Songs
    • Old Blogs from Jason >
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Songs in 2016
  • Camps & Contests
    • Idaho Bluegrass and Banjo Camp
    • Banjo Contest
    • National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest
  • Idaho Bands
  • Teachers
  • Classified
  • Links
    • General
    • Learning
    • Specific Instruments