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Hi, The song of the week is the Flatt & Scruggs classic 'Why Don't You Tell Me So' in the key of G. Recordings Here is the original Flatt & Scruggs recording of Why Don't You Tell Me So - key of F# https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MGGsdf7L0 Here is a good cover version of the song from Tony Rice - key of F https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgTiqz2X1Mg&list=PLJcseQaUtw9WQvE_F-tmDHRwhKTfOr6iz&index=5 Tuning The Flatt & Scruggs recording is in the very rarely used key of F# (or Gb, if you prefer) instead of the much more common key of F only because the instruments were all tuned a half step higher in pitch than standard. To play along with the recording, I advise banjo, mandolin and fiddle players to either tune their instruments a half step higher and then play as if in F, or to tune their instruments a half step lower and then play as if in G. (Guitar players need not retune their instruments, for there is little advantage in doing so: either capo 4, and then play as if in D, or capo 2 and then play as if in E will work just fine for playing along with the recording.) Note to Banjo Players If the band had been tuned to standard pitch, Scruggs' playing on Why Don't You Tell Me So would be an example of playing in F without a capo (banjo tuned in G tuning with the 5th string capoed at the 7th fret so that the 5th string registers as an A note, a note that is part of the F chord). For banjo players who wish to learn Earl's backup parts and break from the record, I point out that there is little difference in how it feels to play Scruggs' parts out of G (tuned down a half step from G tuning to be in tune with the recording: F#,C#,F#,A#,C#), or out of F (tuned up a half step from G tuning, with the 5th string capoed at the 7th fret: A#,D#,G#,B#,D#. B#=C) since only in a couple of spots in his backup playing does Scruggs use an open string, and in his break, the only open string he makes use of is the 5th string. There are however, a couple of spots during the backup parts in which one will run out of frets if tuned down instead of tuned up, but an easy fix for this is to simply drop those spots a whole octave: i.e., play the notes 12 frets lower. For banjo players who have little or no experience playing up the neck (besides vamping), I recommend working up down-the-neck breaks and backup parts out of G with the help of banjo tab melody sheet in the attachments. Finally, it should be observed that Scruggs' up the neck break that occurs after the second chorus of the song does not follow the melody closely enough to be used as an effective intro break for the song. Progression The chord progression for the verses and breaks is the very familiar progression: 1111 1155 1144 1511 (Prog. V2 on the basic chord progressions chart) The chord progression for the choruses is the most common progression for choruses in songs in which the verses use Prog. V2 while the choruses use a different progression. Only the first line differs from V2: 4411 1155 1144 1511 (Prog. X2) The Mercury Sessions Why Don't You Tell Me So was the 8th song that Flatt & Scruggs recorded together after leaving Bill Monroe's band. It is one of 28 songs that Flatt & Scruggs recorded together on Mercury Records between 1948 and 1950 (before they went to a different record label: Columbia). This collection of 28 songs is commonly referred to as 'the Mercury Sessions', and I consider it to be essential listening for students of Bluegrass music. Most of these 28 songs have become Bluegrass standards and have been covered by numerous Bluegrass artists. In the order in which they were recorded, here are youtube links to the 28 songs of the Mercury Sessions. Songs that I especially recommend listening to several times over are marked with an asterisk *1. We'll Meet Again Sweetheart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3RcgwB6KU0 2. God Loves His Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEBnwo4Ib1k *3. My Cabin In Caroline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2pgJPPbpPg 4. I'm Going To Make Heaven My Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KkvX1Ovzqw 5. Baby Blue Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWUg88uAwec *6. Down The Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q40vZj20E4I 7. Bouquet In Heaven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukuGbljTHTc *8. Why Don't You Tell Me So https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MGGsdf7L0 *9. I'll Never Shed Another Tear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRaYfXow3C8 *10. Foggy Mountain Breakdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Y3mnj-8lA *11. No Mother Or Dad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPkNgMdqbWE *12. Is It Too Late Now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTlBvA2mpxY *13. My Little Girl In Tennessee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MSou2EEiTQ 14. I'll Be Going To Heaven Sometime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkKK4KeolyQ 15. I'll Never Love Another https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enZQBRDkQQU 16. So Happy I'll Be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqDD_KvbjoA *17. Doin' My Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMdYyoF_uOM *18. Pike County Breakdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjKthlpnP-o 19. Preachin' Prayin' Singin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xxa44eER4g *20. Cora Is Gone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vtLYK1aWNw *21. Pain In My Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blG497HwaQE *22. Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riHYkRKXydU 23. Back To The Cross https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zuog7ra1-Y *24. Old Salty Dog Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms2IOc_HA4E 25. Will The Roses Bloom (Where She Lies Sleeping) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgqTLm35j4c *26. Take Me In A LIfeboat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtCZPhsfAtI *27. Farewell Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m259Pg25wdY 28. I'll Just Pretend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h8IB33hUf Happy Pickin', Jason
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Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2017 - 2018started as Beginner Jam in Jan 2015 
Songs regularly called at Bluegrass Jams and links from Jason's "Song of the Week" emails. (from Renee)
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