Current Issue | Home | Back Issues | Other Mel Bay Sites | Purchase Mandolin Products
Jazz Mandology | Mandolin School | What's In Your Case?
Interview with Don MacRostie | Easy Tune Variations | Somebody Touched Me in "B" Part II

Somebody Touched Me in "B" Part II

by Dix Bruce

Part II

Hopefully you've already learned the simple version of "Somebody Touched Me" in the key B from last issue's column. If you haven't worked your way through it, quit your day job, download the song, and get to work! (Awww, I'm just kidding about the day job!) It's important that you be able to play the simple version before you move on to this more difficult solo.

The solo below is based on the simple melody from last time. All I did was kind of "Bluegrass" it up by adding almost continual eighth notes to the basic melodic framework. This approach is very much like the way Bill Monroe played in his duo with brother Charlie Monroe. Mastering the style is necessary for any budding Bluegrass mandolinist.

As you did with the simple version, pay particular attention to the suggested fretting hand fingerings shown between the standard notation and the TAB. Your fretting hand position should be almost identical to the position on the simple version.

I've also marked pick directions with the small arrows. If a note falls on beat 1 2 3 or 4 in a measure, play it with a down pick stroke. If a note falls on one of the "ands" between those beats, play it with an up pick stroke. I think it's very important that you start out with this basic direction rule. It'll help you play most economically and logically. As you progress, you may find other approaches and I'm all for you checking them all out. This strict rule will just help you get started on the right foot ... or pick.

I suggest that you memorize this solo and practice it until you can play it up to speed. Once you've accomplished that, try moving it up one fret, then two, then three and so on. Be sure to identify the new keys you are moving to. What about moving the original key of B solo down one fret to the key of Bb? One note will be problematic. I'll let you discover which one it is!

Once you can move the solo up and down the fingerboard, why not try starting it on the fourth fret of the fourth string? You're essentially moving it over one string. What will the new key be?

For more information on transposing solos and chords from one key to another, as well as lots of other information about Bluegrass Mandolin, I hope you'll check out my "Getting Into Bluegrass Mandolin." It should be available by the time you read this. For information, check out my website: www.musixnow.com.