For today’s banjo lesson, I had my student take a look at a tune called “The Girl I Left Behind Me”, which I found in the middle of Bluegrass Banjo for Dummies by Bill Evans (p217). It isn’t one either of us was familiar with, which was part of the point. I wanted to see how he got on with a brand new piece in tablature (not perfect but well enough that I could honestly comment positively on his progress) and to show him how I’d work through a piece new to me.

One thing I noted was that there was something off about the seventh fret D on the G string on my banjo (probably a set up problem – the bridge was slightly misaligned and it sounds sweeter now I’ve sorted that) so I looked at alternative places to place the notes. That is when I spotted the introduction to the tune, which described how it could all be played in first position. I don’t think so! Even my hands, used to six string and upright basses, can only just reach a note on the six fret while in first position. I think the author and the person who set the music might have had a communication error.

I’ll be working up a version that (probably) will be kept in first position as that still sounds better to my ears than making the big jumps up and down for this piece. It is also a reminder that just because something has made it into print, it doesn’t mean it is always reliable.