10 Patterns in "B"
This run uses a couple of conveniently place open strings as do many of the patterns here. On the 4~~6 in the middle of the second measure slide up to the 6 using the ring finger.
-------|--------------------|-------------2-4-5--|--4-2-------------- -------|---------------1-4--|--1-2-2-4~~6--------|------5-6--2------- -------|----0-1-4--2-4------|--------------------|------------------- -0-1-3-|--4-----------------|--------------------|------------------- |_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |
This riff keeps finding its way under my fingers but I have no idea where it came from. This is a good one to precede the one above. Try it and you've got a good long string in B for those times when you need to extend a fill (for example) prior to a singer coming in.
---0-1-|--2-5-2-1--0-----0--|--------------------|------------------- -------|-------------5-6----|--5-4-2--------2----|------------------- -------|--------------------|--------6--4-6---6--|--4-2-0-1--0-1----- -------|--------------------|--------------------|----------------4-- |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_| |
Here's a good filler for those phrases when the singer is trailing off right before a chorus and the banjo player is building up steam in his (or her) ears for the break.
-------|---------------6-9--|--7------------------------------------- -------|------6-9--7--------|---------------------------------------- ---6-8-|--9-----------------|---------------------------------------- -------|--------------------|---------------------------------------- |_| | |_| | |_| |
Extend the one above a bit and your a classic sort of Monroe/Lawson run like this:
-------|---------------6-9--|--7------------------------------------- -------|------6-9--7-9------|---------------------------------------- ---6-8-|--9-9---------------|---------------------------------------- -------|--------------------|---------------------------------------- |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |
Here's another one we'll start off and build into a similar pattern. Start the first note with the first finger.
-------|--------------------|--2-4-2-------------|------------------- -------|----9------9--------|--------5--6-2------|--2---------------- -----7-|--8---7-8-----------|---------------6-4--|------------------- -------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------- |_| |_|_|_| || |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |
Same first measure but this time slide the ring finger up to the C# (9) at the end of the second full measure. This is another "sort of" Monroe that I've heard in the playing of Lawson, Skaggs, and others.
-------|--------------------|--9---7---6---6--9--|--7---------------- -------|----9------9--------|------------9-------|------------------- -----7-|--8---7-8-----------|--------------------|------------------- -------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------- |_| |_|_|_| || | | |_|_|_| |
This is a phrase that probably would be most appropriate to use when ending a solo in B. You'd probably want to extend this one a bit.
-------|--------------------|--2-2-2-2--2-0------|------------------|--- ---5-6-|--2---5-6--2---5-6--|---------------5-6--|--2---------------|--- -------|--------------------|--------------------|----0-1--0-1-0-1--|--- -------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|-4- |_| | |_| | |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| | |_| |_|_|_| |
Another phrase that can be appropriate as a fill or part of a solo. Use your pinkie to stretch to the C# (9) again in the first measure with the second finger holding down the A (5). The "~" indicates to hold the note. Also, slide from the C to C# between measure 2 and 3 with the first finger.
-------|--5---5-9--5---5-9--|--5-----------------|------------------|---
-------|--------------------|----7-5-7--4-----3--|--4---5----4------|---
-------|--------------------|-------------7~7----|----7---7----7----|---
-------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|---
| |_| | |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |
My personal favorite:
-------|--7-5-10-7-5--------|----5---------------|--7---5--2-0------|---
-------|-------------9-7-8--|--9---9-8--7-0-5-6--|-------------5-6--|-2-
-------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|---
-------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|---
|_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| | | |_|_|_| |
And a simple one to end on:
-------|--------0--2-4-6-2--|--7---4---2-0-------|------------------|--- -------|--2-4-6-------------|--------------5-6---|--2---------------|--- ---4-6-|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|--- -------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------|--- |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| | | |_|_|_| |