Showing results by author "Bill Brown" in All Categories

This first-year piece is great for those who have mastered some of the basics of the banjo. This lesson starts with a full demonstration of the song at two different speeds followed by a step-by-step “by ear” lesson in two- to four-measure sections. Finally, you are given the back-up tracks at two different speeds for you to practice and perform with.

Learn to play “Old Joe Clark” without music or tab! In this lesson you will get a full demonstration of the song followed by a detailed measure-by-measure lesson of the song. Once the lesson is complete you get backing tracks to practice and perform with.

This intermediate level arrangement takes you to the 10th fret while giving you plenty of hammer-ons and slides to make a great sounding banjo solo. Also, it is in Drop C tuning! The lesson kicks off with a full demonstration of the song at two different speeds followed by a detailed “by ear” lesson over every lick of the arrangement. At the end of the lesson there are backing tracks at two different speeds for you to practice and perform with.

In this Banjo by Ear lesson, you will learn a banjo solo version of “Ashokan Farewell” from the PBS series The Civil War. The lesson starts with a full demonstration of the solo followed by a detailed “by ear” lesson of every note and phrase. A guitar accompaniment track is included for you to perform with.

“Redwing” is an old bluegrass standard and now you can learn to play it completely “by ear”. The song is demonstrated and then taught in two- to four-measure sections without music or tab. At the end of the lesson you are given backing tracks with no banjo on them for you to practice and perform with.

If you have just learned the basics of the banjo, then you should definitely start working on this Woody Guthrie classic! In this lesson you are given a full demonstration of the song at two different speeds followed by a detailed “by ear” lesson over every lick of the arrangement. At the end of the lesson there are backing tracks at two different speeds for you to practice and perform with.

While there is officially no banjo on any well-known version of “Red Rubber Ball”, the song actually lends itself quite nicely to a bluegrass groove. This lesson starts off with a full demonstration of the song with the banjo part and then proceeds with a “by ear” lesson of the entire banjo part. At the end of the lesson you are given backing tracks to practice with and perform what you have learned.

You will learn double C tuning in this lesson, which allows you to play in the key of C with a nice, rich low-C on the fourth string. In this lesson you will have a full demonstration at two speeds of the arrangement with drums, bass, and guitar accompaniment. Then, after you are taught the lesson in small phases, you are given the backing tracks without the banjo on it for you to use for your own live performance!

In this Banjo by Ear lesson, you will learn a banjo solo version of the bluegrass standard “Mountain Dew” completely “by ear”! The lesson also teaches a breakdown style second verse that is based upon a variation of the melody. A complete demonstration and backing tracks are included.

Now you can play your banjo along with this great American classic by Don McLean! In this lesson you will get a demonstration track, a “by ear” lesson, and a backing track for one low price. No more excuses for not singing and picking along with “Bye, bye, Miss American Pie....”

Hank Williams made this song famous and now you can learn to play it on the banjo without using music or tab! The song is played at two different speeds and then taught totally “by ear”. At the end of the lesson, you are given backing tracks at two speeds to practice and perform with. This arrangement is only rated at a beginner level so it is suitable for all of you who have just started learning to play the banjo.

This is a level one arrangement of an old bluegrass standard. There are just enough hammer-ons and pull-offs to keep it interesting without making it too difficult. In this lesson you are given a full demonstration of the song at two different speeds followed by a detailed “by ear” lesson over every lick of the arrangement. At the end of the lesson there are backing tracks at two different speeds for you to practice and perform with.

If you have always wanted to know how to play the chords to “Mrs. Robinson” on the banjo, then this is the lesson for you! The lesson starts off with a full demonstration of the song with backing tracks followed by our now famous “by ear” lesson teaching you every lick and phrase using no print, tab, or video.

This Banjo by Ear bundle is designed for the beginner banjo player who wants to learn the standard bluegrass tunes while progressing in proficiency. Here you will find song lessons at a beginner level as well as those at an intermediate level that will take the student into alternate tunings and positions up the neck. Included in this bundle is the lesson “Banjo Basics", designed to bring the absolute beginner up to speed on banjo terminology and techniques.

This surprisingly jazzy song was pulled off quite well by The Beatles though the style was not typical of their song list. In this “all-audio” lesson you will learn the jazz chord progression and the lead guitar fill-ins and solo without video, tab, or music. Bill Brown, your teacher, also lays out some basic theory about the moveable chord shapes and how they are getting their names. The song has demonstration and backing tracks to practice and perform with.

In this lesson you will learn all of the guitar licks to this upbeat Johnny Winter rock blues smoker. The entire song is demonstrated completely and then taught in short sections totally “by ear”. At the conclusion of the lesson you are given backing tracks without the guitar on it for you to play and perform with.

In this lesson you learn the 12-string, six-string, and slide-guitar parts to one of the most recognizable Pink Floyd songs. Each guitar part is taught in two- to four-measure sections completely “by ear” so there is no print, tab, or video to struggle with. There is a full demonstration track and three different performance tracks to listen to and play along with. The 12-string part is a level one while the lead guitar and slide parts are level two.

This Jimmy Durante hit makes a great level-one flat pick solo. You will also learn the chords, as well, and there is a full demonstration of the song before the phrase-by-phrase “by ear” lesson. At the conclusion of the lesson, you are given three different versions of the backing tracks for you, and maybe a friend, to play along with.

In this lesson, Bill Brown will teach you the arrangement of “Over the Rainbow” he still uses to this day. This is an intermediate level fingerstyle solo for those of you who have been playing over two years. The song is fully demonstrated, and then, Bill works you through the entire arrangement in two- to four-measure sections completely “by ear".

This iconic progressive rock standard is fast and easy to learn with this “by ear” lesson. The lesson starts with a full demonstration of the song with backing tracks, and then each section of the song is broken down in two- to four-measure segments taught using no music, tab, print, or video. The lesson wraps up with backing tracks for the student to use for their own live performance of the song.