Showing results by author "Bill Brown" in All Categories

It’s time to put the hammer down and learn this Smokey and the Bandit theme song! In this Banjo by Ear lesson you learn both the accompaniment and a banjo solo version of the song. This lesson includes a full demonstration of the song and backing tracks to perform with once you have learned this piece completely “by ear”!

Now you can learn the Bill Monroe hit “Kentucky Mandolin” on the banjo without using music or tab! First, you will have a full demonstration 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!

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 lesson starts with a full demonstration of the banjo arrangement with backing tracks. After that, you will learn the accompaniment and solo of this Christmas standard completely “by ear”. Backing tracks are included at the end of the lesson for your own live performance. This solo is rated at a late beginner level.

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.

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.

You will be up around frets seven, eight, and nine with this arrangement! This will be a good piece for you to learn if you are ready to venture out from the first few frets but aren’t quite ready for a level two piece. 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.

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.

“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.

This arrangement is loaded with not only a banjo solo of the song but sections where you play accompaniment. This gives you an opportunity to learn a useful rhythm pattern and a moveable chord shape to take you up and down the neck. It is a level two arrangement so it is suggested for second year banjo students. 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.

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!

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....”

This bluegrass favorite is easy to learn when it is taught “by ear”. In this lesson, you will have a full demonstration 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!

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 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 the Chet Atkins version of “City of New Orleans” without using music, tab, or video. The arrangement is fully demonstrated and then taught in four-measure sections completely “by ear”. Backing tracks are included for your own live performance.

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.

The Vietnam War era produced several “anthems of angst”, and this one made the top of the list. This folk-rock hit made it to number four on the charts in 1971 and stayed in the hearts of Americans ever since. In this lesson you will learn the entire guitar part played by Edwards completely “by ear”. Bill Brown will demonstrate, and then explain in detail, every chord and strum without video, tab, or music. The lesson includes both demonstration and backing tracks to practice and perform with.

Learn both the rhythm and lead guitar parts to this Eagles hit without using music or tab. The entire song is played all the way through and then taught in small increments totally “by ear”. Then, once you have learned the guitar parts, you are supplied with three different versions of backing tracks for you and some friends to play along with. This song is rated as a level one for the rhythm guitar but a level two for the lead guitar.