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Melodic technique on DGdg tenor banjo
Melodic banjo, chromatic banjo, or Keith style are the names used for the picking technique when the right hand fingers roll over different strings as in the Scruggs technique (even if not in such regular patterns) and in the same time every note is melody note as in the single-string technique. It was Bill Keith who popularised this way of playing fiddle tunes on 5-string bluegrass banjo, hence Keith style.
DGdg tenor banjo has neither B string nor two identical strings up the neck (first and fifth string of 5-string banjo make the same tone if pressed on the same fret). From these reasons one cannot transcribe everything from 5-string to DGdg tenor banjo (this handicap is balanced by another possibilities e.g. easy playing in octaves). Anyway there still remain many melodies which can be played by the melodic technique on DGdg banjo.
To see the difference between single-string and melodic techniques let's look at the G scale segment.
First in the the single-string technique:
r i r l i r i r l i l r i r i l r i
g-----------------|-0--------7-------|-0---------------|-
d-----------0-2-4-|---7-9-10--10-9-7-|---4-2-0---------|-
G---0-2-4-5-------|------------------|---------5-4-2-0-|-
D-4---------------|------------------|-----------------|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|__| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T I T I T I T I T I T I T I T I T I T I T I T I
...and in the melodic technique:
l i m l m l i m i m i l m l m i l
g-----------------|-0--------7-------|-0---------------|-
d-----------0-----|-----9-10--10-9---|-------0---------|-
G---0---4-5----11-|--14-----------14-|--11-----5-4---0-|-
D-4---7------14---|------------------|----14-------7---|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|__| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T I T I T M T I M T I T M T I T M I T M T I T I
Above the tab the left hand fingering is indicated (i=index, m=middle, r = ring, and l=little finger). Below the tab is the right hand (T=thumb, I=index, and M=middle finger).
Here are some one-measure exercises, which you can later incorporate into your solos.
From B note:
g------------------|-
d------0-------0---|-
G----5----11-----5-|-
D--9----14--14-----|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T I M T I T M I
|
From C note:
g----------0-------|-
d----0-----------0-|-
G-------11--11-----|-
D-10--14------14---|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T M T I M I T M
| s
|
g----------0-------|-
d----0-----------0-|-
G-------10--10-----|-
D-10--14------14---|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T M T I M I T M
| s
|
g----------0-------|-
d----0-----------0-|-
G-------10--10-----|-
D-10--13------13---|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T M T I M I T M
| s
|
g----------0-------|-
d----0-----------0-|-
G-------11--11-----|-
D-10--13------13---|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T M T I M I T M
|
From D note:
g--------0---0-----|-
d--0---------------|-
G-----11--14--11---|-
D---14----------14-|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
M T I M T M I T
| s
|
g--------0---0-----|-
d--0---------------|-
G-----10--14--10---|-
D---14----------14-|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
M T I M T M I T
| s
|
g--------0---0-----|-
d--0---------------|-
G-----10--14--10---|-
D---13----------13-|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
M T I M T M I T
|
From E note:
g------0-------0---|-
d----------9-------|-
G---10--14--14--10-|-
D-14---------------|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T I M T I T M I
| s
|
g------0-------0---|-
d----------9-------|-
G---11--14--14--11-|-
D-14---------------|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T I M T I T M I
|
Here is one longer example:
g------0-----0-----|-0-----0---------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
d--9-----9-------7-|-------------0---|---0-----0-----0-|-----------------|----------------|
G---14----14--11---|--11----11----11-|-------9---5-----|-5-4---5-4---0-4-|---0---2--------|
D------------------|----14----14-----|14--10-------9---|-----7-----7-----|-7---4---5------|
|_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |
I T M I T M T I M I T M I T M I T M T I M I T M T I T M I T M I T I T I T
You see that in the last but one measure there is used single-string approach as there is no "melodic way" how to play such chain of notes on DGdg tenor banjo (due to missing B string). Basic fragment for practicing both single string and melodic approach in one measure would be this one:
l i m m i l
g------------------|-
d----------0-------|-
G--0---4-5---5-4---|- repeat
D----7-----------7-|-
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
I T I T M T I T
Try to find the fingering for your own melodic fragments.
Maybe the overview of the DGdg banjo fretboard would be helpful.
On the page with TablEdit tabs you can find melodic tabs for Banjo in the Hollow and Blackberry Blossom.
Combining melodic and Scruggs techniques
You can incorporate melodic licks into your Scruggs rolls - here is one example:
LISTEN
g|-----------0-----|---------0-----0-|-
d|-----------------|-0-----0-----0---|-
G|--------14--11---|-----6-7---7-----|-
D|--------------14-|-----------------|-
|_|_|_| | |_| |_|_|_|
T M I T I ThI M T I M
Pentatonic scales
On the page with TablEdit tabs there is the tab of four different major pentatonic scales which contain open D and G strings: G major, C major, F major, and Bb major pentatonic scale.