Intro to Melodic Banjo  with Adams Collins 

Most bluegrass banjo players start by learning Scruggs style, which uses roll patterns to create arpeggios, along with signature licks made famous by Earl Scruggs. While this style is central to the traditional bluegrass sound, it has a limitation: it doesn’t allow players to replicate melodies note-for-note like other instruments can-- like fiddle, guitar, or mandolin.

Melodic banjo style—also known as Keith style or Fiddle style—focuses on using scales to play melodies, rather than relying on chords.  Unlike the single-string style used by guitar and mandolin players to play scales, melodic banjo style generally avoids playing two consecutive notes on the same string.

This class is designed for intermediate players. We will be focusing on:
- melodic scales specific to the banjo
- how to integrate melodic scales into rolls
- common fiddle tunes and how to adapt them from a Scruggs-style arrangement into a more melodic approach

Students should bring their instruments and be comfortable reading tablature, as well as understanding basic roll patterns (forward, backward, and alternating/mixed).

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