Three voice arrangement for The Tantalizer

[Jody Stecher]

The Tantalizer, composed by Ted Goggin was the first classic banjo piece I learned to play. It took me a while as I was not familiar with some of what I now recognize as standard left hand chord positions. I thought at the time that the three parts were mismatched. Each sounded best at its own speed. The first two parts sounded best at a moderate pace. But the last part seemed glacially slow if played at the pace of the preceding 2 parts. Recently it occurred to me that if a second banjo part filled in the holes and a cello-banjo played some bass notes, the third part would sound ok without speeding it up. So I gave it a go and here it is. I think the tempo in the attached mp3 (about 84 on a metronome) is a pretty good compromise. The first two parts here are as fast as they can go without loosing their beauty although they sound more jaunty than melancholy (which a slower pace brings out) and the third part is fast enough to not be dreary.  

I'll probably make a few adjustments but this is viable, I hope.

 

[Trapdoor2]

Good work!

I have to say that the Cello Banjo is usually notated in the Treble clef so that any reading banjoist can play directly from it. I use the 15vb Treble clef but back in the day, it was assumed you knew what was what and the simple Treble clef was used.

[Jody Stecher]

OK. I can change the clef if that is what is wanted or needed. One thingt I like about this arrangement is that the second banjo part and the cello part are not hard to play but they enhance as much as tough parts would.

Trapdoor2 said:

Good work!

I have to say that the Cello Banjo is usually notated in the Treble clef so that any reading banjoist can play directly from it. I use the 15vb Treble clef but back in the day, it was assumed you knew what was what and the simple Treble clef was used.

[Trapdoor2]

I don't need it, all my playing is from Tab (though I sight read treble, bass and alto clefs...just not for the banjo). I just wanted to mention how it is usually notated.

[Jody Stecher]

Sure. I meant if the majority of the millions of cello-banjo players prefered treble clef. I'm waiting for them all to chime in.

Trapdoor2 said:

I don't need it, all my playing is from Tab (though I sight read treble, bass and alto clefs...just not for the banjo). I just wanted to mention how it is usually notated.