Syncopatin' Shuffle help

[Mike Moss]

So I've been working on the Syncopatin' Shuffle for a while now and I'm almost done with it... still working on the Trio part now, and I had some doubts.

 

So right now, I can play the Trio part starting at 3PB... with the melody on the 1st string, I play what's printed:

 

 

However, when I listen to Bill Ball playing it, he plays it thus once, and then on the 4th string... which would require me to play it an octave lower, so I tried playing this:

 

 

(lousy MS paint editing, I just shift the melody notes an octave lower...)

 

But it sounds terrible and is almost impossible to finger, so I guess I need to change the accompaniment as well... How could I adapt the Trio to play it on the fourth string? Help!

[thereallyniceman]

I have  a scrawled manuscript that was written out ages ago, but this is the way I play the bass solo (and Bill Ball does too) . I hope that you can read it. It will give you a guide at least.

 

If I can help somebody as I pass along,  then my living has not been in vain  :-)

 

Ian

[Mike Moss]

Thanks a lot! That's very helpful, I'll get to work on it ASAP. I hope to have the Shuffle ready to record within a week or so, though it's already a big success with my girlfriend. Ah, classic banjo... the cure to banjophobia! ;-)

[David Wade]

Is this a good time to tell you that there is a new editionof this in notation and tab......

I've a couple of copies in stock.

Dave