Banjo Heaven

Saturday, April 11, 2026

A Very Interesting Analysis Of Dave Hum's Songs

Dave Hum Songs

SONG	TUNING	CAPO	KEY	BANJO
Acorn Hill	gDGBD	No	D	Epiphone
Apples And Sloes (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Arkansas Traveller (3)	gDGBD	2	A	Ode
Bag Of Spuds	gDGCD	2	A	Gibson
Ballad of Jed Clampett	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Behind Haystack & The Setting Sun	gDGBD	2	E	Gibson
Big Mon	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Big Sciota	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Bill Cheatham	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Bill Cheatham (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Black Mountain Rag	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Blackjack	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Boys Of Bluehill & Harvest Home	gCGCD	2	D	Gibson
Boys Of Malin	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Buffalo Girls	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Buffalo Girls (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Busking In Norwich – Whisky Before	gCGCD	2	D	Epiphone
Carolan’s Concerto	gCGCD	2	D	Gibson
Chicken Reel (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Chicken Reel	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Clinch Mountain Backstep (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Clinch Mountain Backstep	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Cluck Old Hen	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Cluck Old Hen (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Cold Frosty Morning	gDGCD	2	A	Epiphone
Cold Frosty Morning (2)	gDGCD	2	A	Gibson
Coleman’s March	gCGCD	2	D	Gibson
Cripple Creek	gDGBD	2	A	?
Cripple Creek (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Dancing Ledge	?	2	?	Gibson
Devil’s Dream & Blackberry (3)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Devil’s Dream & Blackberry (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Devil’s Dream & Blackberry Blossom	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Down The Road (3)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Down The Road (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Down The Road	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Dueling Banjos W/ The Huckleberries	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Earl’s Breakdown	gDGBD	No	G	Ode
Eight More Miles To Louisville	gDGBD	2	A	Ode
Eight More Miles To Louisville (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Epiphone
Eight More Miles To Louisville (3)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Eight More Miles To Louisville (4)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Eighth Of January	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Eighth Of January (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Farewell To Erin	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Farewell To Erin (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Fergal O’ Gara	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
Fetching Fred	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Fireball Mail	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Fireball Mail (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Flint Hill Special	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Flop Eared Mule	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Flying Cloud Cotillion	gDGBD	No	G	Ode
Foggy Mountain Breakdown (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Foggy Mountain Special (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Foggy Mountain Special	gDGBD	No	G	?
Forked Deer	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Gaspe Reel	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
Golden Slippers	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Grasshopper Sitting On A Sweet	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Gravel Walks	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Green Gates & Silver Spear	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Groundspeed	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Growling Old Man And Grumbling	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Growling Old Man And Grumbling (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Growling Old Man And Grumbling (3)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Gibson
Half Past Four	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Half Past Four (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Helvic Head	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Humours Of Glendart/Connaught	gDGBD	2 + 7	A, E	Gibson
Humours Of Glendart/Connaught (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A, E	Gibson
Humpty’s Jig	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Hum’s Hornpipe	gCGBD	No	C	Gibson
Hunter’s Purse	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Hunter’s Purse (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Hunter’s Purse (3)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
In The Summertime	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
In The Summertime (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Jerusalem Ridge	gDGBbD	2 + 7	Am	Ode
Jig Runrig & Wee Todd	gDGBD	2 + 7	D, A	Gibson
Jig Runrig & Wee Todd (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	D, A	Gibson
Jig Runrig & Wee Todd (3)	gDGBD	2 + 7	D, A	Gibson
King Of The Faeries	gDGBD	No	E	Gibson
Last Night’s Fun	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Lilting Banshee	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Lilting Banshee (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Gibson
Locust Hill	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Locust Hill (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Lost At Sea	f#DGBD	No	G7/F#	Epiphone
Louisville Breakdown	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Louisville Breakdown (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Lulworth Moon	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Gibson
Maid Behind The Bar	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
Maid Behind The Bar (2) w/spoons	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
Mason’s Apron	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Mason’s Apron (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Mason’s Apron (3)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Mason’s Apron (4) w/Little Dancers	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Merrily Kiss The Quaker’s Wife	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Merrily Kiss The Quaker’s Wife (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Mississippi Sawyer	aDGBD	0 + 7	D	Gibson
Mississippi Sawyer (2)	aDGBD	0 + 7	D	Gibson
Mist Covered Mountain	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Monaghan’s Jig	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Morrison’s Jig	gDGBD	No	Em	Epiphone
Morrison’s Jig (2)	gDGBD	No	Em	Gibson
My Grandfather’s Clock	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
My Grandfather’s Clock (2)	gDGBD	2	A	Gibson
Nashville Blues	aDFAD	No	Dm	Gibson
Nola	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Nola (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
O’Carolan’s Concerto	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
O’Carolan’s Concerto (played in yard)	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
Off She Goes	gDGBD	2 + 7	A, E	Gibson
Off To California	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Off To California (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Ode
Off To California (3)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Old Ned (Steptoe Theme) - Winter	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Old Ned (Steptoe Theme) - Summer	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	?
Over The Waterfall	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Over The Waterfall (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Palladium Rag	gDGBD	N0	G	Gibson
Peeler’s Jacket	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Peeler’s Jacket (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Pike County Breakdown	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Pike County Breakdown (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Raggle Taggle Gypsy/Drowsy Mag	gDGBD	No	Em	Epiphone
Raggle Taggle Gypsy/Drowsy (2)	gDGBD	No	Em	Ode
Red Haired Boy	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Ode
Reed’s Hornpipe	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Rueben	f#DF#AD	No	D	Ode
Rueben (2)	f#DF#AD	No	D	Gibson
Rickett’s Hornpipe	gDGBD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
Rocky Top	gDGBD	4 + 9	B	Gibson
Sailor’s Hornpipe (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Sailor’s Hornpipe	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Sally Goodin	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Salt Creek	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Salt Creek (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Shady And The Tramp	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Shake The Shed	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Shaving A Dead Man	ADF#AD	No	G	Gibson
Shenandoah Breakdown	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Shenandoah Breakdown (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Shove That Pig’s Foot A Little Closer	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Shuckin’ The Corn	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Smoke Behind The Clouds	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Smoke Behind The Clouds (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Soldier’s Joy	gCGBD	No	C	Epiphone
Southern Flavour	aDGBD	2 + 9	Em	Epiphone
Southern Flavour (2)	aDGBD	2 + 9	Em	Epiphone
Southern Flavour (3)	aDGBD	2 + 9	Em	Gibson
Speed The Plough	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Speed The Plough (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Sportsman’s Hornpipe	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Sportsman’s Hornpipe (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Star Of Munster	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
Star Of Munster (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Gibson
Star Of Munster (3)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Gibson
Tam Lin (The Glasgow)	aDGBD	0 +2	Dm	Epiphone
Temperance Reel	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Temperance Reel (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Temperance Reel (3)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
The Boys Of Malin	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
The Boys Of Malin (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
The Crow	gCGCD	No	C	Epiphone
The Lark In The Morning	gDGBD	2 + 7	E	Epiphone
The Lark In The Morning (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	E	Gibson
The Lilting Banshee	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
The Lilting Banshee (2)	gDGCD	2 + 7	Am	Epiphone
The Maid Behind The Bar	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
The Maid Behind The Bar (2)	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
The Mathematician	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
The Merry Blacksmith	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
The Old Spinning Wheel	gDGBD	No	C	Gibson
The Old Spinning Wheel (2)	gDGBD	No	C	Gibson
The Traveller	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Theme From The Third Man	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Theme From The Third Man (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Theme From The Third Man (3)	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Those Magnificent Men In Their	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Timour The Tartar	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Timour The Tartar (2)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Timour The Tartar (3)	gDGBD	2 + 7	A	Gibson
Twin Sisters	gDGCD	2 + 7	A	Epiphone
Waiting For The Federals	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Waiting For The Federals (2)	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson
Whisky Before Breakfast	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
Whisky Before Breakfast (2)	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Epiphone
Whisky Before Breakfast (3)	gCGCD	2 + 7	D	Gibson
Whisnant’s Rag	gDGBD	No	G	Epiphone
Zarana	gDGBD	No	G	Gibson

The preceding study that I did of Dave Hum’s banjo performances yielded some very interesting and I think encouraging information for banjo enthusiasts:

Whenever you see Dave wearing a winter coat, he is always using his inexpensive $500 Chinese-made Epiphone banjo. That makes sense. Why use your $5,000 Gibson in temperature extremes that could warp or crack the wood?
Dave used his Epiphone MB-250 banjo a lot more than I realized.
For Arkansas Traveller (3) Dave used his Ode banjo made in Arkansas in the 1970s. I love it!
In his video comparing his three banjos, there are some easy ways to identify the different banjos:

The Gibson has no mark on the head; the Ode has an upside down filled-in triangle; the Epiphone has a hollow star.
The Ode has white binding trim on the neck.
The Epiphone has no inlay on fret one.
The Ode has two blank frets by the heel; the Epiphone has only one; the Gibson has one, and a bright “Mastertone” decal next to it.

Since Dave only played one particular banjo in each setting, I was able to identify the banjo used in some difficult to see videos, from a different video in the same setting.
I really enjoyed doing this analysis of Dave’s playing. The one thing that stands out to me is that more than half the time Dave chose to use his $500 Chinese-made Epiphone banjo, which just goes to prove that it’s the man and not the banjo which produces his awesome sound.
Dave's wife told me that he later sold the Ode. It encourages me that he kept the Chinese-made Epiphone and sold the American-made Ode. In his banjo comparison video, according to my ears, you can hear how full and deep the Epiphone sounds. The Ode has a tighter constricted sound to it, and the Gibson is brighter with more treble and resonance.

Here's a .doc file of this webpage which opens with Microsoft Word if you'd like to download it.

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

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Google Blogspot does not allow me to upload audio files, so I had to store them all on my SteelC6th.com website. If something were to happen to me, dying for example, my SteelC6th website would disappear after the next April (which is the month each year when I renew my annual hosting plan). All of these backing tracks would be gone forever! So, I strongly encourage you to download all my backing tracks to your own computer. You are more than welcome to share and even post my backing tracks on your own blog, website, social media, et cetera. I made them to share freely with everyone. No credit need be given. I just love music and want to be a blessing to other musicians. These are YOUR backing tracks! So enjoy them my friends.

Dave Hum's Banjo Tunings

Standard - gDGBD
Double C - gCGCD
G Modal - gDGCD
G Minor - gDG(Bb)D
Open D - aDF#AD
D Minor - aDFAD
Other D - aDGBD
Reuben's Tuning - f#DF#AD

Dave Hum shines on whatever tuning he plays, but I really enjoy his work on the "Double C tuning" (e.g., Maid Behind The Bar, Gaspe' Reel and Coleman's March.)

Dave says: “I like to set up my three main banjos so I can get a compromise between a dry snapping tight head sound associated with the Bluegrass sound and a mellower warmer tone for the Celtic, old-time and ragtime tunes. I have found that some condensed foam inside the pot helps and a combination of medium strings and a not too tight head with the tailpiece parallel to the head helps me to achieve the tone I like. Each banjo has its own character and tone and I am forever tinkering with them to see what gives - which is half the fun!” (quoted from his website)

My banjo is a Recording King Elite 85 with a maple neck. It has a longer than standard neck, at 27 3/8" verses the standard 26 1/4" neck, which I really like. It is built to exact Prewar Gibson specifications. It has a great tone, but I'd say about 80% of a Gibson. I've learned that much of the tone comes from the player's hands, and not the particular banjo brand that is being played (to an extent). Dave Hum's awesome sound comes from his skilled hands. Dave controls the banjo, masterfully, he doesn't allow the banjo to control him.

I did try the things which Dave mentioned above, like loosening my banjo head, putting a block of foam inside my banjo, setting my tailpiece parallel to the head, and putting on some heavier gauge strings (12,12,16,24,12). The result, after 3 months of playing it that way is that I very much like the foam inside, because without it I get overtones that throw off my ears while playing. The foam trick is brilliant, I think.

I prefer my head tight, so I went back up to between an F# and a G# (when you tap on the head you'll get a pitch to tune the rightness by). On my Recording King, it seems that F# is as high as I can safely get without risking over tightening the head. I kept the tailpiece parallel. My string action is as close as I can get without an annoying buzz. I actually have a very slight buzz (at times), that I don't mind, having the strings nice and close to the neck.

I am learning to pick the strings more firmly, like Dave Hum does, which makes a BIG difference in my tone overall while playing! It is important not to try to play just like Dave Hum; but rather, learn TECHNIQUES from him, and apply those skills to your own playing, and you will become more like Dave that way, than merely trying to copy him.

One thing that I have notice is that Dave KNOWS the songs he is trying to play. It is easy to wing through a song without really buckling down and getting into the nitty-gritty of the tablature, which is a mistake. Learn slow, and then work up your speed playing accurately. YouTube is an awesome tool, which allows you to slow down the speed of any video, so you can see what is going on. For many of Dave's songs, like Mason's Apron, I am still playing it at 3/4 speed, because I cannot keep up with him...lol. That is perfectly okay. Music is not a competition, which Dave Him himself once said. Enjoy!

Dave Hum's sound is in his hands, not the banjo! Dave uses his 1992 ESS Gibson in nearly all of his YouTube videos, but as you will see in this awesome song, “Arkansas Traveller (3),” he is using his ODE banjo. Dave's beautiful sound comes from using proper picking TECHNIQUE, not from using any particular banjo brand. By the way, Dave's ODE banjo was made in Arkansas in the 1970's. No doubt he intentionally used the ODE made in Arkansas on the song “Arkansas Traveller.” Dave's widow told me that he later sold the ODE. Gotta love banjos!

Dave Hum's Banjos

Dave Hum's main banjo is a Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs's Standard) banjo, a reissue of the original Gibson classic.

Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs Standard) 1992

SET UP:

Head - Remo
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D (strings 2 and 3) and Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 12,12,16,24,12
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Nashville, USA
All other parts standard Gibson.

Baldwin Ode Model D '70's

SET UP:

Head - Renaissance
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D/Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Moon Lightweight 1/2
Origin - Arkansas, USA
All other parts standard Ode.

Epiphone MB250 '90's

SET UP:

Head - Five Star
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Made in China

All other parts standard Epiphone.

Dave uses a Compact 60 AER rechargeable acoustic amplifier, which now costs $1,999, made in Germany. The amp was MUCH cheaper 20 years ago. The amp plugs into the wall to recharge (no replaceable battery). Tommy Emmanuel uses the same amp, but using corded power. These amps were specifically designed for acoustic instruments. However, the amp weighs 29 pounds!

Here is a more affordable alternative for busking, I humbly think.

Dave mics his banjo using a Shure Beta 98D mic with A98D bracket clamp.

What NOT to buy...

NOTE: I bought a “Feather” Goose pickup for $199 and hate it. It whines continually from feedback, and has wires all over, ripping off when I forget they're attached by clip to my waist. The item comes with umpteen parts that you have to assemble, and it is not easy. Please don't waste your money on it!

I recommend using a Gold Tone ABS pickup, which includes a stompbox from Banjo "Ben" Clark.

Music truly does make the world a better place.

Banjo Has A Steep Learning Curve

Like pedal steel guitar (my favorite instrument), the banjo has a steep learning curve. That simply means the hardest part is getting started. If you can stick with it long enough to learn a couple dozen songs fluently, you'll be off to a fantastic start. I learned 5-string banjo fairly quickly, finding out that there are common picking patterns that once learned, overlap into nearly every other song. I encourage you to learn Blackberry Blossom right away, which will teach you melodic runs.

At first my picking fingers stumbled, because my brain wasn't familiar with the tabs. Friend, if you can play even one thing fast, you can play anything fast once you learn it. Also, I learned 30 years ago while learning to play pedal steel guitar, that my brain processed what I learned at night while I am sleeping. You read right! So when you are plowing away, and it seems hopeless like you'll never get it, during the night your brain will process what you've learned. It's similar to workout out in a gym. You don't build muscles at the gym. You lift heavy weights at the gym. But then during the night is when your body builds new muscle.

I also recommend learning the song, Sailor's Hornpipe, which is another great song to learn your melodic runs. After a month I was playing subconsciously, which is called "muscle memory." I didn't stumble anymore when playing melodic runs, because my fingers already knew what to do. Trust me, if you practice for at least a solid hour every day, you'll quickly advance on the banjo, but you must apply yourself to learn the tabs.

What I am about to say is IMPORTANT. Start out going very slow, to accurately pick every note in the tabs. Your speed will increase in time, as you become familiar with the song, and don't have to think what comes next. Dave Hum is a master of chords, progressions and single note scale runs. What makes Dave Hum so different than all the other banjo artists is that he simply follows the chords and does his own thing musically.

I love Dave Hum and could relate to him the first time I heard him play the banjo. The song was "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett." I cried when he started playing those triplets in the second half of the song. I had never heard anything so pretty. It took me awhile to figure out how he is doing those triplets, but it is super easy once you get it. I slowed it down using MixCraft software so I could hear exactly what he's doing. It reminds me of being on a river boat on the Mississippi River.

Friend, when you're as good as you want to be, you're as good as you're going to get! Hawaiian steel guitar legend, Jerry Byrd (1920-2005), taught me that. Anyone can play the banjo if they are willing to work at it. Talent is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration! Intellect also plays a big part, which I learned about the pedal steel guitar from my musical hero, Lloyd Green.

The best way to learn the banjo, once you have the tabs in front of you, is to study Dave Hum's YouTube videos. I downloaded all of them and converted them into mp3 files for my own use.

BUY 115 OF DAVE HUM'S ORIGINAL BACKING TRACKS

His backing tracks are superior to anything available on the internet that I have found. Those wonderful driving tracks are a wonderful canvas for Dave's awesome banjo artistry. I wish Dave was still with us. He sadly died of cancer at age 46 in 2012. It is quite amazing to me that he had the physical and mental strength to record so many of his greatest banjo videos—with cancer, an eye removed and part of his picking fingers amputated. I thank God for Dave Hum and his cheerful music!

I wrote these words to encourage you dear banjo enthusiast. I used to think I would sound like Dave Hum if I bought a 1995 ESS Banjo like he used. Not so! Dave had an aggressive picking style, taking charge of the banjo, and used amazing advanced techniques. TECHNIQUE is the key word (how he majestically manipulated the strings to get the sounds he wanted). You need to watch his subtleties while he's playing. If your playing doesn't sound like him, then you're not doing something the way he's doing it, and that is technique!

One thing that Dave does is he applies quite a bit of picking pressure on the strings, driving the banjo. That is why he needs to wear metal thumb picks and use Velcro to keep the picks from flying off his fingers!

Make Your Own Backing Tracks

I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of backing tracks available online, AND MOST ARE WOEFULLY LACKING ANY REAL INSPIRATION. Some tracks I've found are superb (like Jay Buckey), but there's just something about the simplicity of Dave Hum's tracks, with just a bass guitar!

If the backing track doesn't move the player, you're not going to “feel” the music! Dave's tracks are profoundly simple and have a happy energy to them, reflective of Dave himself. In my humble opinion, Band-In-A-Box is lame compared to Dave's tracks. If anyone has ever tried to make your own rhythm tracks, then you know how difficult and time consuming it is, so I wanted to share some helpful ideas.

Songs are generally composed of 16 to 32 bars. The first thing you need to do is find a song's chords. I found a helpful website which provides the chords to hundreds of oldtime songs, many of which Dave plays on YouTube. For example: Here are the chords for a jig titled, “Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife.” Here is Dave Hum playing the song (awesome). And here are some backing tracts that I made, which you are freely welcome to use and share. By the way, I NEVER sell anything or receive donations. IT'S ALL FREE (as it should be in my humble opinion). All my music is free, and you are encouraged to freely share my backing tracks with others! I am still learning how to make tracks, so I am progressing slowly.

If you'd like to work at making your own backing tracks, as I am doing, you'll need a bass guitar. If you can play guitar, you can definitely play bass, which is simply the four lowest strings on a guitar! Dave Hum's backing tracks are simple, usually just a bass and perhaps a tambourine for simple percussion. Many of Dave’s songs use only a bass guitar.

Buy A Shubb F5 Capo

I really like my Shubb F5 Capo, which stays on the banjo. I had purchase a cheaper Paige banjo capo for about $40, trying to save money, but I hate the thing because it falls off the banjo neck every time I loosen the tension knob. If you're going to spend $40, you might as well splurge and spend the $75. I assure you that you won't be disappointed.

When playing in the key of G, I just loosen the tension nut and slide the capo up over the nut, which works fine. Plus I like the shiny look of the Shubb F5 capo. It is small and easy to use.

I also like that the capo firmly presses the strings down, eliminating any string buzz. I had also purchased some of the cheaper clamp-on type capos for $20 and under, which are okay if that's all you can afford, but you have to play with them oftentimes to get the strings to stop buzzing.

I really like the Shubb F5 Capo!

Banjo Heaven

Saturday, April 11, 2026

A Very Interesting Analysis Of Dave Hum's Songs

5 String Banjo Instruction [1967] - Earl Scruggs

Wikipedia

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