A New Backing Track For “Dark Hollow”

This tune “Dark Hollow” is a popular Traditional folk song first recorded by folk singer-songwriter Bill Browning (1931-1977) and His Echo Valley Boys in 1958. I used this impressive performance in the key of B by the group 'High Carbon Steel' as a template to make my backing track's in the keys of C, G and A for your preference. Here's also another backing track I found in the key of G.

• Dark Hollow (Chuck Van Dyke explains how to play in G, with tabs at the end)
• Dark Hollow PDF Tablature | TEF (Bill Keith explains how to play in C; capo 5th fret)
• Dark Hollow PDF Tablature (by Jordan Layne Bourland)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, faster)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, normal)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, slower)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, very slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of C, woodshed)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, faster)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, normal)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, slower)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, very slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of G, woodshed)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, faster)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, normal)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, slower)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, very slow)
• Dark Hollow (key of A, woodshed)

To make this backing track I used MIDI for the drums, bass, piano and keyboard. I used real audio loops for the shakers and tambourine.

On A Personal Note Friend

Sadly, just like Dave Hum who died at age 46 from cancer (Myeloma) in 2012, so also did Bill Browning die at only age 45 of cancer in 1977. So heartbreaking! They died way too young. Life is short. Dear reader, I rarely preach to my guests, but for your eternal sake I humbly invite you to put your trust in the Savior Jesus Christ, who died on a cross 2,000 years ago to pay our debt of sin. Jesus was buried and three days later miraculously physically resurrected from the dead. This is 'THE GOSPEL,' which simply means “GOOD NEWS” (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). The inspired King James Bible says we are saved by simply believing the Gospel. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

In 1980, on a summer Sunday morning 45 years ago in Chicago, from a Baptist church pew I received Jesus Christ as my personal Savior to become a born again Christian at age 13. THANK GOD! The indwelling Holy Spirit has been with me ever since (1st John 3:24).

If you'd like to go to Heaven friend, simply come to God as an admitted guilty sinner (Romans 3:23), and by faith receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that He is risen, and you will be instantly and forever born again by God's Holy Spirit. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Nothing more is required or allowed. Simply BELIEVE that Jesus did it all for you (John 20:31). Faith is the only righteous thing I can do. Thank you for letting me share my heart friend. I care.

I won't make this a habit to preach the Gospel in my blogs, but every once in a while I want to plead with my blog readers to prepare for eternity. Have you been born again? (John 3:1-7).

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

Please Visit Anurakt Scheepers' YouTube Channel

I love this man's music. Like me, Anurakt is a big Dave Hum fan up in the Netherlands. We became friends last year. He so kindly sent me his backing tracks for his performances. Anurakt is a member of the Banjo Hangout if you'd like to contact him. He's a good man.

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines

Timour the Tartar (5-string banjo)

Here is Anurakt's YouTube channel where you can here his wonderful recordings. Something that amazes me about Anurakt is that he only uses one banjo, which is a Deering Goodtime Two (Fuller's Guitar's in Houston Texas regularly has discount special offers at events and holidays. Plus I read online that first time customers get a 10% discount, but don't hold me to that). The Deering Goodtime Two banjo doesn't have a tone ring, but it has a resonator, which helps to project sound better.

I am amazed how good all of Anurakt's video recordings sound, using just a student banjo. Who needs a $6,000 high end banjo? Anurakt proves (as does Dave Hum with his Epiphone Chinese-made banjo in half of his videos on YouTube) that the banjo player's skill and experience has the biggest impact on sound, and not so much the instrument itself.

When I record myself playing the banjo, I cannot hear a difference between my $4,436 Deering Calico (I bought it at a 15% discount for a Labor Day discount special in 2024 from Fuller's Guitars), versus my $1,099 Deering Goodtime Special (that I bought in 2024 from GearTree on Amazon). If I listened to recordings of both, I couldn't tell you which is which. The Calico definitely has a crack on the 4th string that the Goodtime Special lacks when playing live, and the Calico has more resonance, but I cannot hear those things in the recordings.

I love the bright clear maple neck on the Goodtime Special. It's my favorite banjo to play, go figure. But I don't regret buying my Deering Calico. I enjoy playing both. Like many banjo enthusiasts, I am always searching for "that" sound. Lord willing, I am considering getting a Huber VRB-3 with an ebony radiused neck and Flying Eagle inlay. From everything that I've heard in audio recordings and read from other banjo players, it's about as close to a prewar Gibson as you can get today. I've not had the opportunity to play many different banjos.

Anurakt inspires me what he does with a Goodtime Two banjo. He's an amazing musician and  a busker just like Dave Hum. I think you'll enjoy listening to his music.

A New Backing Track For “Tripping Up The Stairs”

Here's a popular Traditional Irish Jig titled, “Tripping Up The Stairs,” played on the 5-string banjo in Standard Open G tuning (gDGBD); capo 2nd fret, 5th string capo 7th fret for key of D. Also known as: “The Eavesdropper,” “Plains Of Kilkorkery” “Sacko's Jig” and “Pride Of Kildate” (to name but a few). I used Dave Hum's performance as a template to make a backing track in the keys of G and A. It's a typo on Dave's YouTube page; he didn't use Double C tuning. I've tabbed out the song for you below. Enjoy!

• Tripping Up The Stairs .PDF Tablature (as played by Dave Hum) | TEF
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of A, normal)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of A, slower)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of A, slow)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of A, very slow)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of A, woodshed)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of G, normal)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of G, slower)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of G, slow)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of G, very slow)
• Tripping Up The Stairs (key of G, woodshed)

I used MIDI for the tambourine, bass, keyboard and piano. I'm using real audio loops for the drums, shakers and cymbals.

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Palladium Rag”

This classic tune by Joe Morley (1867-1937) is titled “Palladium Rag.” I used Dave Hum's recording to make my backing track in the keys of G and A for your preference. Also, check out my Netherlands friend Anurakt Scheepers excellent performance. Enjoy!

• Palladium Rag (key of A, normal)
• Palladium Rag (key of A, slower)
• Palladium Rag (key of A, slow)
• Palladium Rag (key of A, very slow)
• Palladium Rag (key of A, woodshed)
• Palladium Rag (key of G, normal)
• Palladium Rag (key of G, slower)
• Palladium Rag (key of G, slow)
• Palladium Rag (key of G, very slow)
• Palladium Rag (key of G, woodshed)

To make this backing track I used MIDI for the bass, piano and percussion. Real audio loops were used for the cymbals, shakers and drums. I used MixCraft Pro Studio to make this backing track, which is a very simple and powerful Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Cathleen's Hehir's Slide”

“Cathleen Hehir's” is an Irish slide fiddle tune, also known by various names such as “Catherine Hehir's” and “Rural Felicity.” The 'Hehir' title is from the band De Danann, and is said to honour a lovely woman who at one time ran a bed and breakfast establishment in the middle of Connemara. I used this fiddle recording to make backing tracks. Although the original was done in the key of D, I've made backing tracks in the keys of G and A for the banjo. The tune has four distinct parts, which I've tabbed for you. Enjoy!

• Cathleen Hehir's Slide PDF Tablature in Standard tuning (gDGBD) | TEF
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of A, normal)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of A, slower)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of A, slow)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of A, very slow)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of A, woodshed)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of G, normal)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of G, slower)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of G, slow)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of G, very slow)
• Cathleen Hehir's Slide (key of G, woodshed)

To make this backing track I used MIDI for percussion, bass and piano. I used real audio for the drums, tambourine, shaker and percussion. 

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Kerry Slide”

This is a fun Traditional Irish fiddle tune, “Kerry Slide.” A “slide” is similar and often confused with a “jig.” Slides (12/8 time) are generally played faster than a jig (6/8 time), but I like to play 'Kerry Slide' at a moderate tempo. You can hear the tune's melody on the banjo here. The song is played in Standard banjo tuning (gDGBD). I used a recording by Mick Foster as a template to make a backing track. Their song was done in the key of D, but I've made backing tracks in the keys of D, G and A. I also tabbed out the song for you. Enjoy!

• Kerry Slide PDF Tablature | TEF
• Kerry Slide (key of A, faster)
• Kerry Slide (key of A, normal)
• Kerry Slide (key of A, slower)
• Kerry Slide (key of A, slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of A, very slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of A, woodshed)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, faster)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, normal)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, slower)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, very slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of D, woodshed)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, faster)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, normal)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, slower)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, very slow)
• Kerry Slide (key of G, woodshed)

To make this backing track I used MIDI for the bass, drums and piano. I used real audio loops for the tambourine, shakers and percussion. I used MixCraft Pro Studio to make this track.

What's the difference between Slip Jigs, Jigs, Double jigs and Slides? I found the following explanation to be very helpful. If like me you don’t read notation well, it helps to think of the various different rhythms as follows (first say them, then clap them to hear the rhythms):

The most common jigs sound in 2 beats per bar like:
6/8 Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty / Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty /

Single jigs sound in 2 beats per bar like:
6/8 Hump-ty Dump-ty / sat on a wall

Slip jigs sound in 3 beats per bar like:
9/8 Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty /

Slides are like very fast jigs and sound in 4 beats per bar like:
12/8 Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty Jig-e-ty /

Gotta love folk music!

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Louisville Breakdown”

Here's an instrumental tune called, “Louisville Breakdown,” composed by Bluegrass legend Bill Monroe (1911-1996). Dave Hum recorded the tune using standard tuning, in the key of G with improvisations. I've made backing tracks in the keys of A and G for your preference. Enjoy!

• Louisville Breakdown PDF Tablature | TEF
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, faster)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, normal)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, slower)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, slow)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, very slow)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of A, woodshed)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, faster)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, normal)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, slower)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, slow)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, very slow)
• Louisville Breakdown (key of G, woodshed)

I used MIDI for the bass, drums and piano. I really enjoy playing this song. It's well worth the time and effort to learn to play. The 5-string banjo is a very rewarding musical instrument. Like all instruments, the more you invest into mastering your instrument, the greater will be your return. I was playing Sailor's Hornpipe earlier today, which I love to play on 5-string banjo.

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)