A natural extension of the previous lesson, the "banjo rolls" I'm talking about are very strict right-hand and left-hand positions that simulate the "roll" of banjo licks, while still remaining truly guitar oriented. A great tool, they also can help with dampening, and learning to create patterns on the fly.
Used mostly in country music, Banjo rolls are most often associated with the late, great Danny Gatton. They can be accomplished in any key, but the open G and E positions lend themselves most readily to this style, so we'll concentrate on those keys.
Here are several useful practice patterns that can really help you incorporate this technique into your playing. It is also very useful in the "claw" style of playing; a much funkier approach to "roll" patterns, used by players like Jerry Reed and many others.—Arlen Roth
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