from the classroom

Another of my arrangement of well known fiddle tune played in key of C. I was teaching the tune at my Resoland workshop focused on fiddle tunes for Dobro in key of C. For more info check out my web site http://www.henrichnovak.com

My arrangement of this fiddle tune played in key of C. I was teaching the tune at my Resoland workshop focused on fiddle tunes for Dobro in key of C. For more info check out my web site http://www.henrichnovak.com

Huckleberry Hornpipe. This is my arrangement of a fiddle tune I learned from Country Gazette. There is no Dobro in the original version. The tune is played in the key of A, so use a capo on the second fret.

Temperance Reel. My arrangement of a traditional fiddle tune usually played as a guitar instrumental. The tag is stolen from Tony Rice's version.

Wilson's Clog I learned from Bluegrass '97 album by Scott Vestal and the gang. This nice Irish-flavored piece was written by Pat Menard. It is a bit challenging on the Dobro, but why not try it.

Yesterday. A Beatles classic arranged as a resophonic guitar solo piece.

Grey Eagle - here is my arrangement of a fiddle tune classic.

Whistling Rufus is a fiddle tune that I arranged for the resophonic guitar. I learned this one from a solo record of Stuart Duncan. I think this one suits Dobro really well.

Red Haired Boy - a Dobro arrangement of the favorite tune in the key of A without using a capo.

Old Joe Clark - Dobro arrangement of old fiddle tune played in the key of A without using a capo.

Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine is a beautiful tune, that I learned from the album Spring in the Old Country of a great Czech native guitar player Slavek Hanzlik. It is in the key of D and fits the Dobro really well.

Liberty - a well-known fiddle tune. Here is my arrangement for the resonator guitar in the key of D.

Little Rock Getaway - an old swing tune written by Joe Sullivan. This tune became a pretty popular piece for bluegrass pickers. For the Dobro, it was widely popularized by Mike Auldridge on his 8-string Swing album. This version, however, is arranged for 6-string resonator guitar with lots of arpeggiated chords.

8th of January - a notoriously famous fiddle tune. On the banjo and Dobro is usually played in the key of G. However, I guess its original key is D. So, here is the arrangement in that key. The A. part might be a bit challenging on the Dobro if you want to get close to the melody, but why not push the envelope. There is always a choice of a more Dobro-like approach.

Ragtime Annie - is a fiddle tune not so often seen in a Dobro repertoire. Here I offer my dobroistic version in the key of D. The single string notes are played as a series of rolls here, which causes the notes to overlap a little bit. It is a choice, somebody can try to play it the other way.

Fisher's Hornpipe is another fiddle tune, not so often played on the Dobro. It is in the key of D, and at a certain point, it was fairly popular among the banjo players, who played it in the key of G. Although it can be nicely improvised in this version I tried to stay as close to the melody as possible.

Black Mountain Rag is a tune that entered the bluegrass world via amazing Doc Watson. Although he made it popular as a guitar instrumental, here is my arrangement for the Dobro. The tune is in the key of D. I recorded this one with the band Fragment on our 2003 cd "Meant To Be".

Rickett's Hornpipe is an Irish-flavored fiddle tune in the key of D. I learned it from Bill Keith's banjo album - Something Old, Something Bluegrass and I always liked the melody. A few triplets threw here and there are fairly easy to play in the key of D. The tune should be played in the bouncy triplet feel.

Crazy Creek is an interesting fiddle tune that I heard for the first time on Bill Keith's banjo album - Something Old, Something Bluegrass. It has not a typical chord structure, but why not a bit of a challenge. It's in the key of A, so capo on 2nd fret is a necessity. There is a great Dobro version on Sally Van Meter's album "All In a Good Time" so check it out for inspiration.

I heard this interesting, beautiful waltz on the album of mandolin player Butch Baldassari. I thought it might suit well for the Dobro thus my arrangement. It has a bit unusual chord structure, but that's what makes it beautiful. Listen to the great Butch's version on his album "A Day in the Country".

Old Town. This is a mandolin tune written by mandolinist Butch Baldassari. I always thought this might be a good Dobro instrumental too and here is the result. The original song is in the key of E, but for the Dobro, I decided to play it in the key of D with a capo on the 2nd fret. This is a common strategy if you want to play fast licks in E and use the open strings for hammer-on and pull-offs which the key of D major provides. Tuning is standard G.

Kentucky Waltz. The waltz-time again! Here is my arrangement of a popular bluegrass waltz classic. It utilizes a lot of slant positions so don't hesitate and start "slanting". The song is in the key of D

Wildwood Flower - here is a simple beginners Dobro break of the song which was popularized by The Carter Family. For easy playing, it is in the key of G. The tablature is available for free on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

Wabash Cannonball - this is a Dobro break of the famous Roy Accuf song in the key of G. The song is fairly easy to play but if you like the free tablature is available on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

Paradise - here is a simple, beginners Dobro break in the key of D of the favorite John Prine song. You can find the free tablature on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

John Hardy is a favorite bluegrass song. Here is an intermediate Dobro arrangement in the key of C which contains a few nice Dobro licks and techniques. Check out the free tablature on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

Honey, You Don't Know My Mind - here is a somewhat advanced arrangement of a famous Jimmy Martin song in the key of B without the capo. It used a few bluesy licks suitable well for this type of song. For better understanding there is a free tablature available on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

Cumberland Gap - here is a Dobro break for a tune played by many. Earl Scruggs comes to one's mind. Usually, it is played in a breakneck tempo so be ready. The free tablature is available on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021)

Old Joe Clark - is relatively easy to play Dobro break in the key of A without the capo. I like the sound of the G chord without the capo instead the F as played with the capo. Give it a try. The free tablature is available on my website: https://www.henrichnovak.com/tablatures/ (The video was made for the Dobro class at Adiaha's Bluegrass Camp 2021) You might also check out the video here on the channel: https://youtu.be/WNtjDcObzHI

Faded Love-a sentimental Bob Wills song naturally suits the resonator guitar (Dobro) for its haunting melody and good playability. Here is my arrangement in the key of D. I prepared it for the intermediate players, but this piece should be in the vocabulary of every Dobro player.

Greensleeves is a traditional English song. Christmas lyrics were later associated with the song, among the others the most famous one is What Child is This. Eighter way here is my Dobro arrangement in the key of B minor and I think it suits to the tune well. Check it out.

June Apple is a fiddle tune that is not often seen to be played on the Dobro. Here is my arrangement in the key of G, so you need to put a capo on the 2nd fret if you want to play with a fiddler in the key of A.