I have arranged a break for "Long Journey Home". I did not look at any tab or transcribed some recording, I just sat down with the melody in my head, banjo in hands and came up with this. I think it qualifies as my first real bluegrass arrangement. Unfortunately I'm not 100% happy with it because of some rough spots. Please let me know what you think.
I wanted to preserve the syncopated melody in measures 1 and 9 (quarter note, half note, quarter note) but somehow it feels strange to hit the 4th string so many times in a measure. I have thought about putting a rest between the two consecutive low D notes instead of the high D note. Perhaps three melody notes is too much?
Furthermore I'm not really happy with how I rendered the melody in measures 12 through 14 but I couldn't think of something better.
All in all I don't think that's how Earl would have played it (especially measures 1 and 9). I also don't like that I use a 3-3-2 shortened forward roll pattern so often. And then there are so few rests.