This is a fakebook arrangement, in that it has ALL lyrics to Irving Berlin's famous tune...
The lyrics and melody are set on the top staff in a church organ voice.
The church organ voice has been turned off, to accentuate the Chord-Melody solo that the lead banjo is playing, which is what most of us banjo players probably care about...
If you want to hear the arrangement WITH the vocals as sung... touch the little red button in the upper left hand corner of your screen... this will turn that particular track on...
The lead banjo is on the second staff and is playing the melody, "Chord-Melody" style with lots of transitional chord substitutions to give movement and lend emotion to the arrangement.... there are a few picked arpeggios in there as well to fill-up the arrangement a bit, so it doesn't sound too stark when played as a solo...
The third staff is the banjo accompaniment... It employs the double-thumb 'bum-ditty' accompaniment style, with an occasional standard Scruggs riff for good measure...
There is a bass part, which I hid intentionally... it only adds to the MIDI playback effect... and has no bearing or use for the banjo player wanting to play the solo.
If you were backing up a singer or just playing back-up while YOU sing the melody... I would just play the third staff... the back-up part...
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving...
Enjoy the arrangement...
Tom
God Bless America - Irving Berlin - TEF
God Bless America - Irving Berlin - MIDI
See attached PDF'd TEF...
Tom
www.banjotom2.com
