Big Bug Shuffle - Russ Barenberg

Hey lads, and lasses of course!

I've been trying to figure this tune out for ages now but it's so confusing!Especially the intro with the embellishments. I know it's not country country, but... I thought it would qualify for this forum!

The tune is played by Russ Barenberg with the capo on the third fret and I have narrowed the intro chords down to the F - C - and Bb Chord but the patterns are confusing, I could especially use help on the part right before the melody ---- 0:37 until the main melody.

I LOVE this song, and can't wait to work on the actual melody and solos, but I want to get the foundation down first.... if anyone could lend me a hand that would be great! You just gotta love the vibe of Jerry Douglas' here, its amazing!!!


( The melody starts with an F major Arpeggio thing, for anyone wanting to know)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDBY56kmLKs

One big thing is to use drop D tuning - DADGBE and capo three.The Bb shape he uses looks like 85333x,the C shape is x3555x with the D G and B strings all fretted with the index finger. Try a slowing program to hear the patterns. You are right, it's only F Bb and C but they kind of syncopate the way and the order in which they are played.

Nice clip - I know this tune from Edgar Meyer's Hop, Skip and Wobble - One of the things I love about Russ Barenberg are all the little 'ornaments' that he inflects into riffs and melodies...check out the beginning of Big Sciota ... which of course is what makes it tricky (and time consuming) to notate. are you a tab or a dots guy?

ps - off to see the Punch Brothers tonight!

One big thing is to use drop D tuning - DADGBE and capo three.The Bb shape he uses looks like 85333x,the C shape is x3555x with the D G and B strings all fretted with the index finger. Try a slowing program to hear the patterns. You are right, it's only F Bb and C but they kind of syncopate the way and the order in which they are played.

Thank's, its quite hard indeed! I did not think about the Drop D.... I will try again tomorrow!

Nice clip - I know this tune from Edgar Meyer's Hop, Skip and Wobble - One of the things I love about Russ Barenberg are all the little 'ornaments' that he inflects into riffs and melodies...check out the beginning of Big Sciota ... which of course is what makes it tricky (and time consuming) to notate. are you a tab or a dots guy?

ps - off to see the Punch Brothers tonight!

Yeah I just got Hop, Skip and Wobble, I absolutely LOVE it, so much atmosphere and feeling. I don't notate things to be honest, I just try 'n remember then, and then make a good video of it with me playing it so I can look back and be like aaah yeah, thats how I did it!
Gonna start practising with Tony Rice's Guitar Method as well, should pick up LOADS from that. Lots'a tunes in there.