$3.00
Description
This is an original medieval style guitar duet piece called “Dillweed” written by Jeff Belding. It should be played at a moderate, mellow pace, to emphasize the melody and its relation to the chord structure. The progression (In the key of E minor) reflects a medieval/early renaissance style.
In classical music, B7 was the chosen V chord for the key of E minor. Before that period, the V chord was a minor so B minor is used here.
Part One is the original melody and lays right within normal first position fingering, including open strings.
Part Two is a variation on the same chord progression played mostly in the higher register between the open B string and high C at the first string, 8th fret. Certain fingering shifts are indicated to help you navigate to the higher notes.
The chords are played in a pick-strum style, except for a few spots where the E minor and B minor are strummed one beat per chord.
Learning new melodic studies like this one are very useful for picking, string-skipping and smooth operation of the fretting hand. If you can read music in the first position, try reading the music notation version first, then check the tablature if you have any problems.
Trumpet methods such as the “Rubank” series are full of tunes and exercises such as this one and are great for practice warm-ups. You will find that the trumpet reading range is very close to that of the first position on the guitar.
The download comes with both the music notation and the tablature and is in “lead sheet” format with the chords written above the melody. A performance of this piece is here.
