Anyone play Washington Square on CBG?

I have always heard it as a banjo piece and primarily as New Orleans style music, but I have not seen any YouTube vidoes of anyone playing the tune on a CBG. It was by the Village Stompers and made it to #2 back when it first came out. Anyone got a clip of them playing that song or know of someone doiing it on a CBG? Is it a song that just would not fit the CBG sound?

When it first came out one of our trumpet players in band used to intentionally tick off our JR High band master when he played it for the rest of us at practice. We loved it at the time. There is a group on YouTube that sings the words to the song, but I prefer the instrumental version, myself.

Just wondering if anyone has done it.... My own builds are in various stages of progress or work stoppage at present, so I can't plunk about to see if I can do it for myself. :-( Hope to remedy that soon and get one or two finished and playable.

Replies

Ron "Oily" Sprague September 22, 2014 at 12:54am

James,

Further update: I have a chordal / passing note version worked up, but without the key changes (yet). It is played on a 4-string tuned A-D-G-B, and works pretty well, though there are a couple of tricky pinky stretches. I'll vid it this afternoon or this evening.
Ron "Oily" Sprague September 19, 2014 at 12:51am

I went and looked on YT, and all I could find was recordings of the song set to images. The tune is played on a tenor banjo, sounds like on the highest 2, or may be 3, strings. It's a pretty simple melody, so should be doable in standard tenor banjo tuning, C-D-G-A, G-D-G-B, or D-G-B-E on a 4-string CBG, or in G-D-G or A-D-F# tunings on a 3-string CBG. Note that the fingerings will differ depending on which tuning you use. The 4 key modulations might be a tad tricky, but really shouldn't be: just move up the neck toward the box, as the melody is the same. I have one of my 4-stringers tuned G-D-G-B, so will take a crack at it this afternoon, and see how it goes. If it goes well, I'll make an instructional vid and post it in a few days. Might even write out the tabs for ya.

Speaking of which, here it is tabbed out on 6-string guitar, which should be easily adaptable on 4-string G-D-G-B or 3-string G-D-G tuning ( just cut out the low and high E strings, and tune the lowest G on a 4-stringer tuned G-D-G-B up to an A, and you have the middle 4 strings from a standard guitar: A-D-G-B - no translation needed!):

http://rock.totaltabs.com/tablature/The_Village_Stompers/Washington...
- James Huey > Ron "Oily" Sprague September 19, 2014 at 1:53am
  
  Thanks. I would love to hear someone play it on a 3 or 4 string, just to hear what it sounds like with a slide or such added.
  - Ron "Oily" Sprague > James Huey September 19, 2014 at 6:36am
    
    I'll see what I can do. I tried it this morning before going to church, and have it roughed out on a 4-string tuned A-D-G-B. It works ok, but sounds a little thin without the other accompaniment. I'm working on a chordal version with passing notes to make it sound fuller, but the fingering is tricky, as there are some barre chords with pinky stretches. The basic melody can, however, be easily played on the D-G-B strings. I'll try to vid it tomorrow.
    - James Huey > Ron "Oily" Sprague September 20, 2014 at 1:27am
      
      If this loads, it is Larry Beekman's guitar class doing their version of the song. Me, I don't care for the sound quality of their recording and I sure do not care for the lead guitar jamming on his own in it, as the sound is horrible. They don't jump up an octive or such to make it like the Village Stompers piece. Not being critical of them, but just not my cup of tea for this piece. They are better than I, but I just don't care for their particular version.
      
      http://youtu.be/d4QJ2RE9Y0Q
      - Ron "Oily" Sprague > James Huey September 20, 2014 at 4:16am
        
        Agreed. The key changes look like they might have been too tough for this group, as the rhythm players are all staying in first position chords. As usual with younger guitarists (and not so younger - I include myself, at times), the lead players tend to overplay, not listening enough to and respecting the spaces. But, it does provide you with a look at one way on the fretboard to do this. If you notice, the kid on the right, at least, playing the melody, appears to be using a partial barre at the 7th fret, and both lead players are playing the melody mostly on the first two strings. Will explore this further on my 4 stringer, and get back to you.