Jim Bottorff's

Play-Along Tremolo Exercises

 

Below are eight progressive exercises for practicing tremolo technique.

Test your skill and see how far you can go.

 

(Midi sound files are with plectrum banjo tuning CGBD)

The above chord sequence (C, F, G, C) and 4-beat rhythm stays the same for all of the exercises that follow. Playing the chords is optional, but recommended because it helps develop pick control, timing, and chording. The rhythm stays the same but the speed of the tremolo increases as the exercises progress.  Strum the chord and immediately tremolo the melody string indicated.  The melody string should be the highest pitch string of the chord.  For example, on a plectrum, 5-string, or guitar-tuned banjo, play the standard C chord at the nut and tremolo the E note on the first string.  On a tenor banjo, do the same but tremolo the E note on the second string (do not play the first string).  Play the chords only where you see the chord name in the cell diagram above.  The slash (/) indicates the tremolo note.  Listen for the 4-click lead in and have fun.

 

Exercise No. 2

Eighth-note tremolo with chords on first and third beats (8 per measure)

 

Single Play (click here)                                                              Repeat Play (click here)

C    /    /    /    C    /    /    /	F    /    /    /    F   /    /    /	G    /    /    /    G    /    /    /	C    /    /    /    C    /    /    /
1        2        3        4	1        2        3        4	1        2        3        4	1        2        3        4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

This is the same as Exercise No. 1, only with a chord added on the third beat.

Exercise No. 3

Quarter-note triplets with chord on first beat (12 per measure)

 

Single Play (click here)                                                                 Repeat Play (click here)

C  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /	F  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /	G  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /	C  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /
1        2       3       4	1        2       3       4	1        2       3       4	1        2       3       4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

Exercise No. 4

Quarter-note triplets with chords on first and third beats (12 per measure)

 

Single Play (click here)                                                                 Repeat Play (click here)

C  /  /  /  /  /  C  /  /  /  /  /	F  /  /  /  /  /  F  /  /  /  /  /	G  /  /  /  /  /  G  /  /  /  /  /	C  /  /  /  /  /  C  /  /  /  /  /
1        2        3        4	1        2        3       4	1        2        3        4	1       2        3        4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

This is the same as Exercise No. 3, only with a chord added on the third beat.

 

 

Exercise No. 5

Sixteenth-notes with chord on first beat (16 per measure)

 

Single Play (click here)                                                                 Repeat Play (click here)

C / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /	F / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /	G / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /	C / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1       2      3      4	1       2      3      4	1       2      3      4	1       2      3      4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

Exercise No. 6

Sixteenth-notes with chords on first and third beats (16 per measure)

C / / / / / / / C / / / / / / /	F / / / / / / / F / / / / / / /	G / / / / / / / G / / / / / / /	C / / / / / / / C / / / / / / /
1       2       3      4	1       2       3      4	1       2       3      4	1       2       3      4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

This is the same as Exercise No. 5, only with a chord added on the third beat.

 

 

Exercise No. 7

Sixteenth-notes with chords on all 4 beats (16 per measure)

C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /	F / / / F / / / F / / / F / / /	G / / / G / / / G / / / G / / /	C / / / C / / / C / / / C / / /
1        2        3        4	1       2        3      4	1         2        3       4	1        2        3       4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

This is the same as Exercise No. 5, only with a chords on all 4 beats.

 

Exercise No. 8

Eighth-note triplets with chord on all 4 beats (24 per measure)

 

Single Play (click here)                                                                 Repeat Play (click here)

C ///// C ///// C ///// C /////	F ///// F ///// F ///// F /////	G ///// G ///// G ///// G /////	C ///// C ///// C ///// C /////
1        2        3        4	1       2        3      4	1         2        3       4	1        2        3       4
C chord with E melody	F chord with F melody	G chord with D melody	C chord with E melody

This is similar to Exercises No 4, but the tremolo is twice as fast.

 

Click here to play all 8 exercises in sequence (32 measures)

 

Click here and tremolo along with a song using all 8 exercises (32 measures)

 

---

 

Return to Songs