Way Out There as played by Pete

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Pete Seeger's Music

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Pete's banjo style is interesting and innovative. This group is for to Pete's music: style, teaching, concerts, & discography

100 Members, Created 1/28/2014 -

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From LongNeckJo on 5/12/2020 11:29:46 AM

Heyo!

I am trying to figure out Pete's playing on a couple versions of "Way Out There", some youtube links below for each.

The first is a 1963 version in Australia in which he uses the seeger strum with C, F, G7 with various hammer ons. All fine and dandy, but I can't seem to determine what his left hand is doing for the half step drop when yodeling. It goes from G7 down to F# I thought but it doesn't sound right. Closest thing to sounding correct is just going back to C (and only yodeling down half a step) but it looks like he is fingering something different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwe2pUI6P5E

The second is a concert with Arlo where he starts the song with a roll pattern that I can't grasp for the life of me! You can see his right hand for a little bit at the beginning. Is the thumb or index doing the bass notes and is he using his ring finger?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXVi1nwidek

Any help is much appreciated! ~Thanks~

Chad

7 Comments
	phdm says: 5/12/2020 1:39:34 PM Chad – this is an excellent question! I have been playing this song, trying to base it on what Pete does, and the drop-down yodel chord question has so far eluded me. I would love to know what chord it is that he drops down to. When I played and sing it, the yodel voice drops down, but I just keep on playing the first chord. Not a great solution. Peter.
	John Gribble says: 5/13/2020 3:39:04 AM Try this: on the G7, finger both the first and second strings at the 3rd fret. Then slide the whole chord down to the first and second frets for the F#
	LongNeckJo says: 5/13/2020 8:24:18 AM Thanks for your replies Peter and John. I spent some time slowing it way down and listening to the tone at each moment. I think that's exactly it John. I didn't catch it at first because normally the G7 has only the 1st and 4th strings fretted. I also made some headway with the Arlo Guthrie concert version. Slowed it way down and the beginning of the song Pete appears to be using his index for the bass notes and moving it back down quickly to do higher notes. The thumb does only the 5th string and no ring finger appears to be used for up picking. (but is used later for brush strokes) So the pattern goes something like: I,I,M,T,I,M,T and repeat. (I=index, M=middle, T=thumb) The rhythm is a slight pause between the first and second 'I' note. Then just go as fast as you can! Thanks Everyone! Chad
	John Gribble says: 5/13/2020 3:51:29 PM Fingering the G7 with 1 and 4 allows all sorts of possibilities, including hammers on the third string with the 2nd finger and a "blue" note on the third string, third fret, Phil keeping the chord intact. I didn't listen closely to the Pete/Arlo performance. But you're probably on the right track. Pete would occationally slip into "sort-of" Bluegrass rolls to change things up. No style or playing technique was either "sacred" or off-limits to him.
	kwfolk1 says: 5/21/2020 3:54:53 PM I'm not sure if this helps or not. I don't use a G7 at all. I play in C-tunning: gCGBD & just use a G chord. On the chorous, I use an F chord at the 5th fret for my G and then moved to the 4th fret and from there, to a normal G chord. I have a video of me & my picking partner, Ted, playing Way Out There posted to this site. I also use a D7 & Am in the verses.
	LongNeckJo says: 5/21/2020 4:04:50 PM That is helpful, thank you. I play in gCGBD most often and have seen the double c tuning version by Brainjo. Do you use the D7 and Am in the first two frets?
	kwfolk1 says: 5/22/2020 12:59:29 PM Yes! I sure do use the Am & D7 in the verses at the 1st two fret. I also do I lot of hamming-on throughout the song. As for the turnings I use, I only use four. C-tuning, Double C, G & Sawmill/Mt. Minor.
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