I hope everyone has had a nice summer. It's been a very busy summer here on my end, playing lots of cities across the U.S and meeting lots of really neat people. It's been gratifying to meet so many folks who read this column monthly, and I'm very happy with the great feedback I've received. I have had many requests during this time to tab out some of the breaks that I have played on some of my CDs. Over the next few months, I'm going to do this. We are going to start this month's article with two breaks found in the tunes "Moanin' the Blues" and "Rough Edges". from the first Wildfire CD titled Uncontained. This CD can be found in most outlets that sell bluegrass-related CDs.

The first tune "Moanin' the Blues" is a tune that I really like. I played it in the key of "G" on the Uncontained CD. The resonator guitar does the intro on this tune and I have tabbed it out for you below:

The second tune we will cover this month is a little more "up tempo" than the first. We recorded this tune in the key of "Bb", and I played it using a resonator guitar capo. The tab I have below denotes the actual notes played while capoed above the third fret. You can play it in an open "G" tuning if you like, and it will still be played the very same; it just won't sound in the same key as on the recording. This break shown is actually the 2nd half of the mandolin break (or split break as some folks call it).

The key to learning the tunes is repetition. The more you play them, the easier the solos will flow.

I'll see you again next month with some more tunes to learn. Hope you have a great September and keep on picking!!

Phil Leadbetter's very busy 2006 performance schedule with the award-winning bluegrass group Wildfire can be found at: http://www.wildfireband.com/Wildfire/schedule.htm

For a comprehensive biography and discography, please see Phil Leadbetter's website at: http://www.unclephilonline.com/ and the Wildfire website at: http://www.wildfireband.com/Wildfire/bio.htm