Banjo Chord Inversions Part 2 - Up the Neck Breaks
Written by David Bandrowski 
Now that we’ve had a few months to learn our chord inversions up the neck (click here if you need more practice), let’s move on to using these to create an up the neck break.
It's common to not only use full chords fingered with 3 or 4 fingers, but to also make partial chords on just two strings. These are commonly played on the top two (1st and 2nd) strings and combined with roll patterns to create hard driving up the neck breaks.
Often, bluegrass banjo breaks up the neck are really just playing rolls over these chord inversions on the top two (1st and 2nd) strings. The fifth string is used to fill out and complete the roll. We are essentially playing a chord melody solo, like jazz guitar or tenor banjo players do, but using these partial two note chords and arpeggiating them with a right hand roll.
For example, look at the A section of Earl Scruggs’ Ground Speed.
*when I tell you what fret each chord is at, I am talking about the fret on the 1st string.
- Measure 1 – the tune is kicked of with a lick coming out of a G chord position at the 9th fret.
- Measure 2 – a roll is played over a G chord at the 12th fret, a D7 at the 10th fret, and a G chord at the 9th fret.
- Measure 3 – we play a roll over a G chord at the 9th fret and a G chord at the 5th fret.
- Measure 6 – we begin repeating what we had done in bars 2 and 3
- Measure 8 – we play a roll over a D chord and a D13 chord (we're really just holding that D chord shape and using our pinky to get the extra note at the 9th fret).
Practice your chord inversions on the top two strings using only two fingers to hold these strings down. Do not hold all four strings found in a standard chord position. This will allow you to move faster up and down the neck, and have extra fingers to play some extra notes that might come into to play.
Try going up and down the neck while playing a roll with your right hand. Skip around the neck and come up with your own melodies! Have fun!
