Lesson ID: A0137
In this guitar lesson, I’ll teach you how to play “Big Sciota“, a traditional song credited to Burl Hammons. This song is named after a 231-mile stretch of river in Ohio that was very important to many Native American cultures. It is believed that Ritchie Stearns was the first to attach words to the tune, and much later, “Big Sciota” was made more popular by Old Crow Medicine Show.
Overview
Playthrough with Tablature
Chord Progression
| Video Start Time | Lesson Topic |
|---|---|
| 00:00 min | Rhythm Overview |
| 01:03 min | “Big Sciota” Chord Progression |
| 03:21 min | Playthrough with Tablature |
| 05:50 min | Helpful Chord Transition Tips |
Backing Track
New lesson! I’ll have the jam track, rhythm breakdown, and more posted to this lesson early next week, but here’s the playthrough with tab for the more advanced pickers. Been getting a lot of requests for this song, so hope y’all enjoy! Have a great weekend – Devin
I dont know much about country and bluegrass but I like this one…thanks Devin!
Thanks Jocelyn!
Really nice lesson and arrangement! Great job as always!
Thanks Devin for the track and that you thought about me!
Super track. Love this style of play. Will take me a while to get but looking forward to getting into it.
As always great job ????
Great lesson!
Thanks for the new lesson. I’ve learned so much in the last six months.
Very great melody,, I really enjoy the tone on this Martin D16 is it? If you had to choose one Martin would it be the 15 or 16? They both sound awesome to my ears in your videos!..going to get on this lesson now ty!
Thanks! Yeah this is a really great tune also. Yep, got the Martin D-16GT in this one. If I had to choose, I’d probably choose the D-16. It’s funny because I get more comments on the sound of the D-15 in videos. People seem to like it the best, but the D-16 sounds better to me when I’m playing it for some reason. Both are great though! I’ve actually been really liking the sound of rosewood lately. In the market for a new guitar at the moment…probably going for a D-28 of some sort. Really like the sound of mahogany… Read more »
I would certainly heed your advice and hope you do get the D-28 ! I would like to find a nice used one or if I hit the lottery, buy a new one! ,, if someday you feel up to it, I would be happy to learn something close to Tony Rice “Church street blues”..but very content with all the lessons I have here to learn too! I enjoy my D-35 I bought used,, it plays and sounds warm and tunes so well,, going to take your advice try 13s right now still have the 12 elixir phosphorus bronze the… Read more »
Yes it is truly as you say great exercise as well as a happy melody! I just need to memorize and be sure to follow the tab! great fun fiddle tune! thanks much!
This is one of my favourite songs to play. I was jamming with a violin player and she said it definitely felt like this was initially a fiddle melody. She said it felt very natural on fiddle. Is that true? It sounds great on guitar either way.
Yep exactly…supposedly this song was written by fiddler Burl Hammons. I’d have to brush up on my history of bluegrass, but pretty sure most of these old traditional melodies were originally played on fiddle. Later on, the pioneer bluegrass guitar pickers like Lester Flatt, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, and others started making them popular on guitar.
Cool. Maybe I’ll dust off the old mando and see if I can play it on that.
Yes, this is one of the five or so songs on which I can take a respectable break! A great arrangement, Devin! At jams, people always say, “I like your break on Big Sciota.” I reply, “It’s Devin’s” — as casually as tho we are best friends on a first name basis.
What a fantastic song ! I would love to play the flatpicking part but it is still a little to difficult for me , can you do a full breakdown of the flatpicking part ?
Sure, I could add a full breakdown for this at some point. I have a few other lessons in the works but I’ll try to fit it in as soon as I can. I’ll keep you posted on it…
Great lesson I signed up just for this lesson. I love the tune. I’m just getting into flatpicking. Your version sounded more musical than other online versions. I have a technical question. Sometimes, it seems like pull-offs are used to simplify right hand work. But I notice pull-offs in this tune where picking the second note would not be difficult. Is your choice here to simplify for students, or for a softer more dynamic sound? I’m asking because I think this may be something I miss in my style. I like how other folks sound better than my sound often.… Read more »
Devin. Quick question. Some pickers fold the first finger all the way under parallel with the thumb which I can’t quite do. I notice you don’t as well. I like the way you hold the pick and I am close to that. Is there any advantage to folding y finger all the way under. It feels a little awkward.
Hey Dennis – yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about. I always call that a really “strong grip” (where you have your first finger all the way under parallel). I’ve been experimenting with the same kind of stuff lately… In this video, I was also planting my pinky on the body of the guitar. When I plant my pinky, I tend to hold the pick more like you see it here (a “weaker” grip), but lately I’ve been adjusting my flatpicking to where I don’t plant my pinky and I’m trying to use a stronger grip where my first… Read more »
Would you like me to play to the end of the song? will practice to complete the song
THANKS DEVIN| really useful the strum lesson
I first heard Jerry Douglas do this song and immediately became obsessed. So pumped to see you’ve done a lesson for it, can’t to jump in.