How to Play Undone in Sorrow on Banjo - Clawhammer Tab & Lesson
About This Song
Undone in Sorrow is one of those songs that just gets under your skin. It was written by Ola Belle Reed, who grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and eventually ended up in the Maryland and Pennsylvania area. She was a banjo player, singer, and songwriter, and this is probably her most well-known tune. If you haven't listened to her recordings, do yourself a favor and look her up.
What I love about this song is how much emotion it packs into such a simple structure. The whole thing just moves between G and Em, but that back-and-forth between major and minor gives it this aching, unsettled feel. The slides in this arrangement add to that. They give the notes a vocal quality, almost like the banjo is singing along with you.
This is a song made for singing. Even if you're just playing it as an instrumental, try to keep that singing quality in your playing. Let the slides connect the notes the way a voice would, and don't rush through the phrases. Give it some space and let it breathe.
Undone in Sorrow Clawhammer Banjo Tab
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How to Play Undone in Sorrow - Step by Step
Get Into Tune
We’re in standard open G tuning (gDGBD) for this one. In the video, I tune down a full step to FCFAC to fit my voice, but the tab is written in open G. If you’re just learning the banjo part, standard tuning is the way to go. Once you have the arrangement down and want to sing along, experiment with tuning down until you find a key that’s comfortable for your voice.
Learn the Pickup Measure
The arrangement starts with a pickup measure of ascending eighth notes. This is your way into the song. It’s a simple run that leads you right into the first full measure. Play it a few times on its own to get the feel and the timing, then let it flow into what comes next.
Get Your Slides Right
Slides are the heart of this arrangement. They’re marked “sl” in the tab and they show up constantly. They’re what give the tune its smooth, vocal quality, so it’s worth spending some real time on them.
When you hit a slide, keep your finger pressed firmly against the string as you move between frets. The note should glide seamlessly from one pitch to the next without any break in the sound. If the slide sounds choppy or the second note doesn’t ring, you’re probably releasing pressure during the motion. That’s the most common issue. Your finger needs to maintain steady, even pressure the entire way through.
Go through the tab and find every place a slide is marked. Practice each one in isolation. Start the slide slowly, making sure you hear both the starting note and the ending note clearly, then gradually speed it up until it sounds fluid. Some of the slides move up the neck and some move down. Both directions should feel equally comfortable. If one direction gives you more trouble than the other, spend extra time on it.
The key is to let each note sound clearly, even if briefly, before sliding smoothly into the next. You want to hear the starting note ring for just a moment, then glide into the ending note. That clarity followed by a smooth connection is what makes this arrangement work. Clean slides will make it sound polished and musical. Rough slides will hold it back.
Bring It All Together
Once the slides are clean, the chord transitions are smooth, and you can play through the whole arrangement without stopping, start thinking about the feel. Undone in Sorrow is a song with real emotion in it. Play it at a steady, relaxed tempo. Don’t rush.
This is a beautiful tune to sing along with. If you know the words, try adding your voice over the banjo part. The arrangement is designed to leave room for singing, and the combination of clawhammer banjo and vocals on this song is something special. Ola Belle Reed wrote a song that sticks with people, and this arrangement lets the banjo do justice to it.
Practice Tips
- 1
Isolate the slides and practice them slowly until they feel smooth and connected. Slides are the signature sound of this arrangement, and they need to ring out clearly. If a slide sounds choppy, you're probably lifting your finger off the string instead of maintaining pressure through the whole motion.
- 2
Work on the transition into the Em chord until it feels effortless. You'll be moving between G and Em throughout the song, and any hesitation on that switch will break the flow. Practice going back and forth between the two shapes without playing any notes, just building the muscle memory.
- 3
Keep the arrangement sparse and let the melody breathe. This is not a busy tune. The beauty of Undone in Sorrow comes from its simplicity and the space between the notes. Resist the urge to fill every gap with extra picking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tuning is Undone in Sorrow played in?
Undone in Sorrow is played in standard open G tuning (gDGBD). In the video, I tune down a full step (to FCFAC) to better suit my singing voice, but the tab is written in open G. If you want to sing along and the key feels too high, try tuning down a step or two and see what fits your voice.
What chords does Undone in Sorrow use?
Just two chords: G and Em. The song alternates between them throughout. It's a simple chord progression, but the interplay between the major and minor tonality is what gives the song its emotional depth.
How hard is Undone in Sorrow to play?
It's an intermediate tune. The chord shapes and overall structure are straightforward, but the slides require some finesse to execute cleanly. If you're comfortable with basic clawhammer technique and have played a few beginner tunes, you're ready to tackle this one.
What techniques are used in this arrangement?
The main technique is slides. They appear throughout the tab (marked 'sl') and are the defining feature of this arrangement. The slides give the tune its smooth, vocal character and are what set this arrangement apart.
Who wrote Undone in Sorrow?
Undone in Sorrow was written by Ola Belle Reed, a songwriter, singer, and banjo player from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She later based herself in the Maryland and Pennsylvania area and became a significant figure in the old-time and folk music world. The song is one of her best-known compositions.