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I wanted to play something in the Key of F without a capo and this tune seemed to come about by itself. It has a bit of the Ulster-Scots flavour about it. One of my favorite low notes is the low C on the fifth string/first fret which you can only get without a capo. Signal chain Scheerhorn -Akg 1000-Computer

Actually my first Amazing Grace version was a nice capo example. In my opinion.....the more the dobro is doing all the work, melody, bass, chords, thythm etc.....the more it's sometimes necessary to use a capo. With single notes in the key of D you can play almost everything. Another important reason to use a capo is the beautiful sound you can get by using a higher register. I can capo up in G to the fith fret. When accompanying a singer usually the range of the voice will indicate the place of the capo. In my version of Police Dog Blues ( Blind Blake ) I liked the deep bass of the D-tuning and so I dicided not to use the capo.

Guitar: Meredith maple Signal Chain: Neumann Micro into SPL Channel One Pre-amp recorded with Roland VS-2400CD HD Recorder. Final mastering on PC with Steinberg WAVE LAB software using Multi Band Compressor and Peak Master. I used my own backing track in A. For both of the short solos I used some existing basic material and added some own ideas and licks. On the version without capo there are nearly no hammer-ons, pull-offs and open strings which was really challenging and a good exercise playing exclusively in closed positions. On the version with capo second fret I used a lot of open strings and of course hammer-ons and pull-offs. Conclusion: I think the March/April Online lesson is a good chance and challenge to study and learn about the difference of playing in open and closed position. I think we all are more or less familiar with the playing in open positions in the key of G or by using a capo in A Bb B or so. On one hand it might be harder to play without capo in such keys but on the other hand you can use a different variety of licks which are impossible to play with capo. And as we all know there are a lot of songs in a variety of keys played without capo - therefore at least for me this lesson is very challenging and useful

Here is my contribution for this month online lesson. I don't have much time to do things like this at the moment, but I hope my recordings, though being far away from the level of all the other members, will be welcome nevertheless. I recorded another tune (Keep On The Sunnyside), not the one you suggested, because I am working just on it for to play it with our band. The ideas for these solos came after transcribing it from the "O Brother" Soundtrack (in Bb without Capo) and then seeing the "Down from the Mountain" Film with Jerry doing his solo with Capo on 3rd fret. So, not my ideas, but what was left from Jerry's playing after going through my ears and my fingers (not very much, I'm afraid). Signal chain: Wolfe Walnut Ported Reso AT 4033a Tascam US 122 PowerTracks ProAudio (Rhythm track by Band In A Box)

Notes:I decided to have another go at a submission and spent this afternoon trying various arrangments but ended up doing a fairly straight rendition, very similar in the first part to Martins version, not so similar in the second part. It seemed in the end to be the best feel for me. I also attach a totally tasteless bluegrass version which I couldn't resist trying

I send you my version of Amazing Grace, though I am a little afraid to do so, after I 've heard all the great versions so far. For me it was the first attempt of recording a little solo-piece. I 've got my laptop for about two month now and doing some recordings is a great mystery for me. But finally I got something in the computer

Amazing Grace- IlliniSlide Guitar Played: c1940s Oahu Acoustic Lap Steel Guitar Tuning: Open C (CGCEGC)- One whole step below Open D Signal Chain: Kel Audio HM-1 Condensor Mic---Line6 TonePort UX2---Audacity recording software Notes: This arrangement was made partially to aid my ability to play by ear--I didn't use sheet music so I would be forced to arrange it entirely by ear. My arrangement is more of an "impressionistic" style; that is, I didn't try to stay close to the melody all throughout, but rather to convey the same feeling I get when I hear this song. Some parts stay close to the melody, some deviate, but overall I tried to keep the same emotion. Also, I've been experimenting with using the bar to create more effects, such as after the Am chord, sliding down to the nut without playing any strings in order to "launch" into the ending phrase.

Guitar: Bear Creek koa Weissenborn-style hollowneck Tuning: Bb,D,F,G,Bb,D Signal Chain: BLUE Snowball dual-capsule USB mic into Apple Garage Band software processed with reverb and EQ. Notes: Pretty much a head arrangement played without fingerpicks. I didn¹t worry about staying 100% faithful to the melody and tagged on an impressionistic intro and ending that seemed to work. Not great audio quality but I¹m still in the learning curve on that one. Any advice on where to set levels in Garageband is much appreciated.