Greetings:

I just came from seeing "Down From the Mountain." While I like the Stanley Brothers' tune to "Man of Constant Sorrow," I prefer a mountain modal accompaniment to their bluegrass arrangement. Here is a bare bones idea of what can be done. The tuning (5th to 1st string) is g-d-g-c-d. Try drop-thumb style finger picking. A neat little riff is [string/fret] [2/2, 3/3, 3/0]. Attack the 2nd string with a hammer-on, a quick pick-off, and then another hammer-on. Anyway, here's the tune. Notes are shown immediately AFTER the words.

I'm[3/3] a[3/3] man[3/0] of[3/0] con-[3/0] stant[3/3] sor-[2/0] row,[2/0]
I've[3/3] seen[2/0] trou-[2/2] ble[2/2] all[2/0] my[3/3] days.[3/0] Place[3/3] where [2/0] I[2/2] was[2/2] born[2/0] and[3/3] raised.[3/0]


Note: Instead of playing [2/0], you can play [3/5]. That way you can reach the same note [c] by hammering-on or sliding up from [3/4]

Please take plenty of time to work out the rhythm. Use lots of chokes, slides, hammer-ns, pick-offs, etc. Try frailing some of the notes instead of finger picking. Work on the use of counter melodies, echos, and responses to fill the gaps. You'll like what you hear.

--- Steve