The Forward Backward Roll is often given as (strings) 3,2,1,5,1,2,3,1 - this is a useful 8 note pattern but more often than not you need to deviate from it and more often than not it is used as a 'turn around' from D back to G. This document offers some exercises and some applications of these alternatives. Note that it is based upon the 8 note forward roll starting with the thumb - 3, 1, 5, 3, 1, 5, 3, 1 with the last three notes being changed so we get 3, 1, 5, 3, 1, 3, 4, 1, The last three notes is the backward roll part so the index hits the last 3rd string.

1. Alternate Forward Backward Rolls
1
(These rolls are based on the 8 notes per bar forward roll)
(used as a kind of turn around)
As an example the standard forward backward roll
Leo Crossfield Dec 2013
G

Banjo
D
B
G
D
G

COUNT:
Forward
0
0
Backward
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
+
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
+
3
+
4
T
1
+
+
2
0
0
0
0
0
+
3
+
4
T
1
+
+
2
+
3
+
4

+
Advanced 8 note Forward Roll off the 3rd String
4
Ban.

 
G
0
0
0
0
0
T
COUNT: 1
0
0
+
2
0
3
+
0
0
4
+
T
1
0
0
0
+
0
0
+
2
0
3
+
0
0
4
+
T
1
0
0
0
+
0
0
+
2
0
+
3
+
4

+
Advanced 8 note Forward Roll off the 2nd String
7
Ban.

 
G
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
1
0
0
0
0
0
T
T
COUNT: 1
0
0
0
0

T
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
1
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
Forward Backward Roll using 8 note 3rd string Forward Roll Pattern
G
10
Ban.

 
COUNT:
!---Forward---!!-Backward-!
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4
M
+
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4
M
+
T
1
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4

M
+
Forward Backward Roll using 8 note 2nd string Forward Roll Pattern
G
13
Ban.

 
COUNT:
!---Forward---!!-Backward-!
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4
M
+
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4
M
+
T
1
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4

M
+
Forward Backward Roll using 8 note 3rd string Forward Roll Pattern - off of the 4th string
G
16
Ban.

 
COUNT:
!---Forward---!!-Backward-!
0
0
T
1
0
0
0
0
0
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
0
T
4
0
0
M
+
T
1
0
0
M T
+ 2
0
I
+
0
0
0
M I
3 +
T
4
0
0
M
+
T
1
0
0
0
0
0
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
0
T
4
M
+


2. 2
Now the applicationof these rolls.
Exercise 1
19
Ban.

 
COUNT:
Note that the index finger comes back to play the middle string
G
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
T
4
M
+
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
M I
3 +
0
0
0
I
+
0
0
0
T
4
M
+
T
1
0
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4

M
+
Application Exercise 2 (Foggy Mountain Breakdown)
22
Ban.

 
COUNT:
G
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
PO
0
0
0
0
2
0
T
4
M
+
0
0
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
0
M I
3 +
0
0
0
I
+
0
0
0
T
4
M
+
T
1
0
M T
+ 2
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4

M
+
Application Exercise 3 (Foggy Mountain Breakdown making the transition to D7)
25
Ban.

 
G
D7
Slide
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
X
2
3
0
T M T I M I T M
COUNT: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
0
0
3
0
3
0
0
0
3
0
T I M T I M
T
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

0
3
0

T M T I M T I M
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Application Exercise 4 (Foggy Mountain Breakdown making the transition to G)
29
Ban.

 
COUNT:
D7
3
G
2
0
3
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
T M T I M I T M
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T I T I M T I M
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

0
0
0

T M T I M T I M
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Application Exercise 5 (Adding exercise 3 & 4 together)
33
Ban.

 
COUNT:
D7
G
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
I
+
G
Slide
Slide
0
M I
3 +
2
2
T
4
0
3
0
3
1
0
2
0
T
1
M T
+ 2
0
I
+
M I
3 +
T
4
M
+
0
0
0
M
+
0
0
T
1
I
+
T
2
0
0
I
+
M T
3 +
I
4
36
Ban.






M
+
