RCrva - Posted - 11/09/2009:  17:28:39

After thinking about doing it for quite sometime..I finally purchased my first banjo about 5 weeks ago..I found this site and it seems like a great resource. I used to really be into playing guitar...mostly electric...metal of all music genres...but ive diversified my music interests over time. I feel I have a decent left hand for playing chords and basic scales but the 3 finger picking is like learning a new language..i dont have a teacher or anyone to jam with..i am going thru the scruggs books as well as any other tutorial media i can find...i appreciatte any help that those of you on this site have already provided and will be providing in the future!

Rob
Richmond, Va.

D.W. - Posted - 11/09/2009:  17:47:54

I always recommend an instructor whenever you can find one. But failing that I think this website is a good place to start: http://davidcavage.blogspot.com/

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"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
- Fran, "Strictly Ballroom" (1992)

PBGuardsman - Posted - 11/09/2009:  17:59:41

D.W. is right, an instructor is definitely worth the money. If there is any local music store that does lessons of any kind, (piano, guitar, etc) I would check with them. If there is anyone in the area they would probably know. If you feel comfortable you could give out the general area in which you live, someone might know a teacher in your area.

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 (NIV)

gdoc - Posted - 11/09/2009:  18:26:31

tony trischka banjo school on line

gdoc

D.W. - Posted - 11/09/2009:  18:36:09

Caveat emptor - not all instructors are created equally.

During my quest for banjo knowlege I've had 3 instructors. The first- was greedy with his knowledge- and could have taught me what I wanted to know- but didn't and eventually I moved away.

The 2nd was a nice person but really didn't know how to teach anything more than technique and songs from a book. Want some basics on how to Jam- couldn't teach it- knew how to do it- but didn't know how to teach it. Want to know how to arrange a song for the banjo not originally written for the banjo - knew how to do it - definitely didn't know how to to teach it.

Third time's the charm. In less time than I had with my other two banjo instructors (combined) I've learned much more than I did with the other two.

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"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
- Fran, "Strictly Ballroom" (1992)

Poppy - Posted - 11/09/2009:  19:49:38

check out the Murphy Method, she is very good and takes it slow.

"What kind of man would live in a world where there is no daring? I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all." -- Charles Lindberg

PF. - Posted - 11/09/2009:  20:13:13

Listen to lots of bluegrass lol. Or any banjo music at all. Listen to diffrent styles of playing and just try to learn tunes.

bplumlee - Posted - 11/09/2009:  20:26:06

Welcome to the hangout.

You might want to look at this one: http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/banjo_lessons.html

Gold Star GF-85 - Posted - 11/10/2009:  05:31:02

Welcome to the Banjo Hangout. I agree with the other posters, get an instructor/teacher, and listen to alot of Bluegrass, and most of all practice practice and more practice.

Good Luck


Big John,
1987 Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard
1986 Stelling Sunflower

Glenn Tate - Posted - 11/10/2009:  07:30:59

I learned out of the Scruggs book, and without an instructor, but if I had it to do over again knowing what I know now, I would have gotten one, at least for a little while in the beginning. I had ablolutely no clue of how to begin. I just started, and went to jams, and fiddlins' when I could, and just watched what good banjo pickers were doing. In some cases, I would have my cheapo banjo in the car, and I would go out and try to find what I saw and heard. Then go back in and get some more. I added this to what I was looking at in the Scruggs book, and it finally started making sense. I finally got a good banjo, a Gibson Mastertone RB-250, and took it in with me at the jams and at first, stayed way back and picked along. Finally I joined in the jam, and now it's 40 years later.

"The more you know, the more you know you don't know."

Glenn

John Allison - Posted - 11/10/2009:  07:52:21

Welcome to the Hangout, lots of advice, help and a friend when you need one. As far as learning, there ought to be a fair number of players and instructors in the greater Richmond Area (I know there is north of you in Fredericksburg) and instructors are the way to go. Next to them are the instructional DVDs (Murphy Henry, Janet Davis, Pete Wernick, too name a few) as the DVDs appeal to them same learning senses as instructors with the only drawback of not being able to ask on the spot questions.

Froggie
"Courage is Fear that has said its prayers.

minstrelmike - Posted - 11/10/2009:  08:22:21

If you can do chord changes, here's stuff on getting started with rolls.

http://moxcey.net/mike/minstrel/spe...l/index.html

Mike Moxcey
http://moxcey.net/mike/minstrel/index.html

RCrva - Posted - 11/10/2009:  10:58:40

thanks all for the tips, info, advice, etc....

Pete Wernick - Posted - 11/10/2009:  12:36:59

Learning Scruggs style has fantastic rewards, but you have to also face the fact that there's a lot of drilling and muscle memory to be put in place before it really starts to flow the way it should, like speaking a language.

There are many many approaches to learning the style. After 45 years of teaching, I've seen a great many people start trying to learn and then give up. I think it's important to keep it as fun as possible and to not assume a student will stay with it through thick and thin, believing in the long term reward.

So I take special care to try to push students in the most productive and fun direction, with as little time wasted as possible.

I recommend these two pages on my web site:
http://www.drbanjo.com/instructiona...anjohelp.php
http://www.drbanjo.com/instructiona...4-f-beg.html

I've taught thousands of players in person and hundreds of thousands through books and videos. Not saying that to brag, but more to say "My recommendations are based on experience. What works best?"

Wishing you the best in your banjo quest!

Pete Wernick

DrBanjo.com

sjyokel - Posted - 11/10/2009:  13:06:36

Check out the Virginia Bluegrass Family Jam at Jahnke Rd Baptist Church, First Tuesdays of the Month, 7-10pm.

Ask around to see if anybody can recommend a teacher or ask anybody who looks to be on your level if they want to get together to work out some basic tunes outside of the jam.

10gauge - Posted - 11/10/2009:  14:28:16

I was going to say that there must be 6 jams within a stones throw of anywhere in Richmond, VA. Bluegrass music has a strong tradition of jamming and there are many open jams throughout the country. Welcome to the hangout. What kind of banjo did you get?

Jonathan O'bug

3PickinPaul - Posted - 11/11/2009:  16:20:11

WoW!!! Where was this sight about 27 years ago? I got my first banjo at 16 and have not taken advantage of the last 27 years. I hope to make up up for lost time as quickly as I can. I can pick a few songs but I should be way farther along than I am! Boy, was I ever relieved to find out there were people my age just starting out. That is very encouraging. Any advice I can glean from you good folks would be truly appreciated. Currently I am self teaching out of Geoff Howald's banjo primer book. So far my progress is moving along as fast as can be expected with my busy schedule (family, two jobs, school, etc.). I hope to free up some time in the next few months to devote more time to practice. BH has given me an outlet to receive encouragement and provide it to others in my situation.

Thanks for being here.
Paul
Santee, CA

Paul

3PickinPaul - Posted - 11/11/2009:  16:21:05

WoW!!! Where was this sight about 27 years ago? I got my first banjo at 16 and have not taken advantage of the last 27 years. I hope to make up up for lost time as quickly as I can. I can pick a few songs but I should be way farther along than I am! Boy, was I ever relieved to find out there were people my age just starting out. That is very encouraging. Any advice I can glean from you good folks would be truly appreciated. Currently I am self teaching out of Geoff Howald's banjo primer book. So far my progress is moving along as fast as can be expected with my busy schedule (family, two jobs, school, etc.). I hope to free up some time in the next few months to devote more time to practice. BH has given me an outlet to receive encouragement and provide it to others in my situation.

Thanks for being here.
Paul
Santee, CA

Paul

rickeym - Posted - 11/11/2009:  17:29:05

Thanks Pete,

Looks of good stuff on your website.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pete Wernick

Learning Scruggs style has fantastic rewards, but you have to also face the fact that there's a lot of drilling and muscle memory to be put in place before it really starts to flow the way it should, like speaking a language.

There are many many approaches to learning the style. After 45 years of teaching, I've seen a great many people start trying to learn and then give up. I think it's important to keep it as fun as possible and to not assume a student will stay with it through thick and thin, believing in the long term reward.

So I take special care to try to push students in the most productive and fun direction, with as little time wasted as possible.

I recommend these two pages on my web site:
http://www.drbanjo.com/instructiona...anjohelp.php
http://www.drbanjo.com/instructiona...4-f-beg.html

I've taught thousands of players in person and hundreds of thousands through books and videos. Not saying that to brag, but more to say "My recommendations are based on experience. What works best?"

Wishing you the best in your banjo quest!

Pete Wernick

DrBanjo.com

---

dbaty - Posted - 11/12/2009:  13:20:12

Rob, welcome to BHO. If you can find yourself an instructor. As far as this site, it's the best. I spend alot of time researching all the posts and I've learned some good stuff on this site. There is alot of good advice here and you can learn alot from these people. Good luck with you Banjp playin'.


Darrell

Like a Dog, a Banjo just wants to be played with and cared for.