pcfive - Posted - 11/13/2009:  19:38:28

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I went to a jam session tonight and from the beginning I did not feel right. There were no other banjo players, and they weren't playing any bluegrass. I passed several times and then literally forced myself to start a song. I had a feeling it would not go very well, and sure enough it didn't. Then I thought maybe I should just pass from then on. But I decided to force myself again, and each time it got a little better. I don't think I played very well, but I wound up having a great time, as usual.

It's usually hard to get myself to go in the first place, because it's easier to stay home and play with the metronome. Then after I get there, sometimes I start thinking I'm no good, I should just give up, the others are talented and I am not, etc., etc.

And I have learned to ignore my negative thoughts and have fun. Even if I am not happy with my playing that's ok. It's much harder to concentrate when playing with others. But I am gradually getting over nervousness and self-consciousness.

Another person told me I have a beautiful voice this time, which is incredible because I never was told that in my life. I have been practicing singing loud and now I can hear myself sing when I'm playing the banjo, and I could not before. I was a guitar player, and always played and sang alone, so I didn't learn to sing loud.

Well once again I am inspired to keep working at music and never give up. Some people will like my playing and others won't, and I try not to worry too much about that.

pcfive

wrentree - Posted - 11/13/2009:  20:26:50

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You are probably too hard on yourself. That is common enough.

Harold

pcfive - Posted - 11/13/2009:  20:46:12

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"You are probably too hard on yourself."

That's better than being not hard enough. I want to be realistic. I am actually almost ecstatic about what limited progress I have made already. I know that each year I will be better. However, I also realize that I do not play as well at jam sessions as I sometimes do at home. My playing varies from pretty good to pretty lousy, depending on what mood I'm in, who is listening, etc.

I so much want to be better than I am. But I will keep getting better with time and practice. I don't think I'm very good now, but I am so much better than a year ago it's amazing.

And just the fact that I can sing and play at jam sessions is unbelievable to me. I used to be shy, believe it or not. And no one ever encouraged me at all in music. Yet it was the most important thing to me since I was alive.

So I am very happy with myself, for what little I have accomplished. I never talk about this to anyone I know. I pretend my banjo practicing and jamming is not big deal. Even though I am living my dream. Just being able to play with others, even though anyone is allowed to play and you don't even have to be any good.



pcfive

Ikaika - Posted - 11/13/2009:  20:50:08

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This is called courage - it's what you need in order to make real progress. Some jam sessions will be more fun and more rewarding than others, and you'll learn something from each one - even if you don't realize it right away. If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll be at the top of your class in no time. Keep up the great work .

quote:

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Originally posted by pcfive

I went to a jam session tonight and from the beginning I did not feel right. There were no other banjo players, and they weren't playing any bluegrass. I passed several times and then literally forced myself to start a song. I had a feeling it would not go very well, and sure enough it didn't. Then I thought maybe I should just pass from then on. But I decided to force myself again, and each time it got a little better. I don't think I played very well, but I wound up having a great time, as usual.

It's usually hard to get myself to go in the first place, because it's easier to stay home and play with the metronome. Then after I get there, sometimes I start thinking I'm no good, I should just give up, the others are talented and I am not, etc., etc.

And I have learned to ignore my negative thoughts and have fun. Even if I am not happy with my playing that's ok. It's much harder to concentrate when playing with others. But I am gradually getting over nervousness and self-consciousness.

Another person told me I have a beautiful voice this time, which is incredible because I never was told that in my life. I have been practicing singing loud and now I can hear myself sing when I'm playing the banjo, and I could not before. I was a guitar player, and always played and sang alone, so I didn't learn to sing loud.

Well once again I am inspired to keep working at music and never give up. Some people will like my playing and others won't, and I try not to worry too much about that.

pcfive

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"Just play one, just play one."

http://www.myspace.com/imthefid

pcfive - Posted - 11/13/2009:  20:51:36

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I also want to say that I keep falling more in love with the banjo. I played guitar and had started learning fiddle. Then just by chance someone loaned me a banjo, which I never had any intention of learning. Now, even though I still love fiddle, I think banjo is even more beautiful. There is nothing else like it. Of course it easy to make it sound bad and hard to make it sound good. But when it sounds good there is no other instrument that I would rather hear.

pcfive

pcfive - Posted - 11/13/2009:  20:55:10

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"This is called courage"

Yeah, I'm getting courage! It's unbelievable. If I didn't love bluegrass so much I would have given up because it's too scary. Love of music and bluegrass is so important to me that I can overlook the possibility of making mistakes, of sounding bad, of being criticized, etc. None of that overshadows the pure joy of playing music that you love.

And I imagine everyone else at the jam sessions, and here at BHO, feels the same way.

pcfive

Jim T - Posted - 11/13/2009:  21:06:17

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quote:

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Originally posted by pcfive

"This is called courage"

Yeah, I'm getting courage! It's unbelievable. If I didn't love bluegrass so much I would have given up because it's too scary. Love of music and bluegrass is so important to me that I can overlook the possibility of making mistakes, of sounding bad, of being criticized, etc. None of that overshadows the pure joy of playing music that you love.

And I imagine everyone else at the jam sessions, and here at BHO, feels the same way.

pcfive

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Sounds like you're doing great.......keep up the good work! I'm still struggling with just playing along with the metronome or back up on the computer.

As a novice player, who has also played and sang with guitar, I have a couple of questions:
1). What songs are you singing along with?
2). What do you play on the banjo while your singing?

Regards, Jim

pcfive - Posted - 11/13/2009:  21:13:48

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Jim,

Some of the songs I started tonight were I'll Fly Away, Amazing Grace, and Bury Me Beneath the Willow. That was just because I have known these songs a long time and was less likely to forget them in the midst of playing. There are other songs I would rather play, but have not learned them well enough to risk playing in public.

I played the breaks I have memorized, and then sang some of the verses. if no one else seemed to know the words. If I'm singing, it's easier to just play some kind of vamping or backup, with no melody.

pcfive

Surveyor - Posted - 11/13/2009:  22:09:44

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Blessings Pcfive. I hear ya but you have to sack up as you have been and not be so down on yourself. Trust me I get that. However, you enjoyed yourself. Thats it! Perfect. Play it, sing it, love it!

Mr. B

Wind me up and watch me go!

5stringpicker2 - Posted - 11/14/2009:  08:09:07

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The only way to get better is to play and to play with others this way you will find that only the Metronome keeps perfect time and in the real world time is relative.

I had a nome in the late 60's but put it in the attic cause it couldn't keep up with me. :)

"There Can Be Only Only!"
(I )===='----<::)
http://tinyurl.com/c263xk

dhergert - Posted - 11/14/2009:  08:38:58

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One little secret about banjo that most outsiders don't know is that it sounds excellent with many many genre. Not just bluegrass. You did well to stay and play.

Another little secret about the banjo is that once you build a relatively small toolset of techniques and knowledge you can learn other songs, both inside and outside of bluegrass, relatively quickly. It's good for you to exercise that toolset on other than familiar sounding songs, again you did well to stay.

It sounds from your descriptive of this that you've caught the bug. Pretty soon you'll start hearing yourself say "that song needs a banjo" no matter what genre it is, and you'll catch yourself picking things out on your knee with your picking hand when you don't have a banjo around. You may feel like you have a long way, but you are making excellent progress and are getting good instinct.

Keep jamming, no matter the genre, it is the key to learning good backup and later, learning how to improvise. You'll get it.

Best,

-- Don
http://www.youtube.com/user/dh5string
http://home.att.net/~dhergert
http://mysite.verizon.net/don_hergert


"If you must use your banjo as a snow shovel, do so:
only don't wonder if it sounds dull afterwards."
-- S.S. Stewart catalog, 1896.