Tim13 - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:14:35

I've owned a banjo for 1477 days now.  In those 4 years and 16 days, I've taken lessons for about 2½ years, give or take.  Yesterday, I reached a personal milestone.  For the first time, I was able to play along with some Flatt & Scruggs, and Osborne Brothers recordings without slowing them down.  I was able to keep up and play lead and backup at their tempos.  I know this is no big deal to most of you, but for me, it almost seems like banjo graduation day.  It's another beginning for me, and I'm pretty excited about what the next year or two of learning has in store for me.

That's about it.  It was one of those moments that only other banjo players can appreciate, so I thought I'd post about it before the high wears off.

Tim

Archaic - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:17:59

Yay you! I hope I can say that in a couple of years.

Dingoman25 - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:29:46

"seems like banjo graduation day"

I would agree with you. That's a huge defining milestone to reach. Well done!!

Gymbal31 - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:32:31

I think that's a huge deal!  Congratulations!

wkb28791 - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:44:23

It is a big deal!!!   Congrats!!!   I'd love to be able to say the same thing.

Debbiej - Posted - 04/27/2012:  14:44:42

I hope I can do that some day, I'm at 788 days of playing (2 years and 2 months almost).  I've been taking lessons for most of that time too.  So you've giving me a lot of encouragement with your post Tim. Congratulations!



Debbie

Edited by - Debbiej on 04/27/2012 14:45:34

archtop717 - Posted - 04/27/2012:  15:00:33

NOW GET OUT THERE AND JAM A LOT !  You will progress faster and have more fun doing it if you do......

Spitfire-Smith - Posted - 04/27/2012:  15:21:29

That's great! Hope I will be able to say the same one day...

5 finger ninja - Posted - 04/27/2012:  15:50:09

wish i was at that stage now...someday:)

pawoodwkr - Posted - 04/27/2012:  16:12:29

Gigantic deal!
Only got a few months under my belt and feel like giving up sometimes.
I give you tons of credit for sticking with it.
You've graduated in my book!

george pereda - Posted - 04/27/2012:  18:30:29

Aint there-but aint that bad either.

5-stringreiny - Posted - 04/27/2012:  19:39:25

Excellent! I'd heard it takes on average 5 years to get to that point... you're ahead of the curve! Keep pickin'!

BJD - Posted - 04/27/2012:  20:04:48

Fantastic! That's a big milestone. I hope to be there some day. "Pomp & Circumstance" out to ya! Congratulations.

jorgito - Posted - 04/27/2012:  20:34:23

I wouldn´t call it a small victory, just a victory... Congratulations!

Smurf2dope - Posted - 04/27/2012:  21:45:25

Thats a very gratifying milestone...congrats!

MOUNTAIN GOAT - Posted - 04/27/2012:  21:48:36

Good on ya!!!!! Now will you bottle some of that up and send it to me, so I can pour it in my ear. And hopefully it will stay there.

overhere - Posted - 04/28/2012:  03:47:13

Tim13 congratulations. But I don't call finally being able to play along a small victory. In fact its a huge victory....at least for me and a zillion others I'll bet was.
What was it that that finnally made things click for you. For me it was useing the forward roll as a mainstay. One day It just all clicked...oh what a feeling ....

JedZeppelin - Posted - 04/28/2012:  08:01:20

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tim13

I've owned a banjo for 1477 days now.  In those 4 years and 16 days, I've taken lessons for about 2½ years, give or take.  Yesterday, I reached a personal milestone.  For the first time, I was able to play along with some Flatt & Scruggs, and Osborne Brothers recordings without slowing them down.  I was able to keep up and play lead and backup at their tempos.  I know this is no big deal to most of you, but for me, it almost seems like banjo graduation day.  It's another beginning for me, and I'm pretty excited about what the next year or two of learning has in store for me.

That's about it.  It was one of those moments that only other banjo players can appreciate, so I thought I'd post about it before the high wears off.

 

Tim

---

That would be a huge deal for me, and I've been playing a lot longer than you have. Congratulations! Well done!

The Hat - Posted - 04/28/2012:  09:05:47

Well done to you dude ! I'm way off that but I know for sure ill get there. Rome wasn't built in day

BanjoKat2 - Posted - 04/28/2012:  09:12:26

I've been playing 2&1/2 years, with a teacher about 9 months out of the year. I'm psyched to get to where you are. Pretty great hearing news from someone who is about 1&1/2 years out from me. Gives me hope & a goal. Hoping to find some folks to play with at some point as back up. Everyone says it'll speed up the learning curve a ton plus add a big fun factor. Let us know if you start jamming with anyone or if you already do, and your views on that.

marcel - Posted - 04/28/2012:  12:36:02

Tim13, a big double barrel thumbs up to you mister! You just answered a question that has been in my mind for a while, I just never asked no one. Been playing for 9 months now, and was wondering why I've been having such a hard time learning how to play along with Earls recordings. I try and try, getting a little match up piece here and there, but not right along with it, from start to finish.

I was actually thinking that it was something that 'would/should' take place here shortly! A rude awakening for me, so I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear or read this. lol Well, the only thing I can say now is, I'll just try to make it happen soonest! Bottom line, wish I was you Tim13!! lol AND it sux to be me!

Tim13 - Posted - 04/28/2012:  15:54:07

- - - - -   "What was it that that finnally made things click for you. For me it was useing the forward roll as a mainstay. One day It just all clicked...oh what a feeling ...."

I had been sneaking up on it for about a month or so recently, but just couldn't quite get over the hump.  So, I started focusing on my right hand.  Over the past 3 or 4 months, I had a few instances where everything would feel perfect with my picking hand.  My hand was in the perfect spot on the head, I was striking the strings the way people describe as sort of pushing down through them, my picking fingers/thumb were relative close together physically giving even tone, and the overall movement of my picking fingers was reduced.  All of this added up to a little more speed.  When ever this would happen, I would stop picking and try to analyze why everything just seemed "right."  Eventually, I put two and two together, and figured out that my slowly evolving muscle memory was causing my picking hand to reduce the overall movement of my fingers.  In other words, economy of motion was being realized.  Once I figured it out, I then consciously worked on developing that hand position, and the economy of motion, and this let me turn the corner.  To be sure though, this couldn't have happened without me being ready for it through years of practice, and hours upon hours of playing.  It was just my time, and fortunately I recognized the signs my body was giving me, and I was able to capitalize on it.

As far as jamming goes, I do jam with some people, but I haven't lately.  Over the past 6 or 7 months, I've just been working on building my backup skills, and gaining overall competence with the instrument.  I have the technical skills to jam with most beginner/intermediate players now, but the biggest thing holding me back is nerves.  Heart racing, fingers going rigid, fight or flight kicking in, the whole nine yards.  I'm slowly working on that by participating in the BHO chat room.  It's not quite as scary playing for people over the internet, versus face to face in a jam.  Also, my past experiences in jams has had a negative impact to date.  After self proclaimed failure(remember, we are our own worst critics...) from previous jams, my expectation is to crash and burn at all jams, so I'm trying to overcome that expectation.  I know it's silly to think that way, especially with an evolving skill like learning to play an instrument, but I have set the bar high for myself, and I need to lighten up with my personal expectations.

Thanks for the comments on the post.  I'm glad it gave some people insight to where their own path may lead, and how long or short it may take to get to this point.

Tim

pcfive - Posted - 04/28/2012:  17:00:34

Congratulations Tim, and your post is giving me hope. After three and a half years, I was wondering if I will ever get where you just got. But maybe I'll be there in just six months!

And your post can also be a warning to all the beginners -- learning Scruggs style is not going to happen in a couple of weeks (as I thought when I first started).

As for nerves at jam sessions, I really encourage you to keep trying and you might be amazed. Every time I hear myself leading a song at a jam session I think I can't believe this is me, who used to be so self conscious and scared.  I think I turned some kind of switch in my brain and decided I don't give a darn what they think of me. I'm trying to have fun doing the thing I love most, and I won't let anything interfere. 

So I really do not get nervous, and I am a different person than I used to be. A year ago I had to play guitar at a relative's wedding and there were about 100 people in the church, and I could not afford to make a mistake. But all my jamming experience paid off and I did not get nervous at all.

So don't let worry and nervousness stop you from the great experience of jamming. Especially now that you reached a high level of skill.

OldTimeGal - Posted - 04/28/2012:  22:46:45

Top notch, thank you for sharing.  I'm just a newbie and have been exploring different styles, so encouraging to hear about others reaching goals.