Don Lewers - Posted - 01/11/2025:  19:39:14

It's been ever so long in the making, but have finally got it done!.



Hear's the link. Enjoy,  Don. ........ youtu.be/zqURzcbLMX8?si=Bb1GA7Eu9h0C8Dzv

Edited by - Don Lewers on 01/12/2025 19:49:37

TB4 - Posted - 01/12/2025:  02:14:51

Hi Don, I have listened to your video with a great interest and I think I have understood something, despite my idiosyncrasy for the English language. I too am attracted by the use of the chica-boom so every now and then I try to use it trying to imitate a bit the "stride" effect of many historical pianists like Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and, sometimes, some more modern pianists, like Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson and even the very recent and very modern star Emmet Cohen. To obtain this effect I try to use tones that allow the use of open strings. Although I think that the plectrum is more suitable than the tenor to play in this way, even with the tenor you can obtain something discrete. Thanks for your post and a kiss to your beautiful dogs!

Compass56 - Posted - 01/12/2025:  02:14:52

‘Excellent work here Mr. Lewers. You’re a fine player and teacher, and like all great teachers, you gave the people you are teaching much more to ponder than just the material being taught. I have utilized the boom chica technique in my playing quite bit over the three plus decades of my four-string banjo journey, but because of your video, I am now pondering new ways I can expand my use of the boom chica technique in ways that’s I’ve never previously considered. Thank you Don.

Compass56 - Posted - 01/12/2025:  02:35:54

quote:

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Originally posted by TB4

Hi Don, I have listened to your video with a great interest and I think I have understood something, despite my idiosyncrasy for the English language. I too am attracted by the use of the chica-boom so every now and then I try to use it trying to imitate a bit the "stride" effect of many historical pianists like Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and, sometimes, some more modern pianists, like Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson and even the very recent and very modern star Emmet Cohen. To obtain this effect I try to use tones that allow the use of open strings. Although I think that the plectrum is more suitable than the tenor to play in this way, even with the tenor you can obtain something discrete. Thanks for your post and a kiss to your beautiful dogs!

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Marco, thank you for this fine post.  I have several comments about your comments.

1. Your English is very fine. As a person who has studied Italian for over two years, I can relate to the difficulties of language acquisition, but you are far ahead of me in that area.  If learning a new language were soccer ("calcio" in Italian), you would be Lionel Messi, and I would be my four year old niece who just joined her first soccer team.

2. I love the stride style, and I'm currently trying to learn to incorporate those beautiful broken tenths into my four-string banjo playing, but so far my efforts mirror my niece's efforts on the pitch.

3. You named some of my favorite piano players. (Emmet Cohen is my favorite current piano player.) In your playing and in your comments you've always  reached well past a "banjo only" approach, and to me, that's why your music has so much depth.  (The same is true of Don Lewers, and his fine video is a great example of that dynamic.) 

Edited by - Compass56 on 01/12/2025 02:49:47

TB4 - Posted - 01/12/2025:  05:00:48

quote:

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Originally posted by Compass56

quote:

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Originally posted by TB4

Hi Don, I have listened to your video with a great interest and I think I have understood something, despite my idiosyncrasy for the English language. I too am attracted by the use of the chica-boom so every now and then I try to use it trying to imitate a bit the "stride" effect of many historical pianists like Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and, sometimes, some more modern pianists, like Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson and even the very recent and very modern star Emmet Cohen. To obtain this effect I try to use tones that allow the use of open strings. Although I think that the plectrum is more suitable than the tenor to play in this way, even with the tenor you can obtain something discrete. Thanks for your post and a kiss to your beautiful dogs!

---

Marco, thank you for this fine post.  I have several comments about your comments.

1. Your English is very fine. As a person who has studied Italian for over two years, I can relate to the difficulties of language acquisition, but you are far ahead of me in that area.  If learning a new language were soccer ("calcio" in Italian), you would be Lionel Messi, and I would be my four year old niece who just joined her first soccer team.

2. I love the stride style, and I'm currently trying to learn to incorporate those beautiful broken tenths into my four-string banjo playing, but so far my efforts mirror my niece's efforts on the pitch.

3. You named some of my favorite piano players. (Emmet Cohen is my favorite current piano player.) In your playing and in your comments you've always  reached well past a "banjo only" approach, and to me, that's why your music has so much depth.  (The same is true of Don Lewers, and his fine video is a great example of that dynamic.) 

---

TB4 - Posted - 01/12/2025:  05:21:27

Tony, thanks for your writing. While I have no great difficulty reading English texts, I have difficulty understanding when Americans and especially English people speak quickly using idiomatic phrases and, above all, producing sounds that are incomprehensible and do not correspond (to my ears) to what is written. Of course, the problem is more mine than the English language, especially now that I am 81. I am currently taking an English course, but my memory decline is hampering me greatly. I tried, without success, two other times when I was young. I don't consider myself hopeless at languages ??because I learned French quite well at school and, on my own, a little modern Greek. In any case, everything I write is checked by an online translator, who almost always gives me good advice. Thanks again, and sorry for this "off topic".

banjopaolo - Posted - 01/12/2025:  08:17:34

Great video Don :-)

Don Lewers - Posted - 01/12/2025:  20:51:10

Thanks a lot Marco, Tony, and Paolo, for your comments and feedback, they made my day.

Yes Marco, because of it's 5ths tuning, the tenor banjo's harder to play Boom Chica on, and therefore, needs more left hand work to pull it off. I hope both you and Tony do persevere with it, f'sure.
On my video, I meant to mention the similarities of the Stride Piano style of ''Fats,'' to Boom Chic, but sadly, I completely forgot about it ........ point taken!. ....... Don.

Hot Club Man - Posted - 01/13/2025:  13:27:45

Don--you are an excellent banjo player and a very good teacher. Never heard the 'Boom-Chica' style played on the banjo before--guitar yes. Sounds good on the banjo. You have captured the style.