Mike,

I hear you. I've been at it about 9 months and feel the same. I put my own tunes together which are very melodic and are "addicted" to playing them instead of plowing through my books. It would serve me well to stop with my own and stay in the books.  The Trischka Melodic book is where I want to be.  I too am a little slow to put things to memory.  The best way to do that is to simply play one measure over and over again until you can play by heart and then move on.  Another hard thing for me is playing certain licks where you play the inside strings T,1 and 2 right next to each other rather than say, T, 2 and 3.  If that makes sense?  I play a Scruggs Mastertone witha Tony Pass rim which sounds just awesome.  I use D'Addario lights and a Scorpion bridge.  I had a Snuffy but there was just too much overtones on it.  I think every banjo is different, no matter the make, and that each one needs bridge, strings combo to get the right sound- some one else may have the same banjo and get the sound from different set up.  Players I like are Bill Keith, T Trischka, Fleck, Bobby Thompson, Mark Vann, and Tony Ellis. I respect traditional driving bluegrass style but want to play jazz, rock, folk, etc.  I play melodic with a hint of clawhammer thrown in.  I live in Wytheville, Va.

Take care,

Thom Moore