CreekRunner - Posted - 05/15/2012:  21:15:49

Hey all. Haven't named my banjo yet but have called her some interesting names!  

David

DrBobNeon - Posted - 05/16/2012:  04:24:36

Discouraging remarks or heritage aspersions?

(Have uttered a few discouraging remarks about getting a clear C chord, myself.)

kc8tby - Posted - 05/17/2012:  23:48:45

I love the idea of this forum! It's really good to find so many others here who are just starting out!
I never thought of naming my banjo but the more I think about it, the more I think its a great idea!
Now, because I am (something) of an American Civil War historian, I think I will name my banjo "General Sterling Price". Like that old Confederate General, my banjo may never become too famous but, like good old Sterling Price, we (my banjo and I) will never stop trying!!

Logtown - Posted - 05/18/2012:  01:41:58

Need help! First of all thanks to any and all who respond!

Just starting with new Scruggs Deluxe. I am in need of beginner tabs for melodies I may be familiar with. I know forward, backward, and alternating thumb rolls. I have Cripple Creek tab and have it down and up to speed. Really can't find any more good tabs. Needs beginner tabs which show (TIM) right hand. Does anyone have PDFs they might send me of something appropriate for beginners. I play guitar, fiddle, mandolin by ear and I can play stuff but it doesn't sound technically correct. Any thing yall can email me? Didn't find stuff last night from tab section that looked beginner-friendly. Suggestions and tabs for Ballad of Jed Clampet, Old Joe Clark, others? If you wouldn't mind helping a brother out please email me at:
logtown@windstream.net
God Bless

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/18/2012:  07:20:07

No, what you need is a good METHOD book. Invest fifteen to thirty bucks in a method that will teach you the standard techniques in a graduated, logical manner and provide a slow-fast rhythm CD to play along with, instead of bouncing around from one person's arranging style to another just learning your favorite tunes. Learn Ballad of Jed when you are ready to play it right, instead of struggling for weeks with it now, or learning some watered-down beginner version. Sure you play mandolin and guitar...just because you can drive a golf cart doesn't mean you can drive a car. Banjos are different. There is a reason you can't get banjo to sound right, you are probably approaching it like a mandolin, fiddle or guitar. Banjo played in three finger roll style is TOTALLY different than an other instrument on earth. You can afford a $5,000. banjo but not a fifteen dollar book...or, better yet, lessons from a pro? Really?

Bluegrass Banjo Method, Book One

First Lessons Banjo

Jazz Country - Posted - 05/18/2012:  10:30:31

Jack, I started by working though the Janet Davis book "You Can Teach Yourself Banjo." Would your Method One book be a logical next step?

Larry

mudlakesandy - Posted - 05/18/2012:  10:48:09

Both books mentioned are good- but the real answer is a live pro instructor to get you doing it right the first time. Struggled with both books for 6 months- then got an instructor- a good one and spent one month correcting errors, now in the two months since then have made more progress than the preceeding 7 months.
-S

Jazz Country - Posted - 05/18/2012:  11:26:07

I hear ya, Sandy! I thought banjo was going to be a breeze because I played guitar for many years - WRONG! After a few months of self study I attended a jam camp and then took a lesson from a great local teacher. I humbly accepted the fact that I have a long way to go. Good thing it's so much fun learning.

Larry

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/18/2012:  11:36:03

Janet's book covers most of the basic elements in Bluegrass Banjo Method, Book One. There would be a lot of redundancy. Your money would be wiser spent going into Bluegrass Banjo Method, Book -2 or the backup techniques book, Bluegrass Banjo Method, Book 3 if you want to get right into playing with others. That said HAD you started with BBM-1 you would be learning the upper neck arrangements you already learned in BBM-1, it is a series, one book builds on the lessons learned in the other before it. If you re not too far through Janet's book, (which is a fine book, by the way, but it's a stand-alone method, it does not have a sequel as such) you may want to get BBM-1 and be consistent. My entire swries from BBM-1 through best of Jack Hatfield would take a serious student three or four years at least to master, practicing at least an hour a day, at which point you would be an advanced level player.

Andy: A good teacher is ALWAYS more beneficial...the book can't reach out and put your hand in the proper position when you a re in too impatient to read the book thoroughly and look at the photos and do what it says. A book can't make you slow down when you are racing through it just to get done instead of learning each lesson well before going on to the next. An experienced teacher is ALWAYS better...IF you can find one, not a guitar teacher who knows just enough banjo to take your money for a year before you realize he tapped out six months ago. GOOD experienced banjo teachers who play banjo as a main instrument are hard to find except in heavily populated areas. You need to do the research, ask some questions before blindly signing up for lessons.

The Best of Jack Hatfield

Backup Techniques on the Five String Banjo

Jazz Country - Posted - 05/18/2012:  11:46:09

I think Book 2 might be the best bet.  I have Pete Wernick's backup DVD which is full of great ideas. I'm holding my own playing backup at jam sessions but I can't quite play up to speed yet on the faster songs. Plus when the experienced banjo players do their thing I see my left hand technique is lacking. The combination of your book and another live lesson with a local maestro might push me beyond my current plateau.

Larry

Larry121047 - Posted - 05/18/2012:  12:30:30

quote:

---

Originally posted by jackhatfield

No, what you need is a good METHOD book. Invest fifteen to thirty bucks in a method that will teach you the standard techniques in a graduated, logical manner and provide a slow-fast rhythm CD to play along with, instead of bouncing around from one person's arranging style to another just learning your favorite tunes. Learn Ballad of Jed when you are ready to play it right, instead of struggling for weeks with it now, or learning some watered-down beginner version. Sure you play mandolin and guitar...just because you can drive a golf cart doesn't mean you can drive a car. Banjos are different. There is a reason you can't get banjo to sound right, you are probably approaching it like a mandolin, fiddle or guitar. Banjo played in three finger roll style is TOTALLY different than an other instrument on earth. You can afford a $5,000. banjo but not a fifteen dollar book...or, better yet, lessons from a pro? Really?

---

 Amen!

somarmd - Posted - 05/18/2012:  12:40:54

Murphy Method has worked very well for me..............just one great method of lord knows how many?

mudlakesandy - Posted - 05/18/2012:  14:31:37

Being a heavy reader anyway I bought most all of the books and tried taking the best from all- Jack Hatfield's page in book one on practicing effectively is well worth reading several times....................- but again it was with an instructor that the real progress has begun.

Sandy

dfltil - Posted - 05/18/2012:  15:29:41

I am 69 and have been playing for over a year now and couldn't read music when I started. I use primarily Mel Bay's "Complete Bluegrass Banjo Method" as my instruction book and I have a Mel Bay "Three-Chord Songs" book that has about 120 songs written in notation. I try to play every song in this book every day so as to improve my reading music. These songs are pretty easy to play and are very helpful in my learning to read music. I know a lot of these songs from growing up.

I also bought a thee chord songbook for the Christmas holidays and very quickly learned to play most of them.

I am currently taking lessons in Bluegrass so I hopefully can learn where and when I can add licks to the songs I play to give them more P-zazz.

I really like Cowboy and Trail songs and think that the more I keep playing simple songs and learn Bluegrass licks, I'll be able to play most any kind of music.

don

edhanzel - Posted - 05/18/2012:  21:10:08

New Girl,

Been playing for about 8 months now and I am still working on not stoping when changing chords. Able to finger pick and play chords together, but sometimes I still have to slow or stop to make sure my fingers do what they are supposed to. The toughest one for me at the me is the F chord. Still cannot get my ring finger to want to go to the fourth string.

Ed

Peanutscreams - Posted - 05/19/2012:  16:29:29

I'm in the same boat Ed with the F chord and that ring finger problem on the fourth string. It'll go up there just fast and fine, but mutes the third string. I'm about at the point now where I'm gonna start cheating. In fact I thought about starting a new topic to solicited advice from the experienced players about doing just that.

Been working at it for close to a year and nothings happening in terms of improvement, don't feel I have much of a choice if I want to move on.

Let me know if you ever get it. Did you ever take your trip down to the Deering factory?

Butch B.

butter9487 - Posted - 05/21/2012:  05:11:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by edhanzel

New Girl,



Been playing for about 8 months now and I am still working on not stoping when changing chords. Able to finger pick and play chords together, but sometimes I still have to slow or stop to make sure my fingers do what they are supposed to. The toughest one for me at the me is the F chord. Still cannot get my ring finger to want to go to the fourth string.



Ed

---

Same here but with the D

edhanzel - Posted - 05/23/2012:  20:20:25

I do cheat with the D chord by not placing the ring finger on the 4th string. I still place the pinky finger on the first string, and I actually like the sound of the chord without the ring finger.

Butch...how do you cheat on F? Still have not made it to Deering. I am short staffed at work, so I am working long hours and cannot get take the time. You would think with the high unemployment that it would be easy to find someone.....

lacaveg - Posted - 05/24/2012:  06:09:44

I thought that was a great trick until I started a tab that used the fretted 4th string of the D as the start of the final lick for the song. I have learned to be "flexible" since then. The F cord doesn't bother me - seems to fit my fingers fine - probably from my guitar days. And a lot of the up the neck stuff I try to do (I am only a beginner) depends on the F and the D bars. I just keep plugging along like the rest of you do!

Matthew Reis - Posted - 05/24/2012:  09:29:15

I love playing the banjo, but it can be frustrating. You play a song over and over and it seems like you played it a million times. But when you finally get it, you think, "Wow, I got it!" I just wait for those moments.

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/24/2012:  09:53:03

there s and old adage among teaching circles: can't remember the exact wording, but something like: when you are totally sick of it, that's when it starts sounding good to others.

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/24/2012:  09:59:30

you can cheat on the F chord by omitting the first string third fret. Just lift your pinkie and play the first string open. The resulting D note harmonizes just fine with the other tones in F chord. If the melody does not fall on the fourth string you can omit the fourth string too, just don't play that string, play the third string instead.

brirandle - Posted - 05/25/2012:  05:52:18

Hey Guys:

1st time poster here. I played banjo when I was younger for about a year from an instructor, nothing serious just playing. I decided to pick up my banjo again after probably about 15 years and am using the Janet Davis book Teach yourself banjo. I'am doing good been playing it now for about 4 months now.

Question does anyone know of any good banjo instructor in the Baltimore Md area. I live in Bel Air Md about 40 mins north of Baltimore and just curious if anyone knows of a good instructor is located around here. Thank for your help:)

Jazz Country - Posted - 05/25/2012:  06:00:09

Brian -  here's a list you might check:

dcbu.org/instructors.htm

Larry

Edited by - Jazz Country on 05/25/2012 06:00:32

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/25/2012:  07:54:12

Call Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe, they will have the best most experienced selection of teachers, or call Dave at Turtle Hill Banjo Shop in Bryantown...he will refer you to the best teacher in your area.

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/25/2012:  07:56:57

Dont know how far Ttacoma Park is from you, but Ira Gitlin is your man there.

DrBobNeon - Posted - 05/25/2012:  08:24:35

I have been taking lessons from a very good and patient instructor at the Appalachian Bluegrass store in Catonsville, MD. I don't want to embarass him by giving Milt's name. Call the store. They are all good people (not intended to be a commercial advertisement). - This is brought to you by G, C, and D7.

jackhatfield - Posted - 05/25/2012:  09:48:01

When changing from D formation to F formation or vice versa, remember that the ring and pinky do not change strings. Just swap strings with the index and middle. No need to even pick up the ring and pinkie, in fact that's just wasted movement. When going from the F formation to a Bar formation, don't bar with the index, just relax the third knuckle of the ring finger and collapse that finger to make the Bar. You don't need to remove the ring and pinky. It's not only easier, but if you are then going from the Bar to the F or D formation, your ring and pinkie are already in place.

edhanzel - Posted - 05/31/2012:  20:21:31

quote:

---

Originally posted by jackhatfield

When changing from D formation to F formation or vice versa, remember that the ring and pinky do not change strings. Just swap strings with the index and middle. No need to even pick up the ring and pinkie, in fact that's just wasted movement. When going from the F formation to a Bar formation, don't bar with the index, just relax the third knuckle of the ring finger and collapse that finger to make the Bar. You don't need to remove the ring and pinky. It's not only easier, but if you are then going from the Bar to the F or D formation, your ring and pinkie are already in place.

---

banjer_jim - Posted - 06/01/2012:  11:37:18

quote:

---

Originally posted by jackhatfield

When changing from D formation to F formation or vice versa, remember that the ring and pinky do not change strings. Just swap strings with the index and middle. No need to even pick up the ring and pinkie, in fact that's just wasted movement. When going from the F formation to a Bar formation, don't bar with the index, just relax the third knuckle of the ring finger and collapse that finger to make the Bar. You don't need to remove the ring and pinky. It's not only easier, but if you are then going from the Bar to the F or D formation, your ring and pinkie are already in place.

---

Wonderful info about moving into and out of the barre chord.  I have been struggling with that very thing, so much so that I have tended to find the chord elsewhere on the fret-board.  Thanks so much!

pickerjim - Posted - 06/03/2012:  14:22:37

Howdy All.....I picked up banjo and abandoned it for various reasons thru the years, and thought I was approaching novice/intermediate level.
The beginners on this forum have taught me as much as i could teach you.

Jack, your experience with chord transitions have helped me a great deal....I have been struggling with D and F for some while!(i know you're not a beginner) Thanks for sharing tips!
best of luck to all the newbies!

Jim

courgettelawn - Posted - 06/11/2012:  13:59:30

Hey,

Fellow beginners, if you're looking for a good banjo, Deering have how brought out a new Steve Martin inspired Goodtime, the Goodtime Rarebird Alert with a host of goodies. I bought a Crow last year and think it one of the most wonderful things I could own. My practice has been up and down of late having moved, doing various jobs etc and now with a cut in my third fretting finger! But my banjo will be with me for life, it's a pleasure even to have a bad practice on!

deeringbanjos.com/deering-good...ium=email

sam-i-am - Posted - 07/15/2012:  10:32:06

Jack, I thought you were referring to D7. In that one you just have to slide up from 2 to 5.  Great advice as usual.

ad800 - Posted - 07/15/2012:  15:08:13

I was taking a look at the sullivan V-35 and could see an option for a "speed neck"... What exactly is a speed neck? Ive been trying to find a description to no avail. Any information would be greatly appreciated

kwmidwest - Posted - 07/15/2012:  15:35:10

A speed neck is generally a thinner neck that allows the player to move up and down the neck quickly.

cqpayne33 - Posted - 07/19/2012:  01:05:58

OK I have one of those "dumb" questions here, just one for now! I am fairly new (6 or 7 weeks) and have only used "introduction to the 5 string banjo" DVD as a teacher up to this point along with reading various items on this site too. I was able to pick up "Parking log Pickers" and teach myself to play 'Rocky Top" and some of my co-workers were outside my office singing it to me pickin so I must be doing something right (I am Active Duty US Navy and out at sea so I was picking after hours in my office, jeez and you thought I was picking during working hours didn't ya!). However here is my question, when I play it I can pick the one note to make it sound right but when I listen to the CD that came with the book it seems that I am missing about 3 notes between each one I am hitting! What am I missing here folks? It just seems like I am missing so much of the traditional banjo sound that accompanies each song!
Chad

Mitch Dickson - Posted - 07/19/2012:  22:25:18

What did he say, try to think like a banjo player?  Wow, that really is scary 

DrBobNeon - Posted - 07/20/2012:  15:53:14

Think banjo player. Be banjo player. Don't get fingers caught between strings. Is that BANJO-ZEN? Ommmmm (in G of course).

Sorry. I just woke up from a nap. I dreamed that I was delivering something...

Happy practicing! Happy happy, joy joy.

Must practice. Must practice.

Jazz Country - Posted - 07/22/2012:  09:14:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by cqpayne33

OK I have one of those "dumb" questions here, just one for now! I am fairly new (6 or 7 weeks) and have only used "introduction to the 5 string banjo" DVD as a teacher up to this point along with reading various items on this site too. I was able to pick up "Parking log Pickers" and teach myself to play 'Rocky Top" and some of my co-workers were outside my office singing it to me pickin so I must be doing something right (I am Active Duty US Navy and out at sea so I was picking after hours in my office, jeez and you thought I was picking during working hours didn't ya!). However here is my question, when I play it I can pick the one note to make it sound right but when I listen to the CD that came with the book it seems that I am missing about 3 notes between each one I am hitting! What am I missing here folks? It just seems like I am missing so much of the traditional banjo sound that accompanies each song!

Chad

---

Chad - I'm not sure but I bet a teacher would tell you that your "problem" is very common among beginners. I played for a few months before taking a lesson and the teacher stopped me after I played a couple bars of a song. He told me I was hitting the melody notes at the right time but the rolls in between were missing notes and also the notes were not spaced evenly. I had not realized I was playing like that. So I think it's great that that you noticed on your own that you're missing those notes. Since you are on the briny and can't just hop on the subway to meet a teacher, I think you would make real progress by taking a Skype lesson from one of the instructors on the hangout. I can tell you that the one lesson I took changed everything about the way I practice and approach songs.

Best of luck and thank you for serving in the armed forces.

Larry

Fluff - Posted - 07/22/2012:  12:22:34

Hi everyone - My first post.  A question for Jack.  I'm a complete beginner - working my way through Jacks First Lessons Banjo book.  This is a great book and I'm enjoying (trying to improve) using it.

I'm just struggling with one particular bit (one note)  - not only to play it, but also to understand why to pick this with the index rather than the thumb?

Cotton - Eyed Joe on page 25 Third line,  3rd bar.  For the 6th note It says pick the fifth string with the index finger.  This just seems really odd after using the thumb to pick the fifth string for the second and fourth notes - and after using the thumb for the same note in the previous bar.  (Also doesn't seem to fit after the TIMTIMTM forward roll practise introduced on the previous page)   It feels really awkward compared to just picking it with the thumb (although to be fair - a lot of things are feeling "awkward" at the moment)

I hope you don't mind the brief copy I've made of this section - I thought it would help make the question clearer.  (Please let me know if it's an issue and I'll delete it)

Any advice gratefully received

Edited by - Fluff on 07/22/2012 12:26:48

cqpayne33 - Posted - 07/22/2012:  13:58:10

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jazz Country

quote:

---

Originally posted by cqpayne33

OK I have one of those "dumb" questions here, just one for now! I am fairly new (6 or 7 weeks) and have only used "introduction to the 5 string banjo" DVD as a teacher up to this point along with reading various items on this site too. I was able to pick up "Parking log Pickers" and teach myself to play 'Rocky Top" and some of my co-workers were outside my office singing it to me pickin so I must be doing something right (I am Active Duty US Navy and out at sea so I was picking after hours in my office, jeez and you thought I was picking during working hours didn't ya!). However here is my question, when I play it I can pick the one note to make it sound right but when I listen to the CD that came with the book it seems that I am missing about 3 notes between each one I am hitting! What am I missing here folks? It just seems like I am missing so much of the traditional banjo sound that accompanies each song!

Chad

---

Chad - I'm not sure but I bet a teacher would tell you that your "problem" is very common among beginners. I played for a few months before taking a lesson and the teacher stopped me after I played a couple bars of a song. He told me I was hitting the melody notes at the right time but the rolls in between were missing notes and also the notes were not spaced evenly. I had not realized I was playing like that. So I think it's great that that you noticed on your own that you're missing those notes. Since you are on the briny and can't just hop on the subway to meet a teacher, I think you would make real progress by taking a Skype lesson from one of the instructors on the hangout. I can tell you that the one lesson I took changed everything about the way I practice and approach songs.

Best of luck and thank you for serving in the armed forces.

Larry

---

Larry, Thank you for the advice, I just want to make sure I am on the right track so I have already comminucated with someone to set up a SKYPE lesson once I get back into port!  We are not allowed to SKYPE from a government computer but I should be able to soon enough.  Just going to work on the basics until then, my main concern is I don't want to pick up any bad habits that might hurt me later on!

n1wr - Posted - 07/22/2012:  16:15:29

Fluff - looks like a mis-print.  The thumb 99.9% of the time plays the fifth string - and that's what should feel comfortable and right.

Keep on picking mate!

Wayne

jackhatfield - Posted - 07/23/2012:  08:18:00

You are making the same mistake i did when I first started...trying to play guitar technique on a banjo. I went and got lessons after struggling for a month, it became clear in the very first lesson what I was doing wrong. it's all about the rolls. If you can't skype get one of my self instruction books. the Mel Bay book "First Lessons Banjo" has a DVD so you can actually SEE my hands making the maneuvers and see what proper position looks like.It is VERY elementary takes a good student about 5-6 weeks, then the Bluegrass banjo method is comprehensive, takes about 8-10 months for the average student.

Bluegrass Banjo Method, Book One

First Lessons Banjo

jackhatfield - Posted - 07/23/2012:  09:00:39

Fluff:

My bad, that is a typo! so sorry! Always use your Right Thumb on the fifth string. Nobody has alerted me to this yet, probably because by this point in the book most people have figured out the default right hand fingerings and don't need to look below the note. The right hand fingering indicators are almost unnecessary after three or four songs, if you understand the concept of (A) Using the thumb on most melody notes and especially on the first beat of the measure (B) not playing any digit in succession on consecutive eighth notes and (C) like typing, choose the finger (BOTH HANDS) that is the closest to the target...the most economical. For example, on a fourth string note you would not reach all the way up with your Right Index...use the closer R. Thumb... (UNLESS it was to satisfy "B" above...avoiding repetition of a digit on consecutive eighth notes). In any fingering situation, consider these three concepts and the solution will be evident. Eventually it will be automatic, you won't NEED to analyze every single fingering.

Tab is great, but it can make one mentally lazy. One must understand the basic CONCEPTS of the style, then it will be obvious which finger to use in a given situation. In my intermediate books I show the right hand fingering only in traditional problem spots, like when two or more fingers must be used on the same fret or when there is a tricky position change. it makes the a tab less cluttered.

Jack

cqpayne33 - Posted - 07/23/2012:  09:12:05

quote:

---

Originally posted by jackhatfield

You are making the same mistake i did when I first started...trying to play guitar technique on a banjo. I went and got lessons after struggling for a month, it became clear in the very first lesson what I was doing wrong. it's all about the rolls. If you can't skype get one of my self instruction books. the Mel Bay book "First Lessons Banjo" has a DVD so you can actually SEE my hands making the maneuvers and see what proper position looks like.It is VERY elementary takes a good student about 5-6 weeks, then the Bluegrass banjo method is comprehensive, takes about 8-10 months for the average student.

---

Jack,

Thanks for the advice, going to take a lesson and get the book "First Lessons Banjo" too just for those occasions I won't have "access" to lessons.  I won't get mail until I am able to take a lesson which is in about 3 weeks so I will get the book/DVD around the same time I intend to take a lesson.  There is only one teacher listed for hawaii though and I am sending him a email now, otherwise I will have to SKYPE a lesson once I get back on dry land!

Another question for you though, do you play locally in Pigeon Forge?  Home for me is a couple hours away and when I go back home to visit my wife and kids I have been known to spend a few hours at Bass Pro out that way!  I would like to come see you play sometime when I am in the area.  Looks like right now the soonest I will be back in those neck of the woods is around the Christmas holiday time frame.

Chad

sam-i-am - Posted - 07/23/2012:  15:17:16

I have been learning now about a year and a half. Not everyday as I should be as often as I could. During this time I have struggled with my right hand. I couldn't keep my ring finger planted and the hand was never where it felt right. So I started concentrating on the ring finger and discovered that my problem was tension. As soon as I could relax my arm my ring finger stayed on the head. That made a world of difference in my playing accuracy. 

I have Jack's book and he says to sit upright in a straight back chair, good posture, etc., which I have done. The other night, my phone rang when I was practicing, and I sat in my recliner to talk. Afterward, I was reclining and decided to plink around. My right elbow was resting on the arm rest taking ALL of the pressure off my arm. And, I had an epiphany. I was still not relaxing my arms enough when I played and I discovered where on my arm I should place it on the rest. Since then I have felt much more at ease and satisfied that I can actually play this little devil.

Sam

jackhatfield - Posted - 07/23/2012:  16:54:47

my band played the grand opening for bass pro shop! We do mostly private parties and corporate gigs, weddings, etc. but contact me before you come and I'll tell you if we have any public jobs

jackhatfield - Posted - 07/23/2012:  17:06:33

Sam:
When you learn by experience you remember it forever. You only need to use the muscles that move the fingers. NO muscles in the upper arm. What happens is that you get tense when you come to a hard lick or make an error...you tighten up. We have to remember to STAY RELAXED and if you notice tension, stop and breathe deeply and return to a relaxed but alert state. Let gravity be the only thing holding you arm down on the armrest.

sam-i-am - Posted - 07/23/2012:  18:25:45

quote:

---

Originally posted by jackhatfield



Sam:

When you learn by experience you remember it forever. You only need to use the muscles that move the fingers. NO muscles in the upper arm. What happens is that you get tense when you come to a hard lick or make an error...you tighten up. We have to remember to STAY RELAXED and if you notice tension, stop and breathe deeply and return to a relaxed but alert state. Let gravity be the only thing holding you arm down on the armrest.

---

You are right, Jack. When I notice my shoulder tensing up (going up), I just let it down again. The other thing my instructor has taught me is to play quietly to practice relaxing..