JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/27/2012:  18:16:17

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I feel bad destroying these Flatt and Scruggs songs, so I need to lay off recording those for a while. Does anyone have some song suggestions that won't defile Earl's good name? I just got this great banjo and want to post something but after listening to what came out of my Zoom, I need to move on to plan B :O)

mikey5string - Posted - 12/27/2012:  18:33:49

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Which songs are you referring to? A lot of songs on those albums are not written by F&S

Some common tunes not written by F or S:

Cripple Creek
Lonesome Road Blues
Cumberland Gap
John Hardy
John Henry
Lil Darlin Pal of Mine
Home Sweet Home
Mountain Dew
Jesse James
Long Journey Home

A lot of songs in the genre have simple melodies and few chord changes. You dont have to play Earls break, if you cant play that well just come up with an easier version. There are tabs ranked by difficulty on the hangout. Maybe try some beginner or intermediate stuff.

Earls breaks really are not too difficult to play from a technical perspective. Its the feel, tone and nuances that make them great.

If your playing doesnt sound good to you, figure out why. Is it the timing? Hammer ons or pull offs sloppy? Chords sound clear? tone?

Work on making them sound better.

CreekRunner - Posted - 12/27/2012:  18:35:45

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Go ahead,Earl won't care. In fact,I'm sure he'd be full of encouragement.

What banjo did you get, the Red Fox?

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/27/2012:  18:44:00

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Some how I ended up with Doyle Lawson's Yates banjo.

With the songs recorded by Earl, they are supposed to sound a certain way. There is a feel. I think part of my problem here is that I need to learn to think in terms of bluegrass. I am a speed metal guitarist, ala Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Yngwie, that's what I do. Not bluegrass. I'm trying to do bluegrass. There is definitely a stretch between what is written on paper and what something actually sounds like (which makes this challenging and fun).

Hmm...maybe bluegrass gospel? Maybe there would be some divine intervention?

Doyle Lawson Yates

Doyle Lawson Yates

privard - Posted - 12/27/2012:  18:49:46

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Just one recommendation: New Camptown Races. It has a wonderful chord progression. Also it's a fine introduction to a mix of Bill Keith melodic sty;le and straight up bluegrass. It's a great banjo tune to play without any pressure to sound like Earl or sound like Bill Keith. Plenty of opportunity to inflect how you see fit.

Banjophobic - Posted - 12/27/2012:  19:22:08

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Being a speed metal guitarist has little correlation to the syncopated phrases of BG banjo. Instead of trying to play full blown versions Ala Earl, Work on simple melodies that you can express with rolling patterns and some filler. It wont be carbon's of Earls soloing, but it will be in his style-just a simpler rendering.

Dave Magram - Posted - 12/28/2012:  01:00:04

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quote:

Originally posted by JMalmsteen

I feel bad destroying these Flatt and Scruggs songs, so I need to lay off recording those for a while. Does anyone have some song suggestions that won't defile Earl's good name? I just got this great banjo and want to post something but after listening to what came out of my Zoom, I need to move on to plan B :O)

Hi Jen,

What are your goals? Do you just want to post some sound-files of your banjo playing, or do want to learn to play authentic Scruggs-style banjo? Either answer is fine, but it may be useful to think about what your main goal is.

• 
  If your goal is simply to post sound-files of your banjo, then any material will do-- including working up heavy-metal on the banjo. Why not-- Bernie Leadon (of The Eagles) did a great job playing Motown on the banjo with the "Run C&W" band.


• 
  OTOH, if your goal is to play authentic Scruggs-style banjo, then it may be a good idea to choose a simple tune like “Cripple Creek”, and work on getting your timing, accentuation, and drive as close to Earl’s as possible. It is not necessary to play Earl's solos note-for-note, but capturing the subtleties of his timing and impeccable drive is a big challenge. The tune may be simple but getting it to sound like Earl can take a lifetime.

- Dave

overhere - Posted - 12/28/2012:  02:03:43

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Actually a lot of Flatt and Scruggs stuff was taken from existing and adapted to their way of playing. They did 100's of songs that had been done by others before and after. A lot of songs sound like they’d be owned by someone mostly because that someone is /are the only versions you’re aware of. So to say, “I don’t want to defile” is not so much a truth. How bout taking those songs you like and think of them as adapting to “your” way of playing them. “That” is what Bluegrass is all about.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/28/2012:  03:39:08

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Dave,
Goal- play Earl songs that sound like Earl songs at full speed. I'm also realistic. I hopefully have years and decades ahead of me to play banjo and if I can play full speed Earl ten years from now, that is fine. I have been playing guitar for over twenty-five years, so I'm dedicated to playing and music is my passion outside of my job.

The other goal is to play banjo at a jam and sound like a banjo player. I have gone to a jam with my banjo maybe three times and I mostly just play mandolin and will break out the banjo towards the end when the people watching go home. I figure mandolin is a middle ground, its not guitar, so I'm pressing my comfort zone.

I am happy playing anything on banjo. I love Scruggs style. I thought banjo would be easy since I am a good guitar player- but, I'm a good heavy metal electric guitar player. That helps with right and left hand coordination but I'm used to a flat pick, super low action, and distortion. The journey has been fun.

As far as recording the Yates, I just wanted to put up a sound file and I have been working on the Earl stuff, but it is so off. I almost feel if you are going to attempt F&S, it had better sound like it, out of respect.

I should probably get one of those slow down programs to play along with the recordings to get the phrasing.

Fathand - Posted - 12/28/2012:  05:56:35

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If you want to play at jams and sound like a banjo player you need to try sounding like yourself.  It is almost impossible to play someone elses note for note tab or arrangement in a jam situation where you are switching between backup, break and vocals and having to adapt when someone else makes a mistake or plays something differently. Even Earl did not play songs the same way every or any time. Make up your own arrangements to simple songs to start.

First, practice playing backup or rhythm and singing the songs. You can even strum on your guitar at first until you know the song if that is easier. Vocal songs are easiest because you have words to cue you and usually less melody notes to worry about than instrumentals. Then practice making up arrangements on the fly by thinking of the vocal and playing some melody and the chords. 

 

 

Banjophobic - Posted - 12/28/2012:  07:59:13

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quote:

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Originally posted by JMalmsteen



Dave,

Goal- play Earl songs that sound like Earl songs at full speed. I'm also realistic. I hopefully have years and decades ahead of me to play banjo and if I can play full speed Earl ten years from now, that is fine. I have been playing guitar for over twenty-five years, so I'm dedicated to playing and music is my passion outside of my job.



The other goal is to play banjo at a jam and sound like a banjo player. I have gone to a jam with my banjo maybe three times and I mostly just play mandolin and will break out the banjo towards the end when the people watching go home. I figure mandolin is a middle ground, its not guitar, so I'm pressing my comfort zone.



I am happy playing anything on banjo. I love Scruggs style. I thought banjo would be easy since I am a good guitar player- but, I'm a good heavy metal electric guitar player. That helps with right and left hand coordination but I'm used to a flat pick, super low action, and distortion. The journey has been fun.



As far as recording the Yates, I just wanted to put up a sound file and I have been working on the Earl stuff, but it is so off. I almost feel if you are going to attempt F&S, it had better sound like it, out of respect.



I should probably get one of those slow down programs to play along with the recordings to get the phrasing.

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Goal 2 is the best one at this point in your playing. No one will or should expect to sound and play at "Earl' level in the early stages. "Respect" aside, it more just having realistic goals, like that second one you mention, is the way to proceed. 'Overhere' gave a great observation about songs. The first  goal is to just render faithful versions of the melody, play good back-up and cover all the "Ts". 

If the mindset is you can't play anything that F&S's wrote or covered unless its at that level, then you'll be avoiding lots of great tunes. Don't let 'respect' cloud your outlook on just playing tunes. Play simpler versions that cover the "T's" and capture as much melody as you can. The rest comes later...

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Edited by - Banjophobic on 12/28/2012 08:04:52

banjoy - Posted - 12/28/2012:  08:05:16

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Heck Jens, I've read this thread and the other one you started wondering why folks post to SoundOff...

I've listened to your MP3s on your BHO homepage. Jens, you are being far too hard on yourself, unnecessarily.

What I hear in your playing is solid timing and tone. You are being far too critical on yourself.

In my opinion, this music is alive and vibrant, and each person who plays it — even those who attempt to imitate F&S and other heroes — bring something new and fresh to the music. So everyone who learns this stuff does not really need to be the custodian of a music museum.

No one has or will judge you any more harshly for your playing than you have of yourself. Relax. You're a fine picker. Just keep doing it, learning music is about learning yourself too, and while trying to channel Earl Scruggs is a worthy goal, channeling LMalmsteen is a worthy goal too. I would argue, a more worthy goal. Earl Scruggs has already done the Earl Scruggs thing, God bless him.

My two cents. Will cost ya a nickel though, or you can pay up with a few MP3 posts.   (like I'm one to be talking lol)

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Edited by - banjoy on 12/28/2012 08:06:54

seanray - Posted - 12/28/2012:  08:12:34

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Pick something simple like Fireball Mail, Down the Road, East Virginia Blues, etc. Play it fast enough to get the feel but slow enough to keep it good 'n country sounding. Solid and chewy always trumps fast and sloppy.

And you should definitely be slowing albums down and playing along. That is the fastest way to pick up the details of the pros.

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 12/28/2012:  08:29:28

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 Jen, I think if you work on Goal # 2, then Goal # 1 will follow of its own accord.  As for working on Goal 2, if you wanted become an expert archer, would you practice fencing? If you really want to play banjo in a jam, then play banjo

arnie fleischer - Posted - 12/28/2012:  09:11:40

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Hey Jen, listen to John, Dave and Bob (Klondike Waldo).  

And go to jams . . . but leave your mandolin home.  Bring your banjo and play it.  It's the only way to get past the limits you seem to have created for yourself.

When I returned to serious playing in the mid-90's after more than a decade away, I was extremely reluctant to jam.  I hadn't played out in quite a while, my chops and timing needed a lot of work, and I had to reacquaint myself with the standard bluegrass repertoire because the only tunes I remembered were what my band had played from 1975-1979. Since we were not a traditional bluegrass band, but rather a bunch of 60's folkies who played whatever we felt like in a quasi-bluegrass style, you can imagine how far removed I was from "Foggy Mountain Banjo," let alone from Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, the Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the rest.  

Guess what?  Pretty much everyone I met at jams was happy I was there, and the few who looked down at me also had a well-deserved reputation for having an attitude and as a result nobody took them seriously.  Without exception, the best and most experienced players I met at jams turned out to be the most helpful and encouraging.

No matter who your banjo-playing influences may be, the only way to really sound like a banjo player is to develop and become comfortable with your own individual style.  You can't do that if you play your banjo at home but take your mandolin to jams. 

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/28/2012:  09:28:35

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Let me tell you what I happened when I went to the jam and specifically didn't take my mandolin. I got there and there must have been thirty people watching. There was no way I was going to take out the banjo. I sat and watched. One of the guys at the jam (they are all guys...twenty/thirty plus years older than me....hah) asked me where my mandolin was. I said I didn't take it. Someone gave me a mandolin! I built up the nerve later to take out the banjo. The banjo guys who show up are good- play in a band good.

I have another five days off so might as well be productive. I have been playing gospel songs today. There is no expectation to sound like Earl here with the songs I'm playing, so this is taking some of the self created pressure off.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

banjoman56 - Posted - 12/28/2012:  10:00:54

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Jen, I agree with Banjoy, you're being way to hard on yourself. The songs I've listened to you play were in time and the tone was good. They were slower than what Earl would have played them, but the only way to fix that is to practice them. Listening to a lot of Earl helps also. If you really know the song, you know what to strive for. I will guarantee you that every good banjo player on the hangout sounded a bit different from Earl when they had been playing just a couple years. I'll go even farther and say, there's still no one ready to step in his shoes. Earl would be the first to tell you not to worry about destroying his songs. You've put a lot of time into learning them, now all you have to do is get them up to speed and smooth them out. And don't forget that tunes like FMB wouldn't sound good at 110 BPM even if Earl was playing it.
I've played for 16 years or more and I still don't sound like Earl, but I do sound a lot more like him than I did at 2 years............... Play more, worry less. :)

banjoy - Posted - 12/28/2012:  10:07:18

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JEN not Jens

My bad. Heck, your name is only one letter off from Jens Kruger. You're in good company :)

Pick away. I'm absolutely positive, Earl would not mind at all

loukiii - Posted - 12/28/2012:  10:53:39

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Well... how about Red Wing, Salt Creek, Doug's Tune or Old Home Place? Or maybe something by Jimmy Martin like You Don't Know My Mind or Theme Time? I don't know if Earl recorded any of those, but you will still have to try to emulate the likes of Doug Dillard, Alan Munde, Bill Emerson and J.D.

Us banjer noobs just cant win can we? lol

arnie fleischer - Posted - 12/28/2012:  17:29:05

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Not to belabor the issue, but why did 30 people watching throw you off?  Most if not all of them would have had no clue if you made mistakes while playing.

One more thing: I truly believe that your goal should not be to sound like Earl.  Nobody else can sound like Earl - not Ron Stewart, not Kenny Ingram . . . and certainly not you or me.  I think your goal, as a bluegrass banjo player, should be to sound like someone who has listened to and learned from the playing of Earl (and others, too - not just famous pickers but also, dare I say it, people you meet at jams) and then applied that knowledge to her own playing. 

 

 

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/28/2012:  17:37:22

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I don't won't to be Earl....I wouldn't mind being able to play some full speed recognizable versions of his songs. As far as the jam, teaching physics in a lecture hall setting, teaching math and science all day, arguing a case in front of a courtroom full of people- those things don't phase me. Senior citizens expecting me to sound like a banjo player, yeah. That will do it.
Part of it has to do with being female and younger than everyone and having a banjo. I don't blend into the crowd of older males and that draws more attention. If there is ever a woman, she is playing fiddle or maybe rhythm guitar, but the women are few and far between. If I play mandolin, I blend in more. People are used to seeing women with mandolins more than they are with a female with a resonator banjo. I become less of a novelty and could care less if 100 people were watching.

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Edited by - JMalmsteen on 12/28/2012 17:46:04

ejimb0 - Posted - 12/28/2012:  18:44:16

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I listened to your new banjo, and it sounds very nice. I can tell by your playing that you know very well what sounds you are trying to make. I wish I had students like that. You are doing great. Be patient with your progress. The speed you are after will come quickly enough.
If I could think of anything like advice .. it would be to spend lots of time on pretty songs that have a slow tempo..and lots of funky soul in them. Make your own versions of steam powered airplane.. peaches and cream. Stuff like that. I think clean slower songs will come together better for you, and you can hear the song as a song.. rather than an assembled combination of well executed licks.

..and quit complaining you are doing very well.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/28/2012:  18:50:21

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Slow works...today was gospel day. :)

lazyarcher - Posted - 12/28/2012:  19:54:08

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Jen..since you have that NEW YATES...why not do some Ron Stewart tunes?

--Red River Valley

--Sourwood Mountain   youtube.com/watch?v=CdwcZQFpggs

--Big Country  youtube.com/watch?v=0O8GBG0PIM0

Jody Hughes - Posted - 12/28/2012:  22:15:14

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Little Rock Getaway or Peaches and Cream

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Edited by - Jody Hughes on 12/28/2012 22:15:48

Dave Magram - Posted - 12/29/2012:  00:20:15

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quote:

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Originally posted by JMalmsteen



Dave,

Goal- play Earl songs that sound like Earl songs at full speed. I'm also realistic. I hopefully have years and decades ahead of me to play banjo and if I can play full speed Earl ten years from now, that is fine. I have been playing guitar for over twenty-five years, so I'm dedicated to playing and music is my passion outside of my job.



The other goal is to play banjo at a jam and sound like a banjo player. I have gone to a jam with my banjo maybe three times and I mostly just play mandolin and will break out the banjo towards the end when the people watching go home. I figure mandolin is a middle ground, its not guitar, so I'm pressing my comfort zone.



I am happy playing anything on banjo. I love Scruggs style. I thought banjo would be easy since I am a good guitar player- but, I'm a good heavy metal electric guitar player. That helps with right and left hand coordination but I'm used to a flat pick, super low action, and distortion. The journey has been fun.



As far as recording the Yates, I just wanted to put up a sound file and I have been working on the Earl stuff, but it is so off. I almost feel if you are going to attempt F&S, it had better sound like it, out of respect.



I should probably get one of those slow down programs to play along with the recordings to get the phrasing.

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Hi Jen,

Yup, I too "love Scruggs style", especially as played by Earl himself!

Your goal of being able to “play Earl songs that sound like Earl songs” sounds realistic to me. That was certainly my goal when I learned to play bluegrass banjo eons ago, as it was for many great players like JD Crowe, Sonny Osborne, and so many others.

Since you can already play guitar well, I believe that you can achieve your goal. Based on your impressive bio, you sound like someone who is willing to work hard to achieve her goals—all you need is a study plan.

Here’s one that worked for me and many thousands of others: As JD Crowe once famously advised, "Just study on Earl." Here's a  “Basic Study on Earl” plan—in which you learn Earl’s timing, accentuation, and drive—one measure at a time.

There are many great learning aids now-- tablature, music slow-down software, DVDs of the ‘Martha White TV Show’—that weren’t available back when I was learning. This plan takes advantage of all of them.

After I suggested “Cripple Creek” in my previous post, I noticed that you had posted a sound-clip of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”— which sounded pretty good. To make it “sound like Earl” you’ll need to “kick it up a notch—here’s one way to do it. 

The “Basic Study on Earl” Plan

Any simple tune will do to begin the “Basic Study on Earl” plan, such as “Cripple Creek”,  “Reuben”, or a slow “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”.  FMB is a bit easier in some ways because it is mostly forward rolls, so let’s assume you start with FMB (although the choice is entirely up to you).

1. For “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”, make sure you have the original F&S recording on Mercury Records: Flatt & Scruggs: Complete Mercury Sessions (28 of the greatest bluegrass tracks ever for only $10).

2. Get the correct tablature for “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”—from the Earl Scruggs book or wherever. Or, if you’re good at learning by ear, skip the tablature.

3. Obtain a music slowdown software tool. Some people use Audacity (free), some like “Amazing Slowdowner” or others.

4. The original “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” was recorded at around 160 bpm. Using your slowdown software, slow it down to 60 or 70 bpm-- or slower.

5. Play along with Earl’s first solo in this tune for just one measure—Measure #1. Some slowdown programs allow you to “loop” a section—use that feature for just Measure 1. Try to capture Earl’s timing, accentuation, and drive in that one measure by playing along with Earl-- over and over.

Repeat until your playing and Earl’s sound like one banjo. This may take minutes, hours or days—or longer. Keep at it—you need to “become one with Earl”. If you can capture Earl’s timing, accentuation, and drive in one measure, you are well on your way to “sounding like Earl”. You just need to do it for some more measures.

You can even test yourself. Record your “duet with Earl” with your Zoom digital recorder—aim one mic at your banjo and the other mic at your sound system. If you are right in synch with Earl on the recording, you are making good progress. Each time you do this, it will become a bit easier the next time.

6. Repeat Step 5 for the second measure. Once you have “nailed” Measure 2, now “loop” the newly-learned measure and the previous measure together. Work on those two measures until your playing and Earl’s playing sound like one banjo. Feels great, doesn't it? Keep going.

7. Repeat Step 5 and Step 6 for the third measure. Repeat until you have worked your way through Earl’s first solo. This may take hours, days or weeks, but if you can capture Earl’s timing, accentuation, and drive for one entire solo, you are well on your way to “sounding like Earl”. You’ll just need to do it for some more solos.

8. Try learning more of Earl’s FMB solos— or begin learning a new tune. For your second tune, I’d suggest “Cripple Creek” or “Reuben” because they contain more of Earl’s famous “forward-reverse” combinations and “backwards” rolls, respectively.

Watch Earl play on as many video-clips or DVDS as you can. You will notice even more nuances of his playing.

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The more time you spend listening to, and playing along with Earl Scruggs, the more intensely you are burning Earl’s timing, accentuation, and drive into your brain—far more important than learning Earl’s solos note-for-note. Although Earl himself rarely played his solos exactly the same way every time, he always played his solos with the same impeccable timing, accentuation, and drive.

Playing along with Earl is fun and challenging at the same time; it never felt like “practice” to me. And the best part is, after you think you’ve learned every little nuance of a particular solo of Earl’s, when you listen to it again a few months later, you hear cool stuff you never noticed the first time.

- Dave

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Edited by - Dave Magram on 12/29/2012 00:23:49

overhere - Posted - 12/29/2012:  03:35:39

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Jen …If you really want to play “exactly” like Earl. Then you have a problem right from the start. Earl like any of the greats never did the same song the same more then twice if that.. For instance, how many assorted tabs would it take to play FMB to match the millions of times he has played that song. Or are we talking about the one time song you happen to have on a cd that you determined is how he plays it 100% of the time? You should be concentrating on enhancing what you’re doing now. Your back ground with guitar put you oodles ahead of other beginners. Now is the time to refine what you have and move on from that point.
I have been to a lot of live bluegrass shows and one thing I don’t do and the majority of bluegrass lovers don’t do an that is to compare any of the musicians with any other. The more unique the band the better the bluegrass. Again, that’s the beauty of bluegrass. And th ereason we never get bored with hearing John Henry a thousand times as we do.
Don Reno once told Eddie Adcock, “don’t play like me, play your own way”. Same did Ralph Stanley. No great player will ever insist you play like them.
Earl is a tremendous guide but shouldn’t be an end goal.

and Dave this is not to conflict with your always excellant input and advise which I and others respect deeply.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/29/2012:  03:46:50

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Wow. Thanks, Dave. Great advice. I fully agree with you and think that's the way to go. That's the way I learned to play guitar, just playing along with the recordings over and over, trying to play along with Rhandy Rhoads or other guitar players. I didn't have a way to slow down cd so this meant just reverse and repeat over and over. Guitar is more scale based, you can tell if the solo is pentatonic based or harmonic minor for say Yngwie, another 80's guitarist. I knew all of the modes and scale positions. I'm starting to recognize some of the licks. I can "hear" the banjo tab at least at this point by looking at them.

Dave got it. I know Earl didn't play it the same way twice. Earl had a drive and way of playing that was special. To me, Earl epitomizes the sound of a banjo. Others might like Bela etc, to me, its Earl all the way. I would love to pick up some of his drive, timing, phrasing, etc. As far as a unique bluegrass style, I'm not really after one. My clawhammer playing at this point has more of a unique style because I'm not trying to model it after anyone. I would be thrilled to at some point play in a band or even just a jam and sound like someone who studies Earl.

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Edited by - JMalmsteen on 12/29/2012 03:54:14

Dave Magram - Posted - 12/30/2012:  09:57:53

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I received a PM asking about where to purchase the Flatt & Scruggs CDs I recommended earlier on this thread. At Amazon.com, you will find:

Flatt & Scruggs: Complete Mercury Recordings  (Seems to be better quality CD) Audio CD:  21 new from $7.12; 10 used from $6.11

The Complete Mercury Sessions by Flatt & Scruggs (1992)  Audio CD:  $1.42 used (11 offers)

Both of these CDs contain all 28 songs & tunes F&S recorded on Mercury ca. 1949-1952. The "Complete Mercury Recordings" appears to be a higher quality production. Either one is the bargain of the century!

If you learn all of Earl's solos and backup on these 28 songs, you will be ready to knock 'em dead in any jam, or even join a bluegrass band and make tens of dollars per year!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

While you are on Amazon, consider purchasing this CD :

Folk Songs of Our Land / Hard Travelin' by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs

Audio CD:  $8.54 new (11 offers) ;  $8.53 used (3 offers)

24 great songs, mostly played at slow or medium tempos; I found these songs great to learn from.

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These 2 CDs contain 52 great recordings of Earl & Lester-- for less than $20!

Best wishes,

- Dave

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/30/2012:  12:54:18

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I have settled on bluegrass gospel for the past two days and have been posting like mad since I'm off and am just playing banjo all day. I'm going to have enough tracks for a beginning banjo bluegrass gospel album soon.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/31/2012:  15:59:40

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Dave...really good advice. I know this might seem absolutely ridiculous to those of you who can play, but I am so happy right now. I can play Shucking the Corn with Earl at half speed. If you can play something slow, eventually it will get faster, so I'm really excited about maybe having this at 3/4 speed by the end of tonight. The past few days I have learned about thirty gospel songs with up the neck, which has been new territory. So...the banjo has more than five frets! :)

banjoman56 - Posted - 12/31/2012:  16:21:50

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Jen, for the amount of time you have been playing, you seem to know an incredible amount of songs. It seems you're a fast learner.

banjoman56 - Posted - 12/31/2012:  16:21:50

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Jen, for the amount of time you have been playing, you seem to know an incredible amount of songs. It seems you're a fast learner.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 12/31/2012:  16:57:22

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They are not memorized for the most part! If a song is in G, its the same thing over and over again anyway :O)

Dave Magram - Posted - 01/02/2013:  22:42:23

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quote:

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Originally posted by JMalmsteen

Dave...really good advice. I know this might seem absolutely ridiculous to those of you who can play, but I am so happy right now. I can play Shucking the Corn with Earl at half speed. If you can play something slow, eventually it will get faster, so I'm really excited about maybe having this at 3/4 speed by the end of tonight. The past few days I have learned about thirty gospel songs with up the neck, which has been new territory. So...the banjo has more than five frets! :)

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Jen, are you saying that, using the suggestion above to "study on Earl one measure at a time with slowdown software",  two days later you can "play Shucking the Corn with Earl at half speed"?

If so, that is an amazing feat-- congratulations!

- Dave

alan munde - Posted - 01/18/2013:  11:07:07

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Arnie offers good advice and comments. Roger Bush, bass player in Country Gazette, told me that nobody knows what you intended to do, they only know what you did. Adam Granger, guitarst/singer/songwriter challenges anyone to prove that what he played was not what he intended to play.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 01/18/2013:  14:52:46

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quote:

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Originally posted by Dave Magram

quote:

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Originally posted by JMalmsteen

Dave...really good advice. I know this might seem absolutely ridiculous to those of you who can play, but I am so happy right now. I can play Shucking the Corn with Earl at half speed. If you can play something slow, eventually it will get faster, so I'm really excited about maybe having this at 3/4 speed by the end of tonight. The past few days I have learned about thirty gospel songs with up the neck, which has been new territory. So...the banjo has more than five frets! :)

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Jen, are you saying that, using the suggestion above to "study on Earl one measure at a time with slowdown software",  two days later you can "play Shucking the Corn with Earl at half speed"?

If so, that is an amazing feat-- congratulations!

- Dave

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Hah...Dave, this is with two years of banjo and 27 years of guitar. I just try to avoid watching those eight year olds. I feel it should be full speed by now! I'm happy to know half speed is okay for the time being. Dave, you give good advice!

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Edited by - JMalmsteen on 01/18/2013 14:53:41

JMalmsteen - Posted - 01/18/2013:  14:55:55

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quote:

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Originally posted by alan munde

Arnie offers good advice and comments. Roger Bush, bass player in Country Gazette, told me that nobody knows what you intended to do, they only know what you did. Adam Granger, guitarst/singer/songwriter challenges anyone to prove that what he played was not what he intended to play.

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Ummm...Alan Munde as in The Alan Munde??

Dave1climber - Posted - 01/18/2013:  15:31:48

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Jen

This Alan Munde:

almundesbanjocollege.com/   

    

banjoman56 - Posted - 01/18/2013:  15:44:42

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quote:

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Originally posted by alan munde

Arnie offers good advice and comments. Roger Bush, bass player in Country Gazette, told me that nobody knows what you intended to do, they only know what you did. Adam Granger, guitarst/singer/songwriter challenges anyone to prove that what he played was not what he intended to play.

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I feel much better about my picking after reading  this Alan.

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Edited by - banjoman56 on 01/18/2013 15:45:12

drew-gurbach - Posted - 01/18/2013:  17:41:03

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quote:

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Originally posted by JMalmsteen

I feel bad destroying these Flatt and Scruggs songs, so I need to lay off recording those for a while. Does anyone have some song suggestions that won't defile Earl's good name? I just got this great banjo and want to post something but after listening to what came out of my Zoom, I need to move on to plan B :O)

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First off, don’t feel bad, just have fun playing.  That being said, here’s what I did a couple years ago for some variety:

I’m a single parent and my daughter was away at college.  Since I live alone and had a lot of time, I decided to do a song a week from the BHO tab section.  For the next 26 weeks, I decided to start with the letter A song titles, decide on one to learn, and spent a week with that song,  Week two, a song title starting with the letter B, then something from the C’s, D’s, etc.

At the end of my daughter academic school year, I ended up with a whole new collection of songs.  Some stuck, some I need to revisit, but all worth the time and effort.  Keep in mind you should try songs that normally don’t get a lot of play.  This will broaden your repertoire, introduce you to new ideas, and nobody will know if you’re playing it “exactly” like someone else or “exactly” like it’s supposed to go.