nosepickerbob - Posted - 04/30/2016:  19:49:29

Hello Everybody, 

I'm new to the hangout and I just started playing 4 months ago. 

I have been practicing every day since then and have been slowly learning. I play by ear and can't read music and I have no teacher since I'm the only banjo player for 300 miles in all directions.

Anyway I posted some clips of me playing last week. I'm looking for some advice and some criticism on my playing.

Please leave feedback and some suggestions on tone, picking, timing, or any other banjo related advice.

I play a cheap Chinese banjo, but I have a Deering Goodtime Classic Special on the way. 

Thanks for commenting, Bob

rbfour5 - Posted - 04/30/2016:  20:45:19

Pretty darn good for 4 months of playing! Timing is fluctuating, but again, it's only been 4 months. I would recommend that you slow down to accomplish a few things:
Timing- to get it rock solid from the start to finish of a song
Tone- comes with rock solid timing, and picking the notes clear
You have shown you have good speed. Now just clean things up by slowing down. Get the 3 T's down (Timing; Taste; Tone)then bring up you r speed, maintain the 3 T's while building speed.

JStuart - Posted - 04/30/2016:  21:47:15

I'm almost two years into my banjo journey, and don't play anywhere near as fast as that. I think what you have done is admirable, but would be greatly improved if you slowed down a bit so it doesn't sound so frantic. I can't be a true critic, given my own lack of experience and expertise, but I just wanted you to slow down and clarify your playing - the tunes were great but the speed really disturbed me. I hope you can see what I've said as constructive. I don't think speed is the end game in banjo...

Jamie

nosepickerbob - Posted - 04/30/2016:  22:30:54

Thanks for the advice I re-recorded the ones I thought were too fast.
Here they are.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 04/30/2016:  22:52:29

And I re-recorded FMB.
Like I said I'm in a Banjo player desert, and I appreciate the advice, criticism, and suggestions.

banjopickingbuddy - Posted - 04/30/2016:  22:59:53

That is very good,  The second batch is more to a sensible speed but still fast for a beginner, slow down and savor the notes, try to play 'a tape' of the tune in your head complete with any pauses or emphasis, it will soon translate into a good clear melody though your fingers, I think you also need a couple more 'basic' roll patterns to get the tune flowing out properly in the right places, or if you are able to sing or hum and play at the same time you will be able to do this easily, I know that's not easy to do but it will come and pay dividends later. If you don't have a metronome tap your foot on the tile floor to keep time.

MikeR231 - Posted - 05/01/2016:  03:57:38

I'm new to learning the banjo as well so take my words with a grain of salt. I would recommend slowing down some as others have mentioned and practicing with a metronome to better your timing. Of course, most of us want to be able to play fast but, I want to play fast and sound good. I've been following similar advice that was given to me here on the hangout and it really does make a big difference. When I first started out, I never played with a metronome and it was apparent. I now rarely practice without it and it's helping me immensely along with forcing myself to slow down a bit to really get things ingrained before gradually upping the speed.
I currently don't work with a teacher either and advice here with those two key points have really helped me progress I feel. I'd say you're a quick learner and with a little focus on timing and smoothness, you'll certainly be doing very well.

Edited by - MikeR231 on 05/01/2016 04:03:26

Texasbanjo - Posted - 05/01/2016:  05:09:40

For only playing 4 months, you are doing very, very good.  Most people can't play that good, especially without a teacher, in 4 months.

Everyone above has given about the same advice:  slow down, work on timing, tone and technique, and they are right on the money as to what you need to do.

Your timing really needs work.  You start off fast and then slow down and then speed up which makes your music sound jerky.  Slow down, learn to count as you play or use a metronome or some sort of device that has a beat, that will help.  Most of what you're playing is in 4/4 time (for beginners that's the easiest to learn) and there are 4 beats to a measure.  It might be worth your while to learn some basic music theory so you would have an idea what you're doing.

If you're playing by ear, you're doing very good, you've got the basic tune down and have added some "frills" that would sound better if it were in time.   This critique is meant in the kindest way, since you asked for help.  Sounds to me like you are definitely on the right track.

You might want to invest in a good beginner book/CD/DVD.  It would teach you to read tab and count.  It's very easy to read tab once you have a little dual on it.   If you don't want to go the tab route, there's always the Murphy Method which teaches you by ear or by rote and that might be what would help you with your timing.  There are also several teacher here who teach via Skype and the internet, might think about that, at least for a little while until you get your timing down better.

Again, all in all, you're doing very well in what you're learned.  Keep up the good work.

davidcava - Posted - 05/01/2016:  05:12:21

I wish I'd have played that well four months into it. Holy Mackerel. Can you post again in another four months.

dc

Texasbanjo - Posted - 05/01/2016:  05:14:45

I just listened to Cripple Creek and it sounds much better on timing.  Didn't listen to the other because you've definitely got the right idea, slow it down and it sounds better.  Speed will come when it's ready.  If you try to rush it, you'll end up sounding sloppy.  Keep at it, you're on the right track.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/01/2016:  05:56:55

I just listened to all of them again and I think FMB was the worst. Please forgive my tone because my frets are worn down to just about nothing, and there is no luthier for 150 miles around.



My new banjo is coming tomorrow and I'll re-record after I set it up.



Thanks for advice.



Bob

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/01/2016 05:59:57

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 05/01/2016:  06:10:10

I wish I had started at your age. It makes a difference. For 4 months playing time, you are doing exceptional, truly exceptional.

If you can get with a rhythm guitar player, do it now. How much time do you get in in a day?

bluenote23 - Posted - 05/01/2016:  07:16:30

Wow, you are doing just fantastic! I've been trying to learn the banjo for three years and you are much better than me so I would say just keep on doing what you're doing because your are definitely on the right track!

Just great!

RevSpyder - Posted - 05/01/2016:  08:23:45

There are excellent free metronomes online -- just do a search.

Craig_B - Posted - 05/01/2016:  09:04:46

You're doing great, but please take everyone's advice about slowing down to heart. Speed is pointless without 1) getting all the notes cleanly, 2) infusing melody through emphasis, and 3) rock solid timing that doesn't waver.

n1wr - Posted - 05/01/2016:  09:11:26

Bob: Welcome to the hangout. Lots of good advice above.



Even though you don't read music you can use some of the tools to help your timing. One thing that really helps is playing along with the tune.



There is a vast collection of tunes here in TAB format on the hangout. For example at least a couple dozen versions of Cripple Creek.



Download TefView (free) and use it to play the TAB tunes. You can set the speed wherever you want, and play along. Many of the tunes have guitar and bass lines. As you gain familiarity with the tune you can lower the volume of the banjo part and play along with the backup. This is a great way to improve your accuracy and technique. You obviously, from your playing, have good listening skills. This will work well for you.



See for example see cripple creek in the TABs section: Cripple Creek - the version Posted by RJWMitchell. It might not be played exactly as you play it, but Cripple Creek is pretty standard tune - you should easily be able to play along.



The good thing about using TefView (or even better its big brother TablEdit) is the ability to adjust the speed and play along at the speed at which you are at. I use this on almost every tune I learn, especially when I am trying to internalize the tune, and especially when there is a new lick that I am having difficulty with.



You can also use any one of the slow downer applications to do this, but I find that the audio tends to get mushy when you slow them down' TAB audio remains crisp no matter what speed you work at.

Edited by - n1wr on 05/01/2016 09:12:18

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 05/01/2016:  09:58:42

I listened to them again. Wow! They seem pretty true to the Scruggs versions. Plus, you are playing on a cheap banjo with worn out frets. Impressive!!



When you get with other musicians, that will smooth out the timing very quickly, and you will be off to the races.

Edited by - RoofBolt75 on 05/01/2016 09:59:38

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/01/2016:  10:31:32

I try to stay true to the Scruggs arrangements by listening to him while I play, until I can play about exactly the way he did it.

Ill post new soundclips after I get my Deering set up.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/01/2016:  12:12:09

I was practicing with a metronome at 130 bpm (the slowest I can go without making too many mistakes)
Here a cut I made after practicing. Let me know how my timing is doing. And sorry bout the buzzes my frets are almost gone.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/01/2016:  12:48:05

I was listening to Earl and decided to follow along. This is the exact version on the the Foggy Mountain Banjo album. Including Backup.
What do you guys think?

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/01/2016:  13:02:33

New Ballad of Jed Clampett. Let me know how it sounds.

Jody Hughes - Posted - 05/02/2016:  22:59:08

I think you should find an instructor, otherwise you are going to waste a lot of time practicing things wrong. Once the neural connections are made just more effort to rewire them. I'm sorry but my honest answer is the problem can't be fixed with typed out words, you need someone to show you one piece at a time. It seems your interest in the instrument is high, make the proper investment of your time.

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 05/03/2016:  03:34:23

If he can just find a good rhythm guitar player who knows what right sounds like, that will smooth out the timing quickly. Then he can play with others and smooth out the rest.

My gosh, look what he has accomplished by ear in just 4 months, 4 months! If he had others to play with, he could play all of these songs in a short period of time.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jody Hughes

 

I think you should find an instructor, otherwise you are going to waste a lot of time practicing things wrong. Once the neural connections are made just more effort to rewire them. I'm sorry but my honest answer is the problem can't be fixed with typed out words, you need someone to show you one piece at a time. It seems your interest in the instrument is high, make the proper investment of your time.

---

overhere - Posted - 05/03/2016:  04:27:54

I say what Jody hughes says. when i first started way way back i had similar problem...no teachers only radio and a couple recordings. Though I could play with a friend who played guitar (he kept me in control)...when alone I played what I thought was right. I found myself trying to play as fast as Earl and Don Reno...and what i was doing was all wrong but i kept it up so much and so long it took me years to undo what I was doing wrong. start slow correct the timing, learn the words to the songs you're trying to play and whether a metronome or drum machine use it. I had better luck with drum machine. drench yourself in traditional bluegrass,slow songs, and faster songs, and most important back up techniques. its a long road dont rush it.

ez2cy - Posted - 05/03/2016:  06:37:21

Is this a "pull your leg" post?

If not, for only 4 months you must either practise 100 hours/day or just a natural.

I'm a beginner so I'm not going to say anything about your playing....way better than I.

I would back up Jody's suggestion about finding a teacher. If you can do this in 4 months on your own, just think about what you could do with some guidance. I had Jody for a teacher and what I learnt in a short time was unreal. I'll vouch for his methods and himself....great guy. Sadly, my lesson with Jody have been put on hold for summer as I'm too busy. Can't wait to hook up again in fall.

Keep up the good work....you have a future I think.

jeffnles1 - Posted - 05/03/2016:  08:27:50

Oh to have young hands and young reflexes again!!!

Nice work for 4 months into it. I'm a banjo beginner (1 year) but have played guitar for close to 30 years. I won't beat the timing horse to death any more, nothing to add to what has already been said.

One thing I would suggest, coming form an old guy to a young fellow, playing music is fun and it's not a speed competition or a how fast can I get there kind of thing. Very few of us will ever make money at it but it is a lifelong journey. The older I got the more I realized I spent too much of my youth being in a big hurry. Now that I'm older, I look back and think "dang, what was the rush, getting old is not what it was cracked up to be."

Keep up the good work. From what I heard, yo have a natural talent. Now, nurture that talent, practice, practice some more, but most of all, take the time to really enjoy the journey.

Jeff (being philosophical for the day)

Kenneth Logsdon - Posted - 05/03/2016:  09:28:46

 Thats very good...  The BIG advantage that you have by not having a rote teacher, tab rats etc. is that you have got the" right sound", it sounds like banjer pickin...  The very thing that is a major handicap to the majority of todays beginners... You are hearing more than a lot of pickers that have been trying for far longer..

When you got the "sound" you whipped it, congrats, keep on with what you are doing and ADD from other sources as you can find them..

Edited by - Kenneth Logsdon on 05/03/2016 09:32:54

SteveMurtha - Posted - 05/03/2016:  09:30:45

"I was practicing with a metronome at 130 bpm (the slowest I can go without making too many mistakes)"

There's your problem.

1) Rhythmic inaccuracy is a much bigger mistake than a wrong note.

2) If you in fact make more note mistakes at slower tempos it indicates to me that you have made a fundamental error with your right hand: you have "mastered" the rolling motion without sufficient control of each individual finger. The only solution to this, that I know of anyway, is painfully slow practice with a metronome clicking for each note. About 80 for each sixteenth note would be a good starting place. Make sure that each note starts right with the click, and that you feel each finger "pushing" from the base, which is where the movement should originate from.As Jody Hughes says, a good teacher would be invaluable.

Jody Hughes - Posted - 05/03/2016:  10:25:03

quote:

---

Originally posted by SteveMurtha

 

"I was practicing with a metronome at 130 bpm (the slowest I can go without making too many mistakes)"

There's your problem.

1) Rhythmic inaccuracy is a much bigger mistake than a wrong note.

2) If you in fact make more note mistakes at slower tempos it indicates to me that you have made a fundamental error with your right hand: you have "mastered" the rolling motion without sufficient control of each individual finger. The only solution to this, that I know of anyway, is painfully slow practice with a metronome clicking for each note. About 80 for each sixteenth note would be a good starting place. Make sure that each note starts right with the click, and that you feel each finger "pushing" from the base, which is where the movement should originate from.As Jody Hughes says, a good teacher would be invaluable.

---

Yes, people think they play better faster because it allows them to blow through all of the nuances, their brain is not processing all of the missed details.  Ask somebody to play something slow and it reveals all.

I'm a very proficient guitar player, take away my knowledge of the banjo and the kid could come play music with me for six months and it would not fix the problems.  His problems are not just timing but very banjo specific techniques.  For example, he needs someone to say your tag roll is off here, this is what you are doing wrong and here is how to fix it, a guitar player is not going to be able to help the banjo specific details.  It's like telling a piano player who is playing his chords wrong to go to a jam and everything will be alright...meanwhile wrong connection after wrong connection is being made.

More on that advice about playing with a guitar player...sure playing with another person is a great idea but as far as fixing displayed problems, nope.  It's just like the metronome.  You can play along with a metronome come out on the right beat and wrongly believe what you played in between was correct.  It doesn't tell you what you did in between, the context matters, the sound matters.  That's why there are people that play with a metronome daily that still don't get it.  This is why people at the local jam come out week after week and "play along" and think their timing is okay, I don't care if Tony Rice shows up at the jam weekly, he ain't fixing it.  He's not smoothing out their sound.

I stand by what I said.  At the age of 14 and given the current state of this music I'd prefer you learn to do it right and not form bad habits.  Other members of the BHO think you should just wing it, I guess they'd prefer you look at some badly done youtube videos or tabs and hope you figure it out rather than make the proper investment of your time.  I don't care if the closest instructor is 300 miles away, if he is competent you'd be better off saving your money and having your mom or dad take you to see him once every six months than winging it via advice on here.

Lastly, if you play with bad timing and tone maybe you should keep your advice to yourselves instead of misguiding our youth.  You didn't pay attention to the details and now you are basically telling someone else not to, so they can end up sounding as bad as you.....disgusting

Edited by - Jody Hughes on 05/03/2016 10:27:18

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/03/2016:  16:23:24

Nobody teaches Scruggs style by me. I have an old Scruggs book that teaches the rolls pretty well. The reason why I could'nt play slow is because I basically had no frets on my banjo, and everything sounded horrible slowed down



My Deering Goodtime Special just came yesterday in the mail, and it sounds way better. Im waiting for mid gauge strings to come tomorrow.



After I get the head tuned up and the strings changed Ill post a clip.

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/03/2016 16:24:21

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 05/03/2016:  19:49:12

When I suggested earlier that you should find a "good rhythm guitar player who knows what right sounds like," I wasn't suggesting a rhythm guitar player who knows nothing about banjo, so I don't want to misguide you on that. As stated above, although you have made truly exceptional progress over 4 months, it is still best to find a good teacher, if one is available. If not, many people provide on-line lessons. You just need to do some research. Banjo Ben Clark and Tom Adams are respected teachers who provide video lessons, but there are others as well.

Edited by - RoofBolt75 on 05/03/2016 20:02:41

Kenneth Logsdon - Posted - 05/03/2016:  19:58:17

"practice one thousand times"

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/03/2016:  20:17:41

The only thing with almost all banjo teachers is that they stress timing, hand positions, and tone too much. If you listen to Earl and put him against a metronome many teachers would say that he had "horrible timing" and "misguided rolls". Then how is it that everybody tries to sound like Earl but doesn't ever get to that goal. Earl when it came to hand position, timing, tone, and action, he did it "all wrong".

I'm not saying that I or anyone shouldn't study timing or music theory and what-not, what I'm saying is that whatever comes natural do it.

I respect Bela Fleck, and Tony Trischka, as some of the most amazing banjo players of all time. But I don't want to be like them. Cut out of the same mold with robot timing and perfect tone and all.

I want to be like Earl in that he was a pioneer of a new style of picking, and timing, and syncopation that no one ever had heard or seen before.

I will practice my timing and my "tone" but in the view that those things are not what matters. Pretty much all banjo players use auto-tune in the studio and don't sound like they do in real life.

The difference between them is that Earl played in the studio like he did live, that is why his sound wasn't varied but was constantly "Earl" sounding all the time.

Earl said ["I've been a musician for many years and have been involved in many concerts and recordings along many other shows on radio and television. I've always tried to not consider those occasions to be "working" its all about "playing."] In short I enjoy the banjo as a way to relax and have fun, not as another way to be nervous about theory, timing, and everything else.

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/03/2016 20:22:42

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 05/04/2016:  03:42:16

Great Points!

Fernsboy - Posted - 05/04/2016:  05:15:34

nosepicker:

Not sure why you asked for help. With your last post it is clear you have made up your mind to proceed as you wish, without regard for all of the advice given by experienced players. Good luck.

Craig_B - Posted - 05/04/2016:  05:22:06

quote:

---

Originally posted by nosepickerbob

 

The only thing with almost all banjo teachers is that they stress timing, hand positions, and tone too much. If you listen to Earl and put him against a metronome many teachers would say that he had "horrible timing" and "misguided rolls". Then how is it that everybody tries to sound like Earl but doesn't ever get to that goal. Earl when it came to hand position, timing, tone, and action, he did it "all wrong".

I'm not saying that I or anyone shouldn't study timing or music theory and what-not, what I'm saying is that whatever comes natural do it.

I respect Bela Fleck, and Tony Trischka, as some of the most amazing banjo players of all time. But I don't want to be like them. Cut out of the same mold with robot timing and perfect tone and all.

I want to be like Earl in that he was a pioneer of a new style of picking, and timing, and syncopation that no one ever had heard or seen before.

I will practice my timing and my "tone" but in the view that those things are not what matters. Pretty much all banjo players use auto-tune in the studio and don't sound like they do in real life.

The difference between them is that Earl played in the studio like he did live, that is why his sound wasn't varied but was constantly "Earl" sounding all the time.

Earl said ["I've been a musician for many years and have been involved in many concerts and recordings along many other shows on radio and television. I've always tried to not consider those occasions to be "working" its all about "playing."] In short I enjoy the banjo as a way to relax and have fun, not as another way to be nervous about theory, timing, and everything else.

---

Huh?

Edited by - Craig_B on 05/04/2016 05:22:47

ez2cy - Posted - 05/04/2016:  05:24:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fernsboy

 

nosepicker:



Not sure why you asked for help. With your last post it is clear you have made up your mind to proceed as you wish, without regard for all of the advice given by experienced players. Good luck.

---

I agree.  

Although he seemed to have a lot of speed for someone only playing 4 months, if not open to suggestions than it might be all for not..

I think Jody gave him some good advice and if he followed that, at the age of 14, he'd turn out to be a very good player.  However, when you know everything already it's hard for a teacher to teach the student.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/04/2016:  10:23:41

No, I agree that timing is an issue for me, but why is it the main focus? I've been watching Banjo Ben and his timing lessons are easy to grasp and very well explained. I'll have my banjo setup later today and I'll post a new clip.

And the Pretty much all banjo players use auto-tune in the studio bit, Its true. Check it out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-Tune

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/04/2016 10:26:51

jeffnles1 - Posted - 05/04/2016:  10:49:58

quote:

---

Originally posted by nosepickerbob

 

No, I agree that timing is an issue for me, but why is it the main focus? I've been watching Banjo Ben and his timing lessons are easy to grasp and very well explained. I'll have my banjo setup later today and I'll post a new clip.

And the Pretty much all banjo players use auto-tune in the studio bit, Its true. Check it out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-Tune

---

Because once you get beyond the basics, like playing in tune, music is all about tempo and timing.

Players here and on guitar forums obsess over nuance in tone differences between Mahogany and Maple and Walnut or in the guitar world, the subtle differences between bone saddles, corean saddles and fossilized opossum weewee saddles.  It's what musicians do to pass the time.

However,to be a musician, you must understand and internalize the relationship between tone, tempo, and timing.

Said simply, if your timing is off, it just isn't music.  Some songs do have s speed up (going into double time) or a slow down (retard) somewhere in the song.  Most have a steady beat and rhythm.  Syncopation and the musicians sense of when to play on the beat, ahead of the beat or behind the beat and do it consistently and over and over is what makes the difference between noise and music.

Nose you have a gift.  Nurture it, and feed it.  Don't let arrogance or pride get in your way.  Life is a journey and there are no guarantees of the next step.  Take each step in your journey as a precious gift because that is exactly what it is.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/04/2016:  11:00:32

I take all the advice I can get. Arrogance is not one of my qualities per se, I just have nobody that knows anything about the banjo anywhere near me in all directions.

And its harder when you have 6 young siblings to take care of, school coming out of your ears, chores that need doing, and whole bunch of other stuff.

I thank everybody for giving me good points on what to do, and solid encouragement.



Thanks again, Bob, Nose, Picker, Nose Picker, Nose Picker Bob, Bob Picker Nose, etc......

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/04/2016 11:01:01

SteveMurtha - Posted - 05/04/2016:  11:14:12

So I read that Wikipedia article and the word banjo did not appear in it, nor did the names of any banjo players.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/04/2016:  11:53:04

I was just showing you that it exists. If you listen to album versions of any new bluegrass groups songs and compare it to live, it sounds completely different, in that the banjo sounds too crisp in the album version compared to real life.

Oh, and I was practicing my backup. Let me know how it sounds.

Mike Hedding - Posted - 05/04/2016:  12:29:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by nosepickerbob

 

I was just showing you that it exists. If you listen to album versions of any new bluegrass groups songs and compare it to live, it sounds completely different, in that the banjo sounds too crisp in the album version compared to real life.



Oh, and I was practicing my backup. Let me know how it sounds.

---

I think you're confused about what auto-tune is. Auto-tune changes the pitch of a note. Auto-tune doesn't affect the performance or timing of a song so unless their banjo was out of tune, there'd be no reason to auto-tune a banjo. 

A banjo might sound different on a recording vs. real-life you're correct but this doesn't have anything to do with auto-tune. 

You certainly don't have to spend any time worrying about your tone or timing if you don't want to. That will be your choice. But to imply that most banjo players sound drastically different recorded vs. live just isn't accurate. If you've only been playing 4 months, you may not have experienced jamming with a lot of banjo players. Part of what makes bluegrass unique these days is that it's so authentic and the recordings are actually very close to what you'll hear live. 

Your timing is how you communicate with other musicians. The better your timing, the better you'll be at communicated your ideas and playing with other people. 

I'm not sure which teachers you're referring to that say Earl has horrible timing and misguided rolls but I can say at least this teacher disagrees with that statement. Timing is what made Earl's stuff work. 

But you're certainly free to forge your own path.

Mike

SteveMurtha - Posted - 05/04/2016:  12:30:39

Autotune does not make the banjo, or any other instrument, sound "more crisp." All it does is make bad singers think that they sound better.

Assuming that the banjo picker's instrument is of decent quality, properly set up and intonated, and tuned up before the session Autotune would be totally unnecessary and also totally ineffective. And even if it were being used, it would not affect timing, just pitch. While it is possible to fix timing issues post production, recordings that are all over the map timing-wise would be so time consuming and expensive to quantize that the producer would surely find it cheaper to hire a competent player instead.

I think what you are calling Autotune is just high-gloss modern studio production, which does sound different, not better, than a live performance.

SteveMurtha - Posted - 05/04/2016:  12:31:59

Cross-post with Mike H

Craig_B - Posted - 05/04/2016:  12:34:45

I know the abominable signature sound of autotune, and I've never heard any of those artifacts on any banjo recording I've ever listened to. "Crispness" can be added by altering the frequency curve of the signal (specifically boosting amplitude of high frequency content), but that's not something autotune is designed to affect. Autotune alters pitch, and I haven't seen anything, including that Wiki article, that suggests its widespread use on anything but vocals.

nosepickerbob - Posted - 05/04/2016:  13:16:54

Thanks for explaining. But What can I say? Im just a banjo player.

I use "auto-tune" as a kind of a wide margin term for studio editing.

Edited by - nosepickerbob on 05/04/2016 13:22:51

Old Hickory - Posted - 05/04/2016:  16:05:48

quote:

---

Originally posted by nosepickerbob

I agree that timing is an issue for me, but why is it the main focus?

 

---

Because it's the most obvious thing you need to correct.

And by "timing" I'm sure most of the commenters don't mean only the uneven-ness of your speed, which is something you need to work on, but more importantly  you don't always give notes their correct value.  You're dropping notes. You're running notes into each other. And over-all you're trying to play fast before you can play slow.

Like Mike H., I have no idea what you mean about teachers saying Earl Scruggs had horrible timing or misguided rolls.  Earl was a master of timing.  The syncopation in his style has nothing to do with bad timing or strange timing.  It's about great timing.  Listen to Earl Scruggs and you'll hear in his playing what I suggested is missing in yours: even-ness of speed and individual notes getting their correct value.

I don't mean to sound harsh.  For only 4 months in, you're doing amazingly well.  But now is the time to correct certain mistakes so you can be really good.

You need to start by slowing down and playing everything the way it's supposed to be. When you can play cleanly, evenly and in time slowly, then start to ratchet up the speed.

If you live in a banjo desert with no teachers around, consider online private lessons via Skype.

Good luck.

ez2cy - Posted - 05/04/2016:  18:15:31

You don't have anyone close to you for banjo lessons. You obviously have a computer to be posting on here. Get a banjo instructor to do some Skype lessons. I've never had a "live" lesson but I can't imagine it's much better than Skype. I was taking lessons from Jody via Skype once a week. It's not that much money and he can see and hear what you are doing. I would recommend Jody but there are others on this site that do Skype as well. Jody, by seeing and hearing me was able to point out things I was doing wrong. I watched youtube videos, belonged to a banjo teaching site etc. My playing did not get better until I took actual lessons.

From what I heard (I'm not expert) you have more natural talent than I have or probably will ever have. Invest in a teacher. You won't regret it.