ironmike - Posted - 01/04/2018:  15:15:20

quote:

---

Originally posted by Yury

^ Yep, you need to buy one. I have been playing for 9 months and already did that twice :D

No regrets whatsoever, owning what you play makes a lot of emotional sense.

PS It may make financial sense to buy a decent instrument right away. They seem to hold their value well.

---

What did you go with? Any thoughts on your consideration process?

I think I am in the <$2k range so thinking about used Deering, new/used Recording King.

Yury - Posted - 01/04/2018:  15:26:56

quote:

---

Originally posted by ironmike

quote:

---

Originally posted by Yury

^ Yep, you need to buy one. I have been playing for 9 months and already did that twice :D

No regrets whatsoever, owning what you play makes a lot of emotional sense.

PS It may make financial sense to buy a decent instrument right away. They seem to hold their value well.

---

What did you go with? Any thoughts on your consideration process?

I think I am in the <$2k range so thinking about used Deering, new/used Recording King.

---

Local luther recommended against RK due to quality issues. I ended up with Gold Tone OB-150. 

Here is a thread about it

banjohangout.org/topic/337657/3/#4275593

Edited by - Yury on 01/04/2018 15:27:34

tmercks - Posted - 01/05/2018:  05:36:35

My weak advice is to just follow what your instructor tells you to do. However, after taking a few guitar lessons where my instructor only wanted me to learn a few rock and roll songs I didn't care for, when what I really asked for was more knowledge of the fretboard and scales, I will throw this out there... Most introductory banjo books will tell you to practce the different "rolls", or picking patterns Scruggs style. So I would find a sheet/lesson on those. Second, find only one song in tab format - that may use a different roll pattern or present a different challenge than Cripple Creek. I would suggest "Rocky Top", but that's just because I live in TN. you may find a different banjo tune for Cali. It's just that they play it more here in East TN than the National Anthem, and if anyone sees you with a banjo, they're gonna ask, can you play Rocky Top?

Usually, the first or second song (maybe the next one your instructor will assign) will be "Worried Man Blues". Maybe go with it. Just don't let a multitude of Tab get you off track. side tracked, or confused. I am sure you are paying good money for what your instructor is teaching.

ironmike - Posted - 01/05/2018:  10:48:32

Usually, the first or second song (maybe the next one your instructor will assign) will be "Worried Man Blues". Maybe go with it. Just don't let a multitude of Tab get you off track. side tracked, or confused. I am sure you are paying good money for what your instructor is teaching.

---

I'll see if your prediction is accurate. I have been checking out Jim Pankey's videos and it looks like Banjo in the Hollow is next on his list. I brought a print out and my instructor seemed to like it. 

I will check out some state favorites (Illinois is my home state), but probably awhile until playing for others... :)

Any suggestions on warmup / exercise routine to supplement the song based learning? In Jim's videos, he recommends breaking the song down into core components (like a roll) practicing over and over, combining with another and practicing, repeat, finally put them all together. I like this approach quite a bit and seems to be working, but curious if there are other approaches (work through cords, rolls, etc.) to get warmed up or at the end of a practice.

Yury - Posted - 01/05/2018:  11:59:23

I warm up by playing rolls with metronome while emphasizing a particular string. Start at the first string in a roll and go through all of them. Also depending on what song I am working on I might play a part of it also with a metronome.

At the end, when I am done with everything that the program requires me to practice I spend a bit time practising a lick I picked up from this app called Pocket Lick Banjo. Sometimes I end by fooling around by playing something easy but intentionally moving chords in a wrong place on the neck or using a different roll. Not every practice though, my main thing is developing basal skills as per the program and doing it by putting in consistent hours.

Edited by - Yury on 01/05/2018 12:01:08

Jim5strings - Posted - 01/05/2018:  13:52:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mooooo

quote:

---

Originally posted by ironmike

My instructor is a classically trained guitarist first, so very different background from meal , but I will ask for advice on extra material to supplement our lessons.

---

Disregard what I said earlier and reconsider your instructor. It should be against the law for guitarists to teach banjo, especially if it's a classical guitarist. You wouldn't take saxophone lessons from a flutist.

---

You might want to find out what experience your teacher has with banjo, he may have been learning it for a period of time that would qualify him/her.  I say this because I am also a classically trained guitarist(with a lot of experience playing electric rock and blues) that has been learning the banjo for a few months now and plan to start taking students soon.  I have been teaching guitar for many years and feel that I could handle beginners on the banjo already.

Jim5strings - Posted - 01/05/2018:  14:47:01

I should add, I have been working through two books, the "Teach Yourself Banjo" already mentioned and "Hal Leonard Banjo Method" book one. I just picked up book two as I am ready to progress into it. These books don't address clawhammer banjo so I turned to youtube to get some tips, The Deering "channel" has some great starting point videos, it takes a while and lots of practice to get the initial "bum-diddy" thing happening but I'm getting that too. Any instruction book should also bring you up to speed on the music rudiments that apply to all music and will allow you to communicate with, and understand other musicians. I'm really enjoying the journey and have bought an entry level 5 string that I'm actually bonding with.

WoodyShvlhead - Posted - 01/10/2018:  11:04:34

I can't find a teacher near me. So I got the Janet Davis Book "You Can Teach Yourself Banjo. It has 30 You Tubes that go along with the first 20 lessons in the book. Book has 58 lessons total. So far after my first 2 days of practice I'm playing a forward roll at 90 bpm without looking at the strings. So far I'm feeling happy and accomplished.. ( I've never played a string instrument but have played Piano since a youngster so do kinda already know what a teacher is going to have me do. Just like the Piano practice scales they give you finger control. I see with that 5 string is practice the Rolls for the exact same purpose. Figure it will be at least a month before I even try a song. First Rolls Second Chords with Rolls 3rd songs

Yury - Posted - 01/10/2018:  11:52:17

quote:

---

Originally posted by WoodyShvlhead

I can't find a teacher near me. So I got the Janet Davis Book "You Can Teach Yourself Banjo. It has 30 You Tubes that go along with the first 20 lessons in the book. Book has 58 lessons total. So far after my first 2 days of practice I'm playing a forward roll at 90 bpm without looking at the strings. So far I'm feeling happy and accomplished.. ( I've never played a string instrument but have played Piano since a youngster so do kinda already know what a teacher is going to have me do. Just like the Piano practice scales they give you finger control. I see with that 5 string is practice the Rolls for the exact same purpose. Figure it will be at least a month before I even try a song. First Rolls Second Chords with Rolls 3rd songs

---

A whole month....that long?. Just to share my experience with Tony Trishka's online school. He  introduces simple tunes pretty quickly into the progression. The first tune is a simple strumming with a couple of chords and generally his whole method seems to be tune-driven. I think I played a first roll/fret tune within maybe a week or two if not sooner. I can't remember now, but it was pretty close to a get-go.

He does not emphasize rolls as a separate thing but rather has you learn them for a specific tune. He does say to practice rolls as a warmup, but that's about it. I learned a couple of 4 and 8 finger rolls before starting this program, so I just play those and the ones that occur in Tony's assignments. But my main point is that with his program you start playing "something resembling music" very quickly and gain skills that way. I remember that in 4 month time, my family was commenting how unexpectedly soon my practices started sounding "musical". I also remember playing on a cottage deck last summer and did receive a compliment once. That was nice!  Very simple stuff, with lousy timing, but still, it was really really inspiring to be able to do that.

Ever since then, this program has done exactly that - here's a new tune, here's how to play it and a tab. Go practice :) A couple of weeks later come for another tune and submit a video here and there. I have to say I am enjoying this approach. This is not to say I am any good, but it seems to be going in the right direction. And a recent banjo upgrade is making it even more fun.

Edited by - Yury on 01/10/2018 12:02:13

WoodyShvlhead - Posted - 01/10/2018:  14:03:13

Yury

Guess I'm just a stickler for accuracy and timing. I know the songs will come to me. But when they do the Rolls and chord changes will be more 2nd nature. Janet Davis book Has you started on Songs by lesson 5 The Old Grey Goose & by lesson 7 Worried man Blues. But I'm going to spend time in lessons 1&2 till I get all the Rolls and chords down to a proficient level

Edited by - WoodyShvlhead on 01/10/2018 14:15:28

Yury - Posted - 01/10/2018:  14:18:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by WoodyShvlhead

Yury

Guess I'm just a stickler for accuracy and timing. I know the songs will come to me. But when they do the Rolls and chord changes will be more 2nd nature.

---

I am a perfectionist too, it's just a different way of achieving it. These tunes are very simple, once you learn one, you can use it to work on timing, hand technique, fretting and everything else. I now play that simple stuff with a metronome and concentrate on tone.

Edited by - Yury on 01/10/2018 14:22:44

ironmike - Posted - 01/16/2018:  12:26:56

I picked up this beauty in the BHO marketplace, have it set up, and now Cripple Creek sounds like Cripple Creek!!

Yury, you are right, the feeling of playing on "my banjo" is incredible and has led to very long and enthusiastic practice. I love it! Waiting for complaints / compliments from neighbors... :)

Banjo in her new home