Banjo Hangout Logo
Banjo Hangout Logo

Premier Sponsors

1750
Banjo Lovers Online


 All Forums
 Playing the Banjo
 Playing Advice: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Styles
 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Strumming Speed


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/394872

Mackinchiney - Posted - 12/30/2023:  20:52:20


Hi y'all,

Wondering how long it took you (best guess or approx timeline) for you to strum confidently around 70 bpm, 100 bpm, 120bpm...

I've only begun learning a few months ago and know it takes time to get that muscle memory. I am curious how long it took you until you felt like you could play songs at full speed. Thanks!

heavy5 - Posted - 12/31/2023:  01:09:21


fast & half fast some times are inseparable

Texasbanjo - Posted - 12/31/2023:  04:39:09


If you've only been playing a few months, you probably aren't ready to strum confidently at any speed. What you need to work on are the basics: timing, tone, technique and don't try to speed, even in a strum. Speed will come when it's ready and if you try to rush it, you'll end up being a sloppy banjo picker.

As far as the time it takes some one to do anything on the banjo, it depends on the person, their age, how familiar they are with music or how completely unfamiliar they are. There's no one size fits all when it comes to learning to play the banjo. For most of us, it takes time, experience and practice, practice, practice.

BobbyE - Posted - 12/31/2023:  06:51:30


I associate the word, 'strumming,' with playing rhythm guitar. Have never thought of strumming having much to do with Scruggs style playing, but could just be me and not being exposed to word in relation to bluegrass banjo playing.

Bobby

Fathand - Posted - 12/31/2023:  06:57:27


quote:

Originally posted by BobbyE

I associate the word, 'strumming,' with playing rhythm guitar. Have never thought of strumming having much to do with Scruggs style playing, but could just be me and not being exposed to word in relation to bluegrass banjo playing.



Bobby






Practice Strumming chords to a song is a good music fundamental that teaches timing and chord progression theory as well as left hand chording.



These are skills all musicians should learn, including bluegrass banjo players. I wish I had learned it before learning to play tabs by rote. 

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 12/31/2023:  08:30:15


quote:

Originally posted by BobbyE

I associate the word, 'strumming,' with playing rhythm guitar. Have never thought of strumming having much to do with Scruggs style playing, but could just be me and not being exposed to word in relation to bluegrass banjo playing.



Bobby






That was my thought. They do a lot more strumming over on the four string forum. Never heard Earl strum but whatever...

Ricky_Banjo - Posted - 12/31/2023:  09:04:02


quote:

Originally posted by Mackinchiney

Hi y'all,

Wondering how long it took you (best guess or approx timeline) for you to strum confidently around 70 bpm, 100 bpm, 120bpm...

I've only begun learning a few months ago and know it takes time to get that muscle memory. I am curious how long it took you until you felt like you could play songs at full speed. Thanks!






 

Culloden - Posted - 12/31/2023:  09:06:48


My question is, what kind of music are you playing? Five string banjo players don't really strum. Tenor and plectrum players do. If we start giving you advice about Bluegrass playing and you play a tenor banjo, our advice is going to be pretty useless.

Ricky_Banjo - Posted - 12/31/2023:  09:08:11


When you say "strumming speed", which style are you playing? 3 finger picking, or frailing, or strumming the banjo like a guitar?

NotABanjoYoda - Posted - 12/31/2023:  09:23:12


Some children learn to walk and talk earlier than others by a year or even two...but its not a good indication of how they turn out. Only the individuals dedication and effort determine that.

Earl played daily for many decades for a living. Most are probably not going to replicate him starting as an adult outside of their early 20s. You can get fast at roll patterns early but switching the chords and single stringing at 180 bpm takes years and years.

Alex Z - Posted - 12/31/2023:  10:22:03


quote:

Originally posted by Mackinchiney

Hi y'all,

Wondering how long it took you (best guess or approx timeline) for you to strum confidently around 70 bpm, 100 bpm, 120bpm...

I've only begun learning a few months ago and know it takes time to get that muscle memory. I am curious how long it took you until you felt like you could play songs at full speed. Thanks!






You're asking a specific question about specific individual experiences. Nobody is giving a specific answer. 

 



At about 1 hour per day, it took me about 2 years to play Scruggs style at 120 bpm, and another year to get to 150 bpm, cleanly and with good timing. 

stanleytone - Posted - 12/31/2023:  11:02:38


Only playing a few months? You got a ways to go before worrying about peeling the paint off the walls.Concentrate on you timing and clarity and nice even separation of notes. Even volume when hitting each string unless you are accentuating a note. Speed aint nothing without all the rest

Good Buddy - Posted - 12/31/2023:  13:55:53


A rake or a brush stroke is 5-string banjo talk for a strum. It is used occasionally. Usually we refer to what we are doing as picking. The time it takes one person to play quickly will be different from the next. And doing it cleanly is very important as has been pointed out. It took me about a year to play cleanly at 120 bpm. I've been playing just over 10 years now and 160 bpm is still a struggle on some tunes. If I don't practice every day, it is even more difficult.

monstertone - Posted - 01/08/2024:  09:26:37


Playing advice: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Styles. Earl Scruggs never "strummed" the banjo.


Edited by - monstertone on 01/08/2024 09:30:16

DickieM - Posted - 01/11/2024:  08:37:10


aside from the 'strumming' term..... I've been taking weekly lessons with a teacher for 2.5 years and I never worry about speed..... that said, I'm a slow learner.... When it comes to doing 16 note rolls to chords, I still have trouble being clean and 'smooth' with anything over 85 BPM or thereabouts. The thing with 'speed' I believe it is better and 'therapeutic' to be able to play something SLOW as opposed to trying to push your limit...... If I cant play it right SLOW, then why would I want to try it 'fast'

monstertone - Posted - 01/11/2024:  11:56:23


quote:

Originally posted by DickieM

..... If I cant play it right SLOW, then why would I want to try it 'fast'






 When you think you might screw up, you probably will screw up. On the other hand, if you convince yourself that you can succeed, your chances are much better.



Without trying to play faster, you never will play faster. It's a vicious circle, the brain sends the same slow commands to the hands, & the hands must obey the commands. WTH, no one else is going to hear your mistakes, so why not try? Don't use a metronome, just think a little faster. When you stumble & fall, as you most assuredly will, keep on picking. No do-overs, don't lose the beat! Think positive & keep on picking.



Practice this exercise with something you know well enough to pick with your eyes closed, without even thinking about it. Once the muscle memory has been established, you need not retrain your hands.  You need only retrain the command center. It's that simple. surprise

Jack Baker - Posted - 01/11/2024:  12:20:56


Ha,
Are we talking about banjo or a guided missle headed our way....so technical...Jack

monstertone - Posted - 01/12/2024:  12:54:19


I dunno, Jack. Letters, numbers, fingers, strings. After all, It's just a banjo. Maybe it's simply the way one looks at it?

Owen - Posted - 01/12/2024:  14:19:22


... and never mind strumming .... thrumming is where it's at!!   



This appeared on my Facebook page this aft ... an excerpt from Mary Bunton's book "A Bride on the Old Chisholm Trail in 1886." 



"The dugouts were recreational centers, too, and, on Saturday nights and Sundays, cowboys came from near-by ranches to visit. On these occasions, they would sit around the open fire and tell hair- raising stories of their riding, roping, and branding, or thrum their banjos and guitars and sing their beautiful songs of life on the range."



 

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent
Copyright 2025 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.





Hangout Network Help

View All Topics  |  View Categories

0.078125