Openback1229 - Posted - 10/14/2024:  13:46:22

Hello Everyone,

Since getting my hands on a Deering Goodtime about 2 months ago I have run into a slight road bump…
My love for banjo and guitar are fighting for attention.

I have been playing the guitar for several years and would consider myself an intermediate beginner. A few songs, 12 bar blues, and some piedmont finger picking is what I got on my belt.
As for, Banjo, got the clawhammer hand technique and bum ditty down well enough. Been working on Cripple Creek for about 1-2 weeks now it’s sounds pretty good.

I find that I become pretty rusty on the banjo or guitar with a few days neglect.

Who knew trying to become Mike Seeger was so damn hard ?!

Any chance you have advice for practicing on both instruments throughout the week?

Texasbanjo - Posted - 10/14/2024:  14:17:17

I had played banjo for several years and was at the point where I played by ear, not tab. There were some beginning pickers in our group that needed help learning to jam with others. I started a slow jam to help them. Since most were guitar pickers, I figured I'd better learn to at least do the rhythm part on guitar. That didn't take long. I found if I practiced both banjo and guitar each day that neither one got rusty because of neglect.

You might try breaking up your practice time into 2 separate parts and play banjo half the time and guitar the other half. Don't know if it will work for you, but it definitely did for me.

gbisignani - Posted - 10/14/2024:  15:07:24

For some strange reason I find if I lay off playing the banjo for a couple of days when I do pick it up again I actually play better.

NotABanjoYoda - Posted - 10/14/2024:  15:20:51

I play banjo for an hour and then guitar for annhour. When i first played banjo i did neglect my guitar chops. I started playing 6 string banjo to switch between the two in the same practise.

tdennis - Posted - 10/14/2024:  16:28:39

I've found that by using overdubbing recording I can stay fresh on the banjo & guitar & other instruments. I might spend a couple of weeks on the banjo practicing several songs to the level of making a worthy recording. I then use these tracks for some more weeks to work out a guitar accompaniment. The next month I may switch, starting w/ guitar tracks & follow up w/ some banjo. This way I don't feel there is a competition between the instruments & it also creates a high level of interest. (I don't feel my playing degrades on any instrument by doing this).

Edited by - tdennis on 10/14/2024 16:30:38

David Deacon - Posted - 10/14/2024:  16:54:42

I've accepted that I usually only have time to work on one instrument at a time. I go through phases where I binge on an instrument for a few months. I go between guitar, Irish tenor banjo, clawhammer banjo, and fiddle. But sometimes I work out a tune on banjo and fiddle at the same time. And yes, recording and overdubbing the parts is very rewarding. It's a great way to work on timing.

Openback1229 - Posted - 10/14/2024:  18:03:30

Thank you all for the reply!

Playing both in the same day in equal durations seems to be a very good suggestion. So obvious, yet not.

I will run with this tactic till I crash and burn :)

Openback1229 - Posted - 10/14/2024:  18:21:48

Going to look into overdubbing like others have mentioned too.



Not very familiar with using GarageBand, but will see if it can serve as an additional tool.



Thanks again for all the suggestions !

Edited by - Openback1229 on 10/14/2024 18:28:43