Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  11:38:41

In another discussion, pinenut posted how banjo instruction books based in standard notation would stop him dead in his tracks.



So I thought perhaps we could have an open dialog and address any questions or concerns about this long established method of learning.



I would also like to apologize and elaborate on a statement I made about "ego". This was not meant as a criticism. The biggest challenge to this comes when someone is already a banjoist, especially if that person is accomplished or has been playing for years. These methods only work if one is willing to set all that aside, forget everything they know, and start from scratch.



It is a tough thing to do. But one only has to do it once. Slogging through the most basic of exercises can be tedious for an accomplished player. That is what I meant. Set aside the "why do I need to do this stuff, I will just jump past it."



My favorite method is currently in print (and copyright), the "Mel Bay Banjo Method" by Frank C. Bradbury. Due to this, I will not be posting pages here. But copies are easy to get and I recommend buying the original two volume set off of ebay for cheap.



I will often say "start at page one". So that is were we can start.



"Author's Note." No explanation needed.

Parts of the banjo: same.

Now we get to the Rudiments of music.



This could not be made any clearer. Read each explanation and memorize them.



Then "Notes". If one reads tab then they already know this. They should be fully versed in note duration. If not, then they do not read tab. Again, this is pretty self explanatory.



Moving on to page 10, "Learning to Read and Pick the Open Strings.



This is pretty self explanatory too. Look at the note, say the letter out loud, pluck the string with the finger indicated. Do this until memorized.



Than play the rest of the exercises.



Any questions?

Edited by - Joel Hooks on 10/23/2025 11:41:06

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  11:58:24

Seriously, no question is "stupid". If I don't have an answer, I'll get it from someone who knows.

KCJones - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:22:31

I love this topic Joel. In fact you're starting to get me interested in classic banjo with your posts!

You said no stupid questions, which is dangerous! My question is, and don't take it the wrong way, but.. Why?



I don't disagree that this is a great way to learn how to play banjo in a certain way. If someone wants to play classic banjo, jazz, ragtime, all the amazing banjo music of the early late 19th and early 20th century, of course they should follow these methods. But if someone wants to learn, for example, how to play like JD Crowe, why go this route? If someone wants to learn how to play in festival jam circles, or write folk songs for banjo accompanant, will this get them there? What advantage does this method have over the methods that have been used for the last 50 years to teach thousands of students?



I get that this is the original way to learn/teach banjo. Maybe it's even the best. But the other methods seem to get most players where they want to be much easier and quicker. And if you've ever taught a rank beginner, you know that the biggest obstacle is keeping them engaged past the first month. "Slogging through these basic exercises" (your words) isn't tedious just for accomplished players, it's tedious for everyone. And with beginners it's even worse because they don't have the discipline of practice that most veterans have. I just don't see this material keeping anyone engaged unless they're already interested in classic banjo specifically. What advantages does this method have over the more common tab+ear method for teaching the fundamentals of bluegrass or clawhammer banjo, which are what the vast majority of beginner banjo players are interested in?

Edited by - KCJones on 10/23/2025 12:27:57

pinenut - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:37:27

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

I love this topic Joel. In fact you're starting to get me interested in classic banjo with your posts!

What advantages does this method have over the more common tab+ear method for teaching the fundamentals of bluegrass or clawhammer banjo, which are what the vast majority of beginner banjo players are interested in?

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All of the original material is written in musical notation; clawhammer, 3-finger, 2-finger and styles in general don't matter with musical notation.  

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:39:20

KCJones If it is not for you, then it is not for you. No need to deflect or justify.

I don't recall mentioning J. D. Crowe, bluegrass or clawhammer (though there is a lot of stroke style music). I'm sorry if I was not clear about that.

I'll continue to promote and encourage musical literacy for the banjo. And if anyone wants to pursue this, I'll help. If not, no problem.

Thanks.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:46:07

KCJones ... hmm.... I seemed to have replied a slightly different post than the one that if up now.



First, it is easy. Second, there are tens if not hundreds of thousands of pieces of music arranged or composed for banjo, all in public domain and all free. Just sitting there waiting. You own them, might as well play them.



The system of "alternate fingering" taught in these methods (fingerstyle) is pretty much perfect. This, once studied, will become second nature and may be applied to any fingerstyle folk music.



One will be able to read music. That is pretty cool by itself.



One could also arrange from other treble clef music. Ryan's, O'neil, etc will all be within reach right off of the page.

Edited by - Joel Hooks on 10/23/2025 12:46:20

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:48:37

It the grand scheme of things, a course of study such as the Mel Bay Method does not take that long. Small bites, 15 min a day (you will eventually want to take bigger bites). 6 months to a year. Then done. One only has to do this once.

KCJones - Posted - 10/23/2025:  12:58:14

You're correct I did some edits, sorry. I like this conversation and my original response was a bit impolite so I wanted to make it more positive and "in earnest". I'm serious about getting interested in classic banjo because of your posts.

I'm just saying, as someone that basically teaches rank beginners until they can teach themselves, how does this material help me in that effort? Most people don't have proper music curriculum so they don't know notation and don't care to learn it. Any tricks on actually getting people to engage with this material? That makes me wonder... Are there modern examples of this instruction method that are written for contemporary/pop music?

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/23/2025:  13:12:38

I'm not sure, I think David Miles produced some books of "Pops for Banjo" but I would not call them "modern"-- more like ragtime to post WW2 popular standards.

As far as "not being interested", perhaps they just think they are not interested because the do not believe it is an option. Perhaps they associate notation with "classical music" or school music programs-- which I don't blame them for not wanting to do.

That is my very point, and a common mistake. One does not need to have any musical background or "formal training" or any other pejorative comment that people make about reading music.

These books teach everything. They start with small bites and progressively work through the material teaching new skills and stuff. No classical training needed.

Due to the nature of copyright laws and public domain, I'm not sure it is even legal to teach music published after Jan 1, 1930. Certainly it is not legal to tab it out and sell/give it to students.

That is a great part of this-- it is all free and you own it.

kr - Posted - 10/23/2025:  13:43:17

I think the biggest advantage would be communication with other standard notation readers regardless of what instrument they play .

Steve Perreault - Posted - 10/23/2025:  13:44:00

Joel, I am in the same boat as KCJones I believe. I really enjoy reading your posts and it has definitely piqued my interest in classic banjo. There is a "discovery" aspect to this music (i.e., finding and playing tunes that haven't been played in a very long time) that appeals to the history buff in me.

As you note, the biggest impediment to me picking up classic style is the idea that I have to "forget everything [I] know, and start from scratch." I really love playing bluegrass banjo, and it would be awfully hard to start at the beginning again with a new style.

Are there many folks who play both styles?

pinenut - Posted - 10/23/2025:  14:07:35

quote:

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Originally posted by pinenut

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joel Hooks

1)  It is a tough thing to do. But one only has to do it once. Slogging through the most basic of exercises can be tedious for an accomplished player. That is what I meant.

2)  Set aside the "why do I need to do this stuff, I will just jump past it."  This could not be made any clearer.

3)  Read each explanation and memorize them.  Do this until memorized.

Than play the rest of the exercises.



Any questions?

---

1)  From a practical standpoint, learning notation using one of the method books looks like a multi-year activity without actually adding much repertoire or playing ability.  But, it would be nice not to have to sort multiple tablature authors to arrange a palatable tune.  How many years does it take to be able to read and play notation reliably?  Is this a solid plan for an older player?

2)  This is hard on the ego and workable. 

3a)  This is part of what stops me cold.  Wrote memorization without pattern (tune) or meaning (song) is not sticky in my brain; I wouldn't know the alphabet if it didn't have a song.  It would be helpful to progress through the lessons with some common group of tunes (common old time tunes would allow threading to the existing 'initial kernel' of knowledge) or some other equivalent.  Is there an alternative use pattern of the "C" book or some other resource?

3b)  The other part is the small gaps in assumption by these authors that learned music as children; they don't know what they know or how they learned it and are unable to communicate what is left out.  These books are all very much the same in the entry description and follow the, eat these tiny unrelated bits and you'll just 'get it' at some point method; that generally works for children.  My most successful learning has been to pull-it-all-in and then hammer it flat; especially as a child.  This is going to require actual music be involved in the entire learning process.  How can any of these materials be organized to support this?

4)  Most tunes and songs have been committed to notation and are readily available; not just the old classic banjo stuff.  I am under the impression that anything written under the treble clef (+ key ?) can be played on a banjo, in any style .  Right?

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Edited by - pinenut on 10/23/2025 14:16:46

Bill H - Posted - 10/23/2025:  15:18:05

Joel Hooks I am a long-time claw hammer player and have been teaching myself to play fiddle tunes in three finger style. I attend a weekly multi-instrument class led by a fiddler. She sends out music for new tunes in standard notation. While I understand notation, my approach is to transcribe the music (which is just basic melody) into Tabledit and then create a banjo arrangement. New England fiddlers love both French Canadian and Celtic tunes as well as old time, so I challenge myself to figure out an arrangement that is playable for me and interesting as well as appropriate.

Here's my question: Since there are so many places to play any particular note or chord and notation does not give you that information, how do you figure out which finger plays which string? Every time I think about applying notation directly to five string banjo, that question is not one I can resolve. When I played trumpet in the high school marching band, there were very few variant fingerings.

Great topic.

Nopix - Posted - 10/23/2025:  18:16:23

I see a piano chord expressed as three notes on one stave/stem. So I could see a four string strum expressed as four notes on one stem. OK, so it's up to the operator to figure out how to hold one's fingers to make the chord. OK, that covers chords, but as was mentioned above there are a bunch of places on the neck to play the same note. How are individual notes voiced?

banjoboyd - Posted - 10/23/2025:  20:56:12

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill H

Here's my question: Since there are so many places to play any particular note or chord and notation does not give you that information, how do you figure out which finger plays which string? Every time I think about applying notation directly to five string banjo, that question is not one I can resolve. When I played trumpet in the high school marching band, there were very few variant fingerings.



Great topic.

---

With 3-note chords, there is basically one place on the fingerboard to play them minus some variants that utilize open strings. 

In terms of melody, indeed there is sometimes a bunch of different ways to play something. The "right" choice is the one that feels and sounds best to the player. Much of the time, that's influenced by what comes immediately before or after in the music. 

ALCO - Posted - 10/24/2025:  00:59:25

As it hasn't been mention so far, I suggest to anyone interested in learning to play classic banjo and who hasn't already done so, is go here classic-banjo.ning.com/video and listen to what it sounds like. Each video is a performance of music that is written in standard notation and whilst there are players that can and do utilise that music when converted to tablature, they are very few. I believe that for anyone who finds the genre appealing, it would be reasonable to consider that, in order to acquire the techniques required to play it, the progressive lessons to be found in the various published method books, do provide the most logical pathway. As far as I am aware, there are no equivalent methods available in tab. Again, as far as I know, there are no video recordings of the fundamental exercises or the most basic tunes that are in the published books. Therefore, if anyone can accept that learning to read standard notation in order to play scales, arpeggios and basic foundational exercises is necessary to become as competent as the performers in the videos, then any notion that those steps are tedious, should hopefully be dismissed. There is actually very little that has to be learned before a recognisable tune can be played and from there, it is a matter of building upon that which has just been achieved. There are so many tunes that share the same phrases, based on the initial arpeggio exercises of the common chords of only a few different keys, that it is possible to accumulate a sizable repertory without ever having to investigate the more advanced techniques. Examples of this can be found by searching for Jigs, Hornpipes and Breakdowns in the link above. Having said all that, nobody who wants to learn classic banjo has to forget everything they already know, or stop whatever style they are playing.

Edited by - ALCO on 10/24/2025 01:01:45

csacwp - Posted - 10/24/2025:  03:59:10

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nopix

I see a piano chord expressed as three notes on one stave/stem. So I could see a four string strum expressed as four notes on one stem. OK, so it's up to the operator to figure out how to hold one's fingers to make the chord. OK, that covers chords, but as was mentioned above there are a bunch of places on the neck to play the same note. How are individual notes voiced?

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Sometimes one knows how by experience or by what came before the note in question. Other times (and often) the position is noted in the music. Chord fingerings are often notated as well.

ALCO - Posted - 10/24/2025:  04:08:19

I think it is worth clarifying, that a lot of the music written to be played in the finger style, from the most basic tunes through to and probably more so, in the very complex pieces, are marked with well thought out indications of which finger to use and on which string, to play particular notes or phrases. Also, as the perceived difficulty of the written music is relative to the ability of the individual player, it is most likely that any accumulation of tunes learned, will be progressive. That is what is organised and presented in the tutor books, so that simple but recognisable tunes can be played very soon after the basic exercises are undertaken, which in turn should hopefully be engaging enough to those that are drawn to learn this genre of banjo music. Whilst it would of course be different for each person attempting this course of learning, I believe it is entirely possible to predict that the tunes to be found within the first chapters of the tutors, could be played within a few weeks, with careful study of the foundational exercises. To echo what Joel said in his introduction to the topic, it is self explanatory.
Just to touch on Steve's comment, it is that very 'discovery' aspect that adds to my overall enjoyment of playing this particular style of banjo music. There are a number of us in the relatively small CB community, that are also 'history buffs'; it's not a mandatory requirement.

Nopix - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:34:52

After I posted I thought, "why would it be different than guitar at this very early point?" Found a site. Read the 2 pages. Explained.
What I found: they illustrate by placing tab directly under the notation until it becomes unnecessary. Somebody could have said this.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:38:08

Steve Perreault , forget in the context of learning by notation. Think of it as opening up a new user on your desktop. Log in with this new user for 15 mins a day. Then log out and continue with your usual stuff.

ALCO - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:43:05

Steve, I didn't know there was a site teaching classic banjo using tab. Can you post the link to it please?

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:45:04

Bill H , good question. This is something that is often brought up by people who do not read to justify not reading.

The quick and dirty answer is that through the course of study you will be progressively introduced to this with graded music and exercises. You will learn to identify common chord shapes through melodies. You will also learn playing in positions.

All of this is taught progressively. It is the sum of the course. Small bites.

Additionally, there are banjo specific edits and symbols, long established (and very similar to what is used with guitar). All will be taught throughout the course.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:47:58

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nopix

After I posted I thought, "why would it be different than guitar at this very early point?" Found a site. Read the 2 pages. Explained.

What I found: they illustrate by placing tab directly under the notation until it becomes unnecessary. Somebody could have said this.

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That was not the point of my discussion.  It is unnecessary. If one works the course progressively then any tab under notation is not needed.  It is superfluous and takes up space doubling the page count. 

They point of this discussion is to help people with the Mel Bay Banjo Mehod, starting at the beginning. 

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:49:09

quote:

---

Originally posted by ALCO

Steve, I didn't know there was a site teaching classic banjo using tab. Can you post the link to it please?

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That is not the point of this discussion.  This is to answer questions regarding using the Mel Bay Banjo Method as a course of study. 

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  05:53:08

Regarding the investment in time: Had you started this a year ago you would be done.

Seriously, put in 6 months to a year. Really not that long of a time for a one and done education that will benefit for the rest of one's life.

ALCO - Posted - 10/24/2025:  06:04:21

I understand that and attempted to give opinions, based on my experience in learning from standard notation, although not the Mel Bay Banjo Method, having started with the Ellis books and the Barnes and Mullins book. I was simply curious to see how this music could be taught using tablature and the degree to which it might match the aforementioned tutors. For all of the reasons you have made clear, I fully support you in your promotion of reading written musical scores.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  06:36:42

A little more on the investment of time. I will relay a narrative that I have seen played out more than a few times.

A banjoist who is accomplished in folk styles or bluegrass will come across a solo from the classic era. This might be Tony Trischka playing "Plantation Symphony" or Bill Evans playing "Ragtime Episode".

At any rate, they like it and want to learn. Tracking down a tab that may or may not be accurate to the score (often not), and along with a video or recording, they set to work. Slowly, number by number, they learn the solo. This might take three weeks or a month to get smooth.

Repeat this a handful of times and a year has passed. And at the end of that year the banjoist knows 4 or 5 pieces.

Now, insted, if that banjoist had taken a course of study, at the end of that SAME AMOUNT OF TIME they would be able to play ALL the solos (within the limits of their playing skill). They would be able to play hundreds of pieces, with little trouble memorizing the ones they like.

And they would have developed good habits like proper left hand fingering, right hand alternate fingering (the key to this stuff) and proper harmony (often missed when learning "by ear").

Over the course of study, they will develop the skill to add to a piece making their own arrangement-- filling it out if needed. I often combine elements of the second banjo part with the first, esp adding counterpoint.

So, same amount of time= a few solos or ALL the solos (within reason of current skill level) and a skill that will be useful for the rest of one's life.

banjoboyd - Posted - 10/24/2025:  06:36:46

quote:

---

Originally posted by pinenut

1)  From a practical standpoint, learning notation using one of the method books looks like a multi-year activity without actually adding much repertoire or playing ability. 

 

3a)  This is part of what stops me cold.  Wrote memorization without pattern (tune) or meaning (song) is not sticky in my brain

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It gives you access to many thousands of banjo solos representing diverse styles/genres. Is that not "adding much repertoire"? 

Two (or three) things: You don't have to memorize if you can sightread. You're allowed to look at the sheet music as you play. What you describe as rote memorization is really not like trying to keep every single note in your head. Over time, you learn to compartmentalize. As has been mentioned, the same figures/techniques appear over and over. It's not radically different than the way BG banjoists think in terms of rolls and licks rather than individual notes. But it takes time to get there.

This is music composed by banjoists, for banjoists. The composers knew the instrument well; they're not trying to fool you. 

Steve Perreault - Posted - 10/24/2025:  07:44:08

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

Steve Perreault , forget in the context of learning by notation. Think of it as opening up a new user on your desktop. Log in with this new user for 15 mins a day. Then log out and continue with your usual stuff.

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OK, Joel. This post may have convinced me to start. I can spare 15 minutes a day from my bluegrassin'.

I already own the Bradbury book and have an old openback Goodtime banjo that has been collecting dust for a while. Is it necessary to try to restring this with nylons at this point or are steel strings OK to start?

ChunoTheDog - Posted - 10/24/2025:  07:45:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joel Hooks

I'm not sure, I think David Miles produced some books of "Pops for Banjo" but I would not call them "modern"-- more like ragtime to post WW2 popular standards.



As far as "not being interested", perhaps they just think they are not interested because the do not believe it is an option. Perhaps they associate notation with "classical music" or school music programs-- which I don't blame them for not wanting to do.



That is my very point, and a common mistake. One does not need to have any musical background or "formal training" or any other pejorative comment that people make about reading music.



These books teach everything. They start with small bites and progressively work through the material teaching new skills and stuff. No classical training needed.



Due to the nature of copyright laws and public domain, I'm not sure it is even legal to teach music published after Jan 1, 1930. Certainly it is not legal to tab it out and sell/give it to students.



That is a great part of this-- it is all free and you own it.

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Teaching copyrighted music is 100% legal as you're not reproducing a copyrighted work on a fixed support/medium for broadcast. Tabbing out your arrangement of a given copyrighted tune is also totally legal. Photocopying a copyrighted notation sheet or page from a book is where it becomes no longer legal.

It's not complicated 

pinenut - Posted - 10/24/2025:  08:16:45

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjoboyd

quote:

---

Originally posted by pinenut

1)  From a practical standpoint, learning notation using one of the method books looks like a multi-year activity without actually adding much repertoire or playing ability. 

 

3a)  This is part of what stops me cold.  Wrote memorization without pattern (tune) or meaning (song) is not sticky in my brain

---

It gives you access to many thousands of banjo solos representing diverse styles/genres. Is that not "adding much repertoire"? 

Two (or three) things: You don't have to memorize if you can sightread. 

---

Hi Ethan,

I may have misused some definitions and could have been more clear; apologies.

repertoire:  tunes played without supports other than a banjo.

Having access to the written music, not just classic banjo, is an enormous and desirable thing.  I have wanted it to failure for many years.  Thank you for finding/showing the missing pieces that I cannot see.

The memorizing isn't about the music, it's about mapping the notation system to letters and the fingerboard note memorization (memorizing the sight-reading skill); mapping a written symbol to a another symbol to a sound and a physical movement (new language). 

I understand this seems trivial to someone that had early exposure to music; it is not.  What are the 'special needs' training tools?

 Best, Kam

Edited by - pinenut on 10/24/2025 08:17:59

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  08:25:56

pinenut , to be clear, I did not have any early exposure to notation or music. While my parents encouraged me (well, encouraged with the lowest effort on their part), they were not in any way "musical".

My mother enrolled me in elementary school orchestra but she did not understand that I was expected to get lessons for violin and learn outside of that program. Needless to say I was a total failure and did not last more than a semester.

No, I learned everything I know about music from the very sources I am recommending. I started with "A notation" and added "C notation later" in order to participate at American Banjo Fraternity rallies. I learned using those 19th century method books, C notation from Bradbury.

There was no "formal training" and the only "lesson" I have ever had was sitting down with Clarke Buehling at events a few times-- as a fully grown adult.

I am speaking from experience when I state that "everything you need to know is taught in the Mel Bay Banjo Method".

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  08:27:10

Distractions and deflections aside, does anyone have any questions about finding notes on the open strings? I would spend a few days on this lesson before moving on to the next page.

banjoboyd - Posted - 10/24/2025:  09:14:18

quote:

---

Originally posted by pinenut

The memorizing isn't about the music, it's about mapping the notation system to letters and the fingerboard note memorization (memorizing the sight-reading skill); mapping a written symbol to a another symbol to a sound and a physical movement (new language). 

---

I see what you mean. I wouldn't describe it as memorization though. It's a bit like touch typing (which I don't assume everyone can do, but it's a fairly common skill). As I'm typing these words, I'm not "recalling" where each key is on the keyboard. I think of the word (not the individual letters, unless I am unsure about the spelling) and my fingers just "know" where to go. The way people develop that skill is not by staring at the computer keyboard and trying to memorize the layout (I doubt I could accurately draw a keyboard from memory); it's by doing progressive typing exercises. That's exactly what books like Bradbury's are designed to do. You get familiar with a few notes at a time, and keep building on it. 

Edited by - banjoboyd on 10/24/2025 09:18:50

ALCO - Posted - 10/24/2025:  09:41:30

Kam, what Ethan has said is what I was trying to convey in my previous posts and why I believe it is possible to progress beyond the initial exercises and begin to play the simple tunes in a short period of time; the learning is accumulative and the particular skill of sight reading, as an intrinsic process, is introduced from the very first exercise. However, the time it takes is not relevant, when considering the benefits of correct techniques.

Edited by - ALCO on 10/24/2025 10:03:11

ChunoTheDog - Posted - 10/24/2025:  10:16:55

Joel, if anyone tries to insinuate that you cannot teach to others a composition that is not yet in the public domain, feel free to tell them to get acquainted with the fair use provisions of the American copyright regime....and to hire better legal counsel going forward.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  10:34:57

quote:

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Originally posted by ChunoTheDog

Joel, if anyone tries to insinuate that you cannot teach to others a composition that is not yet in the public domain, feel free to tell them to get acquainted with the fair use provisions of the American copyright regime....and to hire better legal counsel going forward.

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I have ownership of tens of thousands (if not closer to one hundred thousand) pieces of music composed or arranged for banjo.  I'm all set.

Do you have any questions about the Mel Bay Method and reading the open strings?

Edited by - Joel Hooks on 10/24/2025 10:48:27

Joel Hooks - Posted - 10/24/2025:  10:48:04

It is a good habit to practice with a metronome. Get one that will make a different noise for the first beat. The mechanical ones are cool and I like mine, but the one I use the most is a Korg KDM-3.

This model has a very realistic sounding "click" and bell.

On exercise 1, set the metronome to 4/4 with the bell counting the first beat.

Whole note C is held for 4 beats, half notes in measure 3 two beats, quarter notes in 4 one click per note.

For exercise 3 set the metronome to 3/4 with the bell for the first beat. Ding-click-click, Ding-click-click. Play each note on the beat. Play the first a little louder than the other two. At the 4th measure there is a dotted half note. This is explained. look at the numbers counting the beats and hold the note for 3 counts.

And.. you are now reading music on the banjo. See, that was easy. Small progressive bites.

pinenut - Posted - 10/26/2025:  21:18:37

quote:

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Originally posted by banjoboyd

quote:

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Originally posted by pinenut

The memorizing isn't about the music, it's about mapping the notation system to letters and the fingerboard note memorization (memorizing the sight-reading skill); mapping a written symbol to a another symbol to a sound and a physical movement (new language). 

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I see what you mean. I wouldn't describe it as memorization though. It's a bit like touch typing (which I don't assume everyone can do, but it's a fairly common skill). As I'm typing these words, I'm not "recalling" where each key is on the keyboard. I think of the word (not the individual letters, unless I am unsure about the spelling) and my fingers just "know" where to go. The way people develop that skill is not by staring at the computer keyboard and trying to memorize the layout (I doubt I could accurately draw a keyboard from memory); it's by doing progressive typing exercises. That's exactly what books like Bradbury's are designed to do. You get familiar with a few notes at a time, and keep building on it. 

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Hi Ethan,

Typing is a perfect comparison.  

I started on a typewriter in high school; we did kinda just stare at the keyboard.  There were repetitive short word exercises that progressed to sentences and the characters are written on each key.  So, yeah, I lifted my fingers off home row and hunted for the appropriate characters to push.  

It took a good decade plus for me to get to the 40ish wpm that is my long term typing plateau (at least I don't look at my fingers).  It's interesting, (and recent) apparently, I also think about the word that I want... I still have to tell my fingers what letter and where to go, some of the time.

This may be the kernel I can use to access notation to fingerboard mapping. 

It'll take some time to look into; thank you.

Edited by - pinenut on 10/26/2025 21:22:57

Steve Perreault - Posted - 10/27/2025:  14:00:16

After a few days in, I am currently on exercise 5 and working exclusively with my metronome.

When learning a difficult passage in bluegrass, my expectation is that I should be able to play it around 110 or so bpm before moving onto the next passage. Is there a similar expectation for classic banjo?

In other words, how fast should I be able to play one of these exercises cleanly before I am 'ready' to move onto the next?