New phase to my Banjo Playing

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Posted by mojohand on Saturday, May 23, 2009

I've been pickin at the banjo now for about 5-6 years. But that's by the calendar. If I really put all the time I've spent picking together, it would probably only be like 2-3 years. You see, I play in spurts. I have trouble staying focused sometimes. I have too many interests floating around inside of me. Especially when it comes to music. I will go into phases. I will enjoy playing the banjo for a few weeks, but then something will change and I'll feel the need to pick up my guitar. That will last for awhile and then something will change again and I'll pick up my electric guitar. Everytime I do this, the other instruments just hang on the wall and get no attention. Now I have fun with all of the instruments I play, but the real downside to this is that I never really get GOOD at any of them. I just sort of PLAY AT THEM. I have never gained a true understanding of any of them. I would find tab for different songs and pick at them with my various instruments until they sounded "ok" and then I would get bored with it move on.

Well, so a few weeks ago I re entered a banjo phase and have been happily picking for awhile now. I'm having fun, but I still get frustrated with myself. Songs like "Cripple Creek", which is the first song I ever learned, still don't flow from banjo as eaily as I feel it should at this point. That's when it occured to me that I really hadn't learned the song. I only learned part of the song...the melody. And quite frankly whenever I have learned a new song on the banjo, it has been the melody line. I realized that I never took the time to really learn the chords the melody is based on. As a result, I never really learned to keep a solid backing rhythm. I could never really sing along with my playing, because I would try to follow the melody line too closely with my words and it never quite worked out.

So that brings me to where I am now. I am making an effort to really learn entire songs...Chords, melody, lyrics, etc. I also find that when I learn some of the history of the songs it helps and adds new dimension to my understanding of the song.

One of the best resources I have found for this have been going back and looking at Patrick Costello's material. I'll admit that I got a video of his when I first started on the banjo, but quickly got bored with it. I felt he moved too slow and spent too much time on the basic frailing stroke and the rhythm. I wanted to "play" the songs I was listening to; you know the melody. So I put his stuff aside and went looking for tabs. I think a lot of studentseager to "learn" do this and miss the entire point of playing music. Which is, "it's the song stupid." So I have gone back to basics...FRAILING. I have learned so many bad habits over the years that I am now havng to relearn. But with my current frame of mind, things are going much smoothly than before.

I know some people on the Hangout have different views of Patrick, and that's ok. I'm not here to defend him or change others minds. But the more I watch his videos on youtube, the closer I feel to him. I think he has a real understanding of the banjo and of what folk music is. He's like a goofy brother to me now. I even laugh at his corny jokes and walk around the house looking for "dear ol Dad!

So that's it. I'm off to play the banjo now. If you've read this far, I'm sorry. That's a few minutes of your life you will never get back :) SO happy picking.

2 comments on “New phase to my Banjo Playing”

Guy Says:
Sunday, May 24, 2009 @4:02:22 AM

I was advised in my early musical career to specialise, decide which instrument I really wanted to play, ditch the others and go for it. I decided guitar was my thing and I ploughed my efforts into that, it worked!

Later on I was offered a position in a band playing mandolin, again I had to put all my effort into playing mandolin, it worked!

Now years later I have developed a passion for the banjo and virtually all my efforts have gone into playing that, again it seems to be working. I can now play all three instruments to a high standard.

I think on average, you need to spend 5 or more years to gain profficiency in any instrument. Nothing gives you greater pleasure than being able to play confidently and assuredley on an instrument and that can only come from hours of dedicated playing and practise.

Set your mind to the fact that learning an instrument is a long term goal and enjoy every step of the way. Before you know it your goal will be in sight and you will have had a lot of fun.

Over the years I have met many musicians who kept changing horses and every time it was going to be 'the thing' they'd been looking for. Many times the thing was under their noses all the time, they just needed to apply themselves better and not look for a quick fix.

Good luck in your search

Guy