Murphy Method (via Casey)

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Posted by Horseshoot on Monday, February 21, 2011

I am still pickin' along. And, I am still a huge fan (and believer) in the Murphy Method. In addition, I am still taking lessons, with my wonderful teacher. I firmly believe that some day I will be able to pick out good breaks to songs that I do not know the break for. However, sometimes my needs (for the little band I am in) get ahead of my skill level. Well, actually, all of the time they do! I want to introduce the song "Dooley" to Brent (my guitar/ mando buddy.) I think we could have a lot of fun with that song, and it has been one of my favorites for many years. I noticed that Casey Henry had the song on the list of songs that she had worked out into a lesson format. So I ordered it!

As luck would have it, it arrived Friday, just as I was going out the door to catch the train to Boston. My daughter, who is a senior in high school, had an audition at Berklee College of Music, so we were spending the weekend in Boston. I thought, often, of that DVD, and my fingers fairly tingled with anticipation!

Today, after work, I finally sat down with it. I did my usual warm-ups, and my roll exercises, and then started the DVD. The quality of the video work, naturally, is not up to the usual Murphy Method standards. That is to be expected, as these are specials produced, as needed. However, the quality of the lesson, was every bit as much of what I have come to expect from this family. Casey has a nice easy way about her, as she teaches, and I had no trouble at all following along. (I have to admit, that I held a secret pleasure inside, knowing that this song had been listed as an intermediate song! haha!) Soon, I was through the DVD, and playing (albeit slowly) a break for Dooley! I am now going to work on vamping the chords, then I will introduce the words. After I get it to a reasonable working speed, I will introduce it to Brent. I am quite chuffed!

Thanks Casey!

7 comments on “Murphy Method (via Casey)”

Just Bill Says:
Monday, February 21, 2011 @8:53:32 PM

Great post, Michael! Like you, I'm a die-hard Murphy Henry-ite.

I hope the audition at Berklee was spectacular!

Take care,

Bill

rickshunter1 Says:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 @3:25:18 AM

Great news Micheal I too am going to get the Murphy Method DVD hope your daughter does well at her Berklee audition

Augie Says:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 @4:01:22 AM

Hi Mike, Great post. I have seven of the Murphy Method DVDs and I hope to live long enough to be as good as Murphy or Casey. Not only can they play, they can teach.

DGEBanjo Says:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 @8:12:27 AM

Mike:
I too am a misfit, I have been using the method for about 6 months and have also had Casey do a few custom lessons as well, in fact she is working on two other songs, not on her lists for me right now. Her method is easy to follow and the bonus to Casey's lessons is she is not hard on the eyes either, so it is a win win when learning to play the banjo

banjodawg Says:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 @9:02:41 AM

I, too, have been stocking up on the Murphy Method DVDs. While I have 14 or 15 of them, I have only gotten entirely through the first, started the second and have worked my way through 2 of the Christmas tunes and started working on Wildwood Flower and the Ballad of Jed Clampett. All my retired fiends tell me that I will have less time if I ever retire, so I don't quite know how I will get through all of these DVDs, not to mention the John Hartford and Accutab DVDs!