Hitting the wall

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57 Members, Created 4/25/2014 -

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From dvanmet on 6/26/2014 7:41:44 AM

I feel like I have hit the wall in my attempt to learn to play the banjo. For those who know the book, I am on page 51 of the Scruggs book trying to play that simple form of Cripple Creek. I work those 8 bars every day and can't seem to get it quite right. I am finding that I am ad libbing it as I go and it works OK but it isn't what is being asked of me. So, I need some advice. Do I keep pounding my head against it... OR... move on and try something else for a while and come back later. I am sure this will be the first of many walls.

THX,

David

8 Comments
	bbult says: 6/26/2014 5:37:50 PM Just keep plowing..today I came back to Earl's Reuben after 5 years of never getting it right...timing issues ...today i did it right...now in the memory bank..banjo is truly a journey.....
	phillavery says: 6/26/2014 8:10:36 PM Hi Dave, well, this will be a case of the Blind leading the Blind, lol, I'm not familiar with the Scruggs book mentioned, I use Banjo for Dummies dummies.com/Section/id-819847.html which also has a version of Cripple Creek which Ive learned, I find that playing the Tabs to a sort of 'Horse Galloping rhythm' works for me, sometime just playing the Tabs seems to make little sense until I can get a beat going, then it all seems to come together, The link Ive attached has Video and there is also an EBook available which is excellent, but DO NOT Despair, you'll get it eventually and wonder what all the fuss was about, lol, ..... cheers mate
	Banjo Lefty says: 6/28/2014 11:58:14 AM Try dotting the rhythm. Hold one note for one-and-a-half beats, play the next note for half a beat, then one-and-a-half, and so on. This will give you a nice relaxed "swing" sound, which sounds good even when you play the piece slowly. Then play it slowly until you're comfortable. The speed will come. I can't get it much above 72 BPM myself right now, but I'm working on it.
	Peter Metz says: 6/29/2014 7:28:00 AM Hi, David, I'm a beginner myself on the banjo, but from my experience with the guitar and other practising, it often takes a time till kind of a jump in abilities appears. Staying away for a time, practising different things, and coming back also is a good idea. And anyway: who is asking anything of you? In our age, it's just for the fun and for ourselves we play, isn't it?
	dvanmet says: 6/29/2014 10:45:01 AM Peter, All true statements. Like anything new I am just jonesing to get it right for once. I keep plucking.
	kalstras says: 7/2/2014 1:33:53 AM tinypic.com/m/icussw/4 try this one, it's the tab set I am currently learning :) (also started from absolute scratch at 51)
	Banjo Lefty says: 7/19/2014 11:38:35 AM Since my last comment, I've moved up to 112 beats per minute. It's just practise, that's all it is.
	KenBirmingham says: 1/5/2015 6:47:02 AM Rick Mckeon does a easy Cripple Creek on Youtube, give it a try.
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