How's about a shout out by everyone and anyone who feels they are making progress. I think I am however it sure does come at a crawl. A good way to tell is by looking back and listening to past recordings of yourself.
Practicing along with BIAB is also helpful in developing timing and preparing yourself for jammin' with others.
17 Comments |
 | Peanutscreams says:
8/6/2014 2:04:24 PM
Okay I'll go. Sometimes I do, other times I have to scratch my head and wonder. Just yesterday I stumbled across a recording I made exactly a year ago, I thought humm, this should be interesting, so I hit play and oh my gosh, it sounded better than the one I made two weeks ago. Now that is sad. However on the plus side, I feel I have made leaps and bounds this past six months learning the fretboard, so I'm very happy and content with that progress.
As a beginner 3 years ago, fretboard knowledge was never a concern or goal of mine; the importance was never emphasized upon me from the learning source I was studying at the time. So other than the C & D chords down the neck, and the G C & D chords at the 5th 7th 10th and 12th frets I knew zero about any other chords or their different positions, and the progressions in which to find them quickly and play them in different keys. This is valuable information and fun to learn.
Butch B.
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 | RB4picker says:
8/6/2014 3:18:32 PM
That's great Butch. You're right on about the fretboard. Once you learn the closed chord shapes you can find a chord anywhere on the neck I have found this to be very useful in playing simple roll over chord backup to other pickers.
I am working on partial chords around the neck as well. Partial two finger chords are easier to make and free up a finger or two for finding other notes that work.
David
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 | Banjo Lefty says:
8/6/2014 3:40:20 PM
When you start from zero, everything is progress. I've tried playing FMB from Rob Bourassa's free lessons on the forum, and I can get through it at although very slo-o-o-o-o-o-wly. Still. Couldn't play banjo at all this time last year.
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| RB4picker says:
8/6/2014 4:54:00 PM
That's what I'm talking about Lefty. You're actually a little better this week than last week but the small increments make it hard to see. But a years difference can make a showing.
And slowly and cleanly (thanks for reminding me) is the way to pracctice.
David
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 | phillavery says:
8/6/2014 9:29:35 PM
Absobloodylutely ... Every day, in every way as they say ... and I've just got an RK-R36 that just sounds SO GOOD ... pure enjoyment, slow an steady catch da monkey, even though Im starting to get a bit of Arthritis in my hands a wash in warm water and a bit of exercise loosens things up for another round ... stretching out to those chords is slowly getting easier, look forward to practice time every day (after they chores are done .. lol) ... I'm planning to live forever ... so far, so good !
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 | kalstras says:
8/7/2014 2:27:37 AM
haha!
I fell little progress daily, but yesterday EPIPHANY!!
I played with a jam track for the first time WOW!!!! What a difference!!
Sorry for the exclamation marks but what a find, who is responsible for not telling me about this >:O
I played a 120 Cripple Creek backing track and FINALLY got the timing right allowing me to hear the song I wanted to hear. True the song can be played as is, but every time I played this tune, I always wanted to[play something else because it just didn't sound right? My tutor wrote out the tab and when I played it against the backing track I heard different sounds and MY HANDS JUST FOLLOWED AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL NOW!!!
I just want to play cripple creek all day and when do I stop? I DON'T ITS A LOOP HAHA!! (Madness is setting in)...
Dilemma, I'm a lefty, I saw a righty Banjo, Mastertone special edition... might buy it and try to learn righty :(
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 | dvanmet says:
8/7/2014 7:16:51 AM
YES! I finally found out why I could not work the neck efficiently (thank you Tyler) and am now playing Cripple Creek much smoother. I also have started adding licks to my "beginner's songs". I don't expect to ever be brilliant as a player but if I can carry a tune I will be happy.
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| RB4picker says:
8/7/2014 9:39:16 AM
Yeah phil I know about those stiff fingers as well. Takes me bout half hour to just get going.
Congrats on the new Rk-36. Everybody seems to love em.
I don't know about catching that monkey though!!!!!lol
David
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| RB4picker says:
8/7/2014 9:46:33 AM
kalstras, the banjo journeyis littered with little highs and lows like you've experienced.The highs make the lows worthwhile.
Keep looking, you'll find your perfect lefty.
David
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| RB4picker says:
8/7/2014 9:55:35 AM
Maybe dvanmet we will never be as good as Earl or JD but I bet if you learn Cripple Creek good enough to sit around a camp fire and have everyone sing along you'll feel absolutley brilliant.
Just keep pickin'
David
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| Peanutscreams says:
8/7/2014 10:40:07 AM
Thanks David. Never considered partial chords something to work on; but I see plenty of it going on from time to time. I'm aware I apply them occasionally to some songs I have learnt to play, but I'll be darned if I could tell ya why or which partial they are, cept the partial C down the neck, think we all know that one. But now that you mentioned it, I'm sure it's freeing up another finger to go elsewhere, like you said. This is something I'll begin to pay more attention to and work on as well from here on out. I would bet that this is probably something a banjo instructor would suggest I, or anyone do, after of course first learning all four finger chords. I'm gonna ask about this at my Thursday night jam tonight. I'm glad you mentioned it.
Sounds like the other four fellers here are making some serious and fun progress also, that's always great to hear!
Butch B.
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| Banjo Lefty says:
8/7/2014 3:50:14 PM
I "learned" Cripple Creek by watching my teacher play it. Then I looked at the tab in the Janet Davis book and it was . . . different. The Scruggs book has it different again. Listening to the videos posted on the BHO, it seems there's no one way to play anything. So I'm still learning it. Want to play all the versions fluently and make up a few of my own.
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 | BJD says:
8/8/2014 6:22:22 AM
I hit a plateau recently and I'm kinda stuck there. But, from prior experience I Know I'll get past it. About 4 months ago I started attempting intermediate and advanced arrangements for some of my favorite songs through learning by ear...no tabs. Using Amazing Slowdowner I progressed pretty good and got to a point that I could play most everything with correct timing, but only 70-100 bpm. (see my post from a few months ago about slow to medium songs) Now I'm kinda stuck in that speed range with the more elaborate arrangements. The songs sound darn good with all the ornamentation, but just not up to speed. My goal is to participate in local jams, but they advertise for no beginners/novice...intermediate to advanced only. I'm enrolled in a music camp in October, so perhaps I can get some progress there. I know at some point I may get some speed, but for now I'll be content to practice on and hope.
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| phillavery says:
8/27/2014 4:13:43 AM
There are heaps of Tabs at the archive, and you can get an idea of how they sound with the Midi option (great idea) AND you can slow it down AND remove the accompaniment (wonderful).
And yes, I feel I'm making good progress, I now have a small repertoire of tunes that I've memorised and increasing - got to get speed up on Foggy Mountain B/Dn, Old Joe Clark and Banjo in the Hollow is still a bit hesitant in parts (with all the K/Bd positions)... and loving every minute of it !!!!! so I got Boil that Cabbage, Cripple Creek, Tom Dooley, Worried Man, G/Bye Liza Jane... Yibbidy Yibba folks !
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| RB4picker says:
8/27/2014 10:32:02 AM
Good report Phil, keep it up.
David
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| phillavery says:
8/29/2014 4:38:28 AM
...question, ... what is BIAB ?
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| RB4picker says:
8/29/2014 6:53:29 AM
Band in the box - software for backing tracks
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