New Horizons

Hola!

Introducing myself as Jock from Oz, just starting on the banjo after many years playing very ordinarily on the guitar.

I bought a six string banjo as I thought it would improve my guitar skills as well as to enjoy playing songs with the banjo "sound". Old Crow Medical Show, Neil Young and Django Rienhardt could do it, so why couldn't I? 

After a month I decided - nuh - I wanted to play the five string banjo. Two main reasons - I wanted to get hard core fair dinky di into the banjo, and know more about its history, and I loved bluegrass, and its sound can send shivers down my spine, and there are so many more learning opportunities on the web for me to take advantage of, and I know the banjo is, like, going to, like, totally take off as more folk have a light bulb moment and acknowledge that yes, they DO love the sound of it, now that they are hearing it more and more and in new genres.....  [well, more than two reasons it seems :].

So I sold the 6 string within a day of advertising it and recently received my early Christmas present, a lovely, beautiful, sleek-necked banjo. I've been having a love affair with it since it arrived 5 days ago. I haven't been as excited about receiving a Christmas present since I got my Dragstar-with-speedo and super-high sissy bar many moons ago.

I had looked at a number of banjos in stores around town but as I didn't know how to play a note or tune it, I had been too embarrassed in the store to get down and tactile with the 5 string en publico. So when my beautiful babe of a banjo turned up via the innernet, I was in joy to caress my fingers across her light strings and experience her gentle action. It was like touching silk compared to my old acoustic. I quickly realised - we were born for each other.

So, regarding my banjoistic aspirations, I want to get good. I want to experience what I am already experiencing, sheer joy when I get a banjo roll really rolling like worry beads over my fingers, but a million miles more competent.

As I'm keen, I'm dabbling around with the four chords I've mastered so far, G [love that one], C, and D. I'm just working on "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, but for the banjo. No opportunity to use my Em in this song, in order to express my full range of chord masterdom, but it's sounding good, I think,

But in case you are interested to know my about my taste, my favourite banjo songs are:

For the Turnstiles - Neil Young

Bible and A Gun - Jason Ringenberg and Steve Earle

Erie Canal - Suzy Bogguss

​Waiting Around to Die - The Be Good Tanyas

Free Until They Cut Me Down - Iron and Wine

and of course

Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medical Show.

Currently competent on none of the above and struggling with the picks - thinking of going for a plastic thumb / my own fingernails combo.

Looking forward to being on the forum, y gracias.

Jock