GOAL 2: Learn More Tunes

Now, before you give me a "quality before quantity" lecture here, understand one thing...  It's not fun to run out of tunes to play.  I also love to learn new tunes.  Some people get frustrated during that learning period.  The time between hearing a tune for the first time and getting it down is a really nice time for me.  In fact, I learn new ways to do things then.  Fumbling around is a natural state of being for me!

Enabling Objectives

2(a): Learn Bob's tune list.  124 tunes is a pretty good list, and while I know several, it's a practical and sensible place to start.  Again, we are not learning tunes just to know 'em.  We want to play 'em with others (Goal #1).  Start with the tunes that are in Dan's book.  I enjoy learning them from the free fiddle versions best (dang, Dan... I didn't need to even buy your book to get good use from it... just kidding.  it's one of my prized possessions now).

2(b): Learn tunes from the DVDs.  There will be more about this in Goal #3, but I purchased a number of instructional DVDs when I sold the Saga pony banjo.  My intent here is to learn tunes the way somebody else plays them.  Mostly I am learning technique here, but I am also learning the tunes.  For example, Carlin teaches "Old Corn Liquor," and it's basically a transcription of Odell's version, which is awesome.  It is a great learning experience to play it that way, but when I play it my way, it's different.

2(c): Keep your ears open.  Tunes speak to you, you know.  As I go along, listening to new things, tunes will just demand to be learned.  Don't let all this tune-learning just shut that down.

Learning new tunes is one of those things that will just happen.  I have never really worked at it.  During my time with the Frenzies, I mostly picked them up on the gig.  I can do that no problem with the bass (especially when there's a guitar player to watch--one of the first tricks I learned as a bass player was "reading" the guitar player's left hand).  On the banjo, it might take a couple of times.

Bob's Tune List

Summer Activities?

CD Review: Solo Old-Time Country Music

GOAL 1: Play well (and often) with others

The Golden Age of Mid-Fi

Goal Time

New Arcade Fire Brilliant! [non-ot]

Found a Fiddler!

CD Review: Old Time Music from the North Carolina

Track Review: "Cluck Old Hen"

CD Review: Feed Your Babies Onions

Carrefour d'Afrique

WDET: My 80s Lifeline

The Readiness is All

CD Review: Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Riley Puckett: Country's First Bass Player

Old Obsessions

Old-Time Festival Tunes Key Index