Playing Since: 2006
Experience Level: Novice

Interests:
[Jamming] [Socializing]

Occupation: AV Tech

Gender: Male
Age: 55

My Instruments:
Goodtime, the old "Gumby" style (it's my favorite!)
Thompson plywood upright bass
Fender Jazz and Precision basses (electric)
Recording King ROS-06 guitar
Martin Backpacker

Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Grateful Dead, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Steve Martin, Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck, Bob Marley, Patrick Costello, Soggy Bottom Boys, "Mississippi" John Hurt, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, Edgar Meyer, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, etc.

I listen to a whole lot of bebop and hard bop jazz, and random other stuff. I'm not a fan of "top 40" radio or American Idol.

Classified Rating: not rated
Rate this Member

Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 3/6/2006
Last Visit 2/7/2017

I'm actually a bassist. I play some guitar, but the banjo holds a very special place in my heart. Since I'm not really a "banjo player", I can simply enjoy the instrument without getting hung up on what anyone else thinks about my playing. I picked up a Goodtime 2 back in ག, with the intention of learning Scruggs. The style never really worked for me, so after picking it up and putting it away over and over for a few years, I switched to clawhammer. I tried the popular methods with little success, trying to perfect exercises and drop-thumb and all that jive. Recently I discovered a person who isn't very popular on this forum, but his approach has me improving faster than any other method I've used. This approach is based in the true folk tradition, taking a tune and learning it from the ground up, starting with the harmony (chords) and basic rhythm, then working the melody out of that and making it your own. Of course stealing licks is part of the tradition too. I love blending the traditional with the non-traditional, and trying to work out songs that aren't necessarily "banjo repertiore", although hammering out "Old Joe Clark" isn't without its charm.