Notafinger!

powderfinger

Howdy.

I am back on track. I just released the newest, long overdue, Clinch Mountain Backstep, (backstep portion) and have more vids in the Mac, waiting for final editing.

Hope to have more out this weekend.

Rob

Rob thanks for finishing this song , when you get the last video posted could you post a list of the lessons in the proper order. Thanks

quote:Thank God for guys like you ! Very good lessons and thank you for sharing. Thumbs UP!

Originally posted by Rob Bourassa

Hello friends,

I don't post often, because I am pretty swamped most of the time, but I had a request from several people to post the order of my latest lesson series here, due to the fact that my Youtube page is not allowing me to link the lessons in the normal fashion, and folks want to be able to go through them in order.

This will help beginners learn how to memorize without tab, and also aid them in practice routines, such as isolation and repetition.

I have already put out lessons for Cripple Creek and Old Joe Clark, and the links below are for Foggy Mountain Breakdown. There is no charge, and I'm not selling videos or tab, but I have had a Youtube channel for awhile, where I teach guitar, and I have had requests to throw in a couple of banjo numbers.

For beginners who haven't learned to figure out tunes by ear, this is a good way to get away from reliance on tab.

Intro for Foggy Mountain Breakdown

youtube.com/watch?v=XoYMgLRv3N...nnel_page

1. youtube.com/watch?v=PjsIaK_CpO...e=channel

2. youtube.com/watch?v=0WCx7n43Gw...e=channel

3. youtube.com/watch?v=DUVuPkj_e0...e=channel

4. youtube.com/watch?v=yUuMK-Nvk_...e=channel

5. youtube.com/watch?v=RJcf-8V6EM...e=channel

6. youtube.com/watch?v=CKyP2O4icv...e=channel

7. youtube.com/watch?v=Nwl0cQ3z5s...e=channel

8. youtube.com/watch?v=jZEb2-ezOu...e=channel

9. youtube.com/watch?v=JhLq-StgtV...e=channel

10. youtube.com/watch?v=e8gZYsm1c_...e=channel

11. youtube.com/watch?v=1J5o7Xke9l...e=channel

12. youtube.com/watch?v=A_Iv1izjkb...e=channel

13. youtube.com/watch?v=xeTgvoOCa_...e=channel

14. youtube.com/watch?v=I3RwjsRD9d...e=channel

15. youtube.com/watch?v=HQccbrPlC2...e=channel

16. youtube.com/watch?v=FPOL20xfAf...e=channel

17. youtube.com/watch?v=yjxWXeYU-T...e=channel

18. youtube.com/watch?v=HDjH6NsOHY...e=channel

19. youtube.com/watch?v=zxk9J112oA...e=channel

This is in slow motion, and contains the practice videos, so you can build up speed and clarity.

Hope it helps.

Rob

P.S.

For beginners, here is Cripple Creek.



Cripple Creek;

1. youtube.com/watch?v=oP31xrg05N..._response

2. youtube.com/watch?v=JLD5_1qntW...e=related

3. youtube.com/watch?v=dmvMpl3NW1...nse_watch

4. youtube.com/watch?v=j_mCQn0lLg...nse_watch

5. youtube.com/watch?v=i8tP_n0mg8...nse_watch

6. youtube.com/watch?v=JD7O0C50H1...nse_watch

7. youtube.com/watch?v=tGpJQyizC3...nse_watch

8. youtube.com/watch?v=zJrGbh4Cpq...nse_watch

9. youtube.com/watch?v=eYCZGRw0fc...nse_watch

10. youtube.com/watch?v=5F1D7auUrA...nse_watch

11. youtube.com/watch?v=2hKgXZ60SH...nse_watch

12. youtube.com/watch?v=oyOldC5jJN...nse_watch

13. youtube.com/watch?v=Wv9fvi09Yy...nse_watch

14. youtube.com/watch?v=K9aQmaLjpW...nse_watch

Posting that material and taking time to break it down like that was very generous.  Very clear and understandable.  Thanks so much.  And my age old question about planting 1 or 2 fingers is over with.......  You are a pinky planter like me and get the job done very well!!

God bless

My favorite banjo picker was Earl. He planted his ring and pinky. This doesn't mean everyone can and get the same results, due to the simple fact that everyone has different length fingers.

I have seen many, many players who insist upon planting both fingers, but the middle doesn't move freely because it is impeded by the inflexibility of the ring. This causes a weak usage of the middle, and slower overall playing speed. They are convinced that they need to keep the ring and pinky firmly planted and that someday, things will improve.

For those who have the proper hand features, they will be successful and have that classic look to their right hand that we all desire, and a certain sound. Those who have the wrong fingers will have a certain sound as well. A weak middle finger that drags and a slower technique than is needed.

Some of my students plant both and play beautifully. For those students who don't succeed, I suggest that they try letting the ring finger fly free for a week. They almost always improve and never turn back.

I have others who struggle for far too long, just because someone who was successful with a ring, pinky planting, told them it was an essential for success. There is no convincing them, and that's OK too. Maybe someday it will all come together.

I have finished Clinch Mountain Backstep, and I will post the lessons in order, as soon as the practice companion for the whole tune is edited.

I am editing several more lessons as well. It is my pleasure folks. Glad to help.


Happy Thanksgiving,


Rob

Your lessons have been a great help!  I have Foggy down pretty good, I have Clinch Mountain Backstep going pretty well (waiting for the rest, no pressure, unless I somehow missed the other part).  And while waiting for that I have started on Man of Constant Sorrow (definitely a step up in the difficulty level, but that is a good thing).

These are the first three songs that I have learned, and they really seem to build on each other.  I am sure that as I get more songs under my belt it will just get easier and easier to learn them.  Thanks for the time you take.

You are welcome. I just did a couple of vids for a column I am doing for a ukulele magazine, and have a window of opportunity to get some more banjo vids done.

I actually have a lot done, but very few edited. That is the main work unfortunately.

     Are there any lessons for the "up the neck" portions of FMB?

Yes, but not by me.

My intention in providing videos was not to show people how to play Foggy Mountain Breakdown, but how to learn without tab, isolating and cycling small portions.

Earl Scruggs wrote the tune, and also sold a book with tab, as well as some teaching videos. I have done many other teaching videos since then, but purposely have not done the high part. If I were selling the vids and giving money back to Earl's estate, I would be OK with teaching that. I feel like someone who worked that hard should be able to reap the benefits of his labor.

If someone wants to learn the high part, they can pay Earl to do so. If he had wanted the tune to be given away for free, he wouldn't have sold the books and DVDs.

The fact is, I did a beginner version, allowing the student to use his first finger on the fourth string, continuing the forward roll. Most of my students through the years have had trouble getting up to speed with the original arrangement by Earl. I made a short cut, that sounds almost the same, because the note substituted is still a G. It's just a high G, followed by the index plucking the 4th. Earl uses the open 3rd G, using the index, followed by the thumb plucking the fourth.

This is the way I do it too, but for the sake of introducing this very popular tune to a newer student, I rearranged it. This is the only reason I put the tune on my YouTube page to begin with.

All of the lessons I have provided are my arrangements on other people's tunes. I am not going to do a note for note copy of anybody's work. That is something I respect as their property. I also don't sell tab, or give it away. If somebody wants to work that way, they can pay the originator of the study their fair share. Most people bootleg this stuff, I guess.

I just want to respect the property of others. I've probably done too much by allowing the first part, but so many YouTube videos and free tabs are in existence, I am not changing things in the big picture, and since I offer an easier arrangement, I don't mind giving it away.

your a great mentor and I appreciate all the time you spend diddling with your apple/mac getting down the video's and recordings so you could post them and anyone can easily access them to learn the basics to how to play a banjo. I owe my first banjo song "foggy mountain breakdown" to your lesson bro. 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rob Bourassa

Yes, but not by me.

My intention in providing videos was not to show people how to play Foggy Mountain Breakdown, but how to learn without tab, isolating and cycling small portions.

Earl Scruggs wrote the tune, and also sold a book with tab, as well as some teaching videos. I have done many other teaching videos since then, but purposely have not done the high part. If I were selling the vids and giving money back to Earl's estate, I would be OK with teaching that. I feel like someone who worked that hard should be able to reap the benefits of his labor.

If someone wants to learn the high part, they can pay Earl to do so. If he had wanted the tune to be given away for free, he wouldn't have sold the books and DVDs.

The fact is, I did a beginner version, allowing the student to use his first finger on the fourth string, continuing the forward roll. Most of my students through the years have had trouble getting up to speed with the original arrangement by Earl. I made a short cut, that sounds almost the same, because the note substituted is still a G. It's just a high G, followed by the index plucking the 4th. Earl uses the open 3rd G, using the index, followed by the thumb plucking the fourth.

This is the way I do it too, but for the sake of introducing this very popular tune to a newer student, I rearranged it. This is the only reason I put the tune on my YouTube page to begin with.

All of the lessons I have provided are my arrangements on other people's tunes. I am not going to do a note for note copy of anybody's work. That is something I respect as their property. I also don't sell tab, or give it away. If somebody wants to work that way, they can pay the originator of the study their fair share. Most people bootleg this stuff, I guess.

I just want to respect the property of others. I've probably done too much by allowing the first part, but so many YouTube videos and free tabs are in existence, I am not changing things in the big picture, and since I offer an easier arrangement, I don't mind giving it away.
 

---

     Thank and I certainly understand and appreciate your reasoning on that.  That shows a lot of character on your part.  I'm not a huge fan of tab reliance.  I have, however, spent a great part of this year studying and practicing from the "Banjo Songs" book by Geoff Hohwald because there are so many precise licks and breaks in the traditional tunes he showcases that can be taken and used in many other songs. 

     I guess as soon as I build up the proper speed and timing on what you have taught, then would be a perfect opportunity for me to use what I have learned and get creative on other parts of FMB.

I hope all is well Stony.

DLQ Fan, I hope to have a few other tunes coming out. I have been preparing ukulele lessons lately, but am doing a few banjo arrangements in a new format in a month. I have had several tunes finished, but not edited. If I could ever get myself a week of time off, I could accomplish a lot. Like most folks, I'm like a hamster on a wheel.

BTW the Cripple Creek links in the first post are broken. The actual links are on this archived page:

http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/159071

The first and last are not really part of the Cripple Creek lessons.

Staying on that subject, I think a major difference between FMB and CC is that CC is actually a song, with words that follow a melody, and knowing that melody can be very helpful in 'getting' the tune. Listening to these tutorials, and to myself playing, and to Earl's CC lessons in his book, the melody tends to come out when the song is played fast but isn't really that obvious at slower speeds. This might be because the thumb (which carries the whole chorus and nearly all of the verse) starts to hit harder as the speed goes up.

Singing while playing is very difficult for me, but I think it's going to be really fun when it comes together.

Thanks Anton.

For what it's worth, I can sing and play simultaneously, but I sing so poorly, it really doesn't seem worth the trouble. :)

After two years, I can just now play and look at something else besides my banjo...let alone think about singing along

Ed

This is excellent! I am excited to play this! Thanks for posting!

BTW I don't think anyone's expecting you to go back and edit all of the videos, but the 'Video Response" feature of YouTube disappeared last fall. So the videos by themselves no longer have continuity. I think the only option is to add the next video's link in your description.

Anton,

The complete order of the vids is in the first page of this thread.

Rob

I know, I was thinking about the people who stumble upon those videos without knowing about this thread. In most of the videos you mention the video response link that isn't there any more.

BTW I'm on about lesson 8 now...

I tell everyone at the beginning of the video to come to this thread in the text. I have done so much work through the years that YouTube has undone, I simply don't have the time or energy to redo messages on every video.

I'm glad you're getting through the vids, Anton. It is nice to know that people can use them.

what I did, what everyone should do is (1) Start from the beginning of the post. That' always the best way to not be confused and ask questions that are repeated hundreds of times because people do not read. and (2) you go download all of his video files, you burn them to some form of recording, CD or DVD or DAC tape etc...and then you can play them at will stop and start them rewind go back a click or two and improve your skills at practicing his lessons. 

A little late getting this read, since I am an old construction worker, but have pulled you up on U-tube alot. Your way of teaching, is very easy to follow, and for guys like me, who mostly play by ear, is really great. Like most of what I read on the Hangout from other members, I have to join in and say too, how commendable to take the time and effort to put something out like FMB, and others, so people who can't afford lessons can give it a shot to learn. I am most appreciative for what you are doing. God bless !

Just wanted to say thanks. I wouldn't have been able to learn this strictly from the tabs.