Hey y'all...

Thanks so much for watching and letting me teach y'all banjo.

If you ever get a chance let me see your progress somehow.

These are awesome Jim, thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much for these videos!! I finally got a banjo and love your lessons! They "click" really easy and you explain it so well and show what you're doing in a slow, methodical way that allows it to sink in! Thank you for giving me the opportunity for a new hobby! So far im in love!
Now if only my fingers could catch up with me lol.

Hi Jim. Your lessons looks really good. I am just a novice and think I may just sign up!

Hi Jim
Had a banjo about 4 years now but ran into a few problems with along the way which made me put the banjo in a case and literally forget it. This week my mind switched back to banjo for some reason so i started to look at video's on youtube and came across yours. I am still trying to sort my banjo out but will be watching all your video's again. I think your presentation is second to none and the thing that got me wanting to really have a crack at learning. I play the Guitar a bit but it doesn't have the same soul as a banjo if that makes sense. I am also waiting for a 5 string banjo to be delivered which should give me time to sort out the banjo i already have. I am looking forward to learn all the wonderful things you have taught. Your a legend Mr Pankey and thanks from me in the UK.

Tim

quote:

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Originally posted by Jim Pankey

Hey y'all...

Thanks so much for watching and letting me teach y'all banjo.

If you ever get a chance let me see your progress somehow.

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Hi Jim,

I am only through two lessons, but so far I am impressed. I most appreciate your approach of boiling lessons down to a single concept per lesson.  I can digest the idea and practice it before moving on. Well done!

Dan

Only 2 lessons in. Very good.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jim Pankey

Hey y'all...

Thanks so much for watching and letting me teach y'all banjo.

If you ever get a chance let me see your progress somehow.

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Hey Jim,

Thank YOU for putting this out there. I really appreciate it. I've been playing old-time banjo for a year, year-and-a-half, but I've always wanted to play BG style. I'm using your stuff (and Eli's) right now to finally get myself rolling, so to speak. If I ever get halfway decent – which I plan to do – I'll send you a video and a tip, too. (Maybe I'll send the dough even if I don't get any good at it. 'snot your fault!)

3-2-5-1 I'm working on it.

Thanks for the great videos Jim, I just finished video 10. You did a great job making these.

Excellent and very entertaining, watched parts of it and love your style and wit. Great for those starting out sitting at home during covid, good job.
Kevin

Jims videos were so incredibly helpful at getting my gf and myself started and really interested in banjo. If you're ever near Jacksonville, Fl we'd love to buy you dinner Jim!

That's awesome!

I'll try to play this today. :)

Thans a lot! :)

Started Jim’s banjo beginners series in November 2020. I got a solid practice in until I went back to work on a ship. I brought my banjo with me, but didn’t play as much as I would have liked to. I spent 100 days on that ship and returned home on April 10th. I have been playing everyday for at least an hour, sometimes more. I am improving. I finished the ten part beginner series and am now polishing up Cripple Creek, Banjo in the Hollow and Boil’n Cabbage Down. I want to really get these down pat before I move on. Here are a few things I learned so far to help in process....

Practice everyday. This is very important and helps build up muscle memory and also your endurance so you can play longer.

Watch video’s of your favorite players on YouTube.Watch how they position their hands, both right and left. Everyone does it a little different, but you can get clues from them to optimize and improve your positioning.

Once you build up endurance you can play the songs over and over. I am currently working on polishing up Boiling Cabbage down and can play that song on a loop for 30 to 45 minutes.

Tap your foot to develop your inner metronome. Developing timing is critical to how the songs sound.

Pay close attention to the sound and tone. Internalize it.

Try to in corporate some lyrics. That really helps with timing and internalizing the song.

Video record yourself. You will be surprised what you will learn from doing this.

Join Jim’s Patreon and kick in a few bucks for this valuable resource he has provided.

I’m no expert, but these are a few of the things I have discovered that seem to be helping me.

Here is a video of my Cripple Creek taken a couple of weeks ago. I have improved it some since.

youtu.be/M7gpQVs9hms

I'm through the 4th lesson on my second full day of playing and your lessons have given me a lot of confidence in playing. Thank you! My wife is on the second lesson and catching up quick.

Another here who has picked up the banjo again with renewed vigour after watching these videos. I am still stuck on the basics but I am improving.
Can’t thank Jim enough for taking the time all those years ago to record them. Being a middle 50’s new player on the wrong side of the pond (UK) makes learning the banjo difficult but with these 10 lessons I have renewed confidence.

Thanks again for letting me teach y'all. :)

quote: started 1.5 years ago and did your 10 lesson session. great stuff and i watch you on youtube all the time.

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Originally posted by Jim Pankey

Added the final Lesson - Lesson 10 today!  :)

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to get notices.

I've added all the videos to this post to make it easier to find them.  

Big thanks to Eric for making the post "sticky".  
 

 

After much prodding from friends I finally gave in and began posting beginner banjo videos.  These videos are designed to get you up and running.  They're designed for the absolute beginner so I know most folks here are probably past where these lessons are, or maybe not.  If you're in the "maybe not" category, or know someone that's just getting started, feel free to share the video series with them

The link here takes you to a YouTube playlist.  There are currently 4 lessons that drag the beginner through Cripple Creek.  There are no tabs to learn, no theory, and no stress.  I try to keep things down to earth and fun. 

No, they're not perfect, and they may not be for everyone, but this is the same format I use with my "in person" private lessons.

Learn to Play Bluegrass Banjo

 

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If most of your videos are from 5 to 15 minutes, why is the minimum in-person lesson, in most cases, 30 minutes?,

It seems like a way to make money instead of learning to play 

quote:

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Originally posted by ben2

If most of your videos are from 5 to 15 minutes, why is the minimum in-person lesson, in most cases, 30 minutes?,

It seems like a way to make money instead of learning to play 

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In a face-to-face lesson, some of the time would be spent by the student attempting to play the things that the teacher showed them. Some more time would be spent by the teacher giving the student feedback.

The answer to this question seems so obvious that I suspect I am answering a troll.

quote:

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Originally posted by bellf

quote:

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Originally posted by ben2

If most of your videos are from 5 to 15 minutes, why is the minimum in-person lesson, in most cases, 30 minutes?,

It seems like a way to make money instead of learning to play 

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In a face-to-face lesson, some of the time would be spent by the student attempting to play the things that the teacher showed them. Some more time would be spent by the teacher giving the student feedback.

The answer to this question seems so obvious that I suspect I am answering a troll.

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I think you may be right Bell. Jim often says pause the video and practice that roll, hammer on or whatever and come back to the video, something that you would do in real time in a face to face lesson...I’m still trying to get that G lick in FMB!

Ivor bellf

Yup, and yup.

I'm pretty sure that I can show you enough in 5 minutes to keep you busy for a week of practice.

Or.... I could have put all ten lessons into a single lesson, overwhelmed anyone that tried to look at it and not had nearly the number of successful students as I do.

So, no, @ben2 it's not about the money. That's why I offered them for free. None of my videos are behind a pay wall - none of them. Yes, I do get a little ad revenue from YouTube, but it's still less than what you'd have paid me for private lessons. I did it to help folks like you learn to play.

Mods...Good Job!!
Ben2 locked account.
ken