Created these for folks that want to "get on with it."
If you know anyone looking to learn banjo, these might just be the ticket!
Hope you enjoy!
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 12/19/2022 00:29:37
Thank you Jim, you are an inspiration!
Wonderful. Thanks Jim.
Hi Jim,
As a beginner I am getting decent speed but cant improv worth crap. I can play songs but I see videos of people like yourself demonstrating banjos and just playing off the cuff. Is there a video for improving like improv solos?
quote:
Originally posted by NotABanjoYoda
Is there a video for improving like improv solos?
I don't have anything like that. I talk about that sort of thing a lot in my live streams, but it comes down to this: if you want to be better at improvising you've got to start improvising. I can't show you how to improvise a solo, because in doing so I've shown you a solo and you're just doing what I'm doing.
Take the things I teach in my series here and start trying to apply them to other songs you can already sing or hum. Will it be awesome? Nope... but the more you do it, the better it'll get.
quote:
Originally posted by Jim Pankeyquote:
Originally posted by NotABanjoYoda
Is there a video for improving like improv solos?I don't have anything like that. I talk about that sort of thing a lot in my live streams, but it comes down to this: if you want to be better at improvising you've got to start improvising. I can't show you how to improvise a solo, because in doing so I've shown you a solo and you're just doing what I'm doing.
Take the things I teach in my series here and start trying to apply them to other songs you can already sing or hum. Will it be awesome? Nope... but the more you do it, the better it'll get.
I get what your saying. Let me bemore specific. Im a good guitar player and have no problems on guitar improving and playing whatever one can hum.
I can also do that guitar style licks on a banjo, So i could play plectrum.. But when i try to surround the melodies in my head with banjo rolls, the melodies sound slow and I havent found the secret sauce to change rolls up. Is there a good set of rolls that lends itself to surrounding your melody notes. I know sometimes its fine to solo like a guitar player would, but Im trying to not do that for now.
But Ill keep working at it so it will eventually not suck.
On the other hand, learning the banjo has greatly improved my chet atkins style!
quote:
Originally posted by NotABanjoYodaI havent found the secret sauce to change rolls up. Is there a good set of rolls that lends itself to surrounding your melody notes.
There's really no secret or set of rolls that you'll use. You just have to start trying different things.
That said you can get a lot done with cripple creek slides/rolls and foggy mountain breakdown rolls/hammers.
quote:
Originally posted by Jim Pankeyquote:
Originally posted by NotABanjoYodaI havent found the secret sauce to change rolls up. Is there a good set of rolls that lends itself to surrounding your melody notes.
There's really no secret or set of rolls that you'll use. You just have to start trying different things.
That said you can get a lot done with cripple creek slides/rolls and foggy mountain breakdown rolls/hammers.
Thanks Jim,
Im learning your version of Foggy Mountain now. I just today found My Grandfathers clock. I have looked at 6 different versions. I know you also have a video on it but havent made it there yet. This melody tabbed in scruggs style in multiple ways is the answer, for me. It is a melody of notes wrapped in different ways which allow for different speeds.
I think to my ear banjo requires different rolls. I was taught the melody roll, the double melody roll and whatever 52152121 or 53153131 is called to play melodies. They work but sound not right if one is used for most of the song.
Again, thanks. I only keep replying because I think this is a major hurdle to get over for us long term guitar players. New banjo players kinda just accept and learn new songs, as a long term guitarist, I wanna get to the end quicker....so to speak. But it did take me years to become a good guitar improv soloist.
