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three times through CLEANLY?
A beginner is curious.
The best measurement would be one time through.
Three times makes no sense.
Edited by - OldNavyGuy on 01/26/2023 13:45:28
Are you asking three different breaks, the same break three times in a row, or 6 different breaks 3 times?
Depending on the day 130 to 140, maybe even 150 if the adrenaline is really pumping. But I’m an old man.
I've seen claims of 153 and 160 for Earl's original '49 recording.
when someone asks What Speed?....I think beats per minute BPM...when I was young....145, now lol, maybe 100 maybe
I did it once sitting on top of the roll bars of my Jeep doing about 65mph…years ago….many years ago. I’ll not do that ever again.
Beginners often make the mistake of pushing too hard for speed. This will lead to sloppiness and lack of separation in the notes. I can hit 150-160 but I’ve been playing a long time. The original recording was around 160-165 and I don’t think it needs to be any faster.
Obsession with speed will make you a sloppy player.
If that's what you want, by all means, continue....
Otherwise, enjoy the tone of your banjo, when you're playing cleanly.
It's not a contest. It's an art.
78 RPM
Wrong forum to question speed, ask how to get faster, or pose a question such as yours.
Proper way to go about ability questions is to always put it in terms of Earl questions!
And someone already answered. Go search the forum Q button, this question was answered a decade ago before everyone got too old. lol
quote:
Originally posted by NotABanjoYodaWrong forum to question speed, ask how to get faster, or pose a question such as yours.
Which forum would be the right one?
quote:
Originally posted by paulcwthree times through CLEANLY?
A beginner is curious.
Speed is a legitimate question, especially for a beginner that might be assessing speed that would come from more experience.
The difficulty with the speed discussion is that it often is not answered in terms of experience or progression, but rather "don't worry about speed," "the songs are too fast anyway and I like them slower," or "just keep practicing your 'rolls' at 64 BPM for the next 15 years and speed will come." 
Regarding clocking BHO members in a survey, the "average" isn't going to provide much information, as the spectrum of speed among players is so wide.
Maybe a question more like: "In what speed range do you think 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown" sounds respectable ?"
This can be followed by another question after the results come in.
Somebody somewhere got the idea that FASTER is BETTER in banjo music.
And the idea caught on.
BHO member Janna Kim did a version which was deliberately SLOW ENOUGH to dance to.
Can't seem to find it, but I've seen it SOMEWHERE.
Here she is on Youtube:
Bruno well stated it above “ it’s not a contest, it’s an art”
The correct speed to play any piece of music is the speed where the player can play it well and flawless, make it sound like music and at the speed that it sounds pleasing to the listener and comfortable for the player.
If a player and a group of musicians are truly talented and in synch with each other, it does not matter what speed the piece is being played. If it is being done tastefully and artistic by competent musicians, it’s going to sound good.
The ability to be able to do that comes with practice, time , years of playing and practice.
Unfortunately, as also noted above, once most musicians have played long enough to attain a level that outstrips the intermediate and even some of the professional players, you hit a certain age and your fingers get behind your mind. Then a whole different level
Of playing kicks in. Think later days Dr Ralph Stanley.
quote:
Originally posted by mike gregorySomebody somewhere got the idea that FASTER is BETTER in banjo music.
And the idea caught on.
BHO member Janna Kim did a version which was deliberately SLOW ENOUGH to dance to.
Can't seem to find it, but I've seen it SOMEWHERE.
Here she is on Youtube:
About 140 BPM. That's respectable.
Informal folk-type music, play whatever speed you want. If and when people are paying for performance, have to have some chops -- the rationale of "I like it at half-speed" is OK artistically if the performer can play it at full speed and half-speed is a choice, not a limitation.
For other types of music, the "I like it like that" doesn't get down to the 50-60% speed level. You're doing a Beethoven piano concerto, better get those scales and trills in shape.
Anyone tried playing it slow enough to give it some good syncopated laid back bounce? Try it as a medley with Foggy Mountain Special.
quote:
Originally posted by mike gregory
BHO member Janna Kim did a version which was deliberately SLOW ENOUGH to dance to.
Here she is on Youtube:
I clocked that at 135bpm. I break apart somewhere between 115 and 120bpm. I'm still not very clear on how to practice speed.
Jim Mills said in an interview that he prefers to play at cruising speed. But he also said that when you play regularly (like everyday) speed just comes naturally without having to work too specifically on it. I think I agree with this.
I think too much emphasis is put on speed. The emphasis for beginners should be on timing, tone and technique.
Only play a song as fast as you can without making very many mistakes.
Trying to play too fast too soon makes sloppy pickers. Speed will come when you have enough experience to handle it and not before. For some people, speed comes quickly, for others, it takes forever.
Be happy with what you can do.
I used to be able to play FMB at130 bpm, but now I've had to slow it down to maybe 110. That's where I can play it clean and feel in control of what I do and that's plenty fast enough for me. Let the hot shots play it so fast you can't hear the notes. I want to hear the individual notes, not a blur of sound. Just my opinion, works for me.
I may be wrong here, but I highly doubt the average banjo player is crushing out a clean FMB at 140 - 150 bpm. I think the average player might be more around 90 - 100 bpm.
If you trying to figure out where you are speed wise, I have been playing a little over 4 years and can hit FMB at 115 bpm clean on a very good day. I do think that speed plays a role in bluegrass music though for me it has been tough to get there and I practice everyday. It can be a hard topic to discuss as a lot of really good players will tell you speed doesn't matter as they casually blast songs out at 150 bpm. If you listen to a lot of Earl's playing those songs at those speeds can be ingrained into your head at the speeds he played them, and dude could burn. I found that when I work songs up to around 100 bpm and play with good timing they start sounding like the songs they are supposed to.
quote:
Originally posted by Texasbanjo
I used to be able to play FMB at130 bpm, but now I've had to slow it down to maybe 110.
As Earl got older, he played it slower as well.
Ha! Interesting thread. Just pick as fast as you can without missing notes and losing your timing. It's like running as fast as possible until you fall and then you slow it down. Right? Jack p.s. I might add that playing with other people who keep timing at different and reasonable speeds might help you...
Originally posted by paulcwthree times through CLEANLY?
A beginner is curious.
Edited by - Jack Baker on 01/27/2023 14:13:12
This type of question comes up frequently.
Short answer, 150 bpm will put you in the zone. 160 bpm will impress a few but won’t sound as good as 150 bpm played well.
More specifically the average BHO player, including myself, probably plays it at a comfortable 140 or thereabouts.
I busked earlier today and played it at about 145 bpm……. nobody cared
In whatever tempo you choose to pick to play any tune , whichever section is the most difficult to play should be the deciding factor
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