I was just thinking,, there must be way more folks in their first few years of playing/learning banjo than there are competent players, whether amateur porch pickers or pros. I taught lessons years ago and noticed there were many who would give it a shot for a while and then gave up, realizing how much practice it takes. So the turnover is fairly high, I’m thinking. What say you all,, % of learners vs. competent players?
What I’m getting at is a tutorial/teaching video gets more views than a tune performance video,,, or not?
5% < competent < 95% learners.
If it was easy everyone would do it.
Fact is playing music is pretty hard and takes a whole lot of effort.
Remember those first first rolls you practiced?
I think it would depend upon where the picker is in his/her learning/experience level. Beginners would probably get more out of a tutorial/teaching video whereas a more experienced picker would not need the tutorial and would get more out of the tune performance video.
When I was teaching I found more people quit than stayed with it. Most people didn't want to put in the time it takes to get comfortable with just the basics, much less learn how to play by ear, hear chords, etc.
I don't know what the percentage of learners vs competent pickers would be, but there are a lot of beginners who take lessons for a few months and drop out, probably a ratio of 2 to 1 dropouts vs those who stick with it.
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Originally posted by chuckv97
What I’m getting at is a tutorial/teaching video gets more views than a tune performance video,,, or not?
If we’re talking about videos on something like YouTube, it is hard to say because much depends on the YouTube algorithm that attempts to match videos with potential audience. I have over 250 banjo videos on YouTube. My most viewed video (18K views) is a teaching video on using the G tuning versus the G sawmill tuning. But my second most viewed video (17K views) is a performance of Cornbread & Butterbeans with a linked tablature. If I were to guess which of all my videos were to be most popular, I doubt that I would have guessed either of these two. With all that said, people do appreciate well put together tutorial videos, especially if it hits on something that hasn't been covered already by numerous other videos, or it covers a common topic with a unique perspective. Also, if you have been posting performance videos then switch to teaching videos (or vice versa), it takes a while for the algorithm to sort this out. Those first videos that change course may not get many views, simply because they are not pushed out to the target audience. Using hashtags in the video description (e.g., #banjotutorial, #banjolesson) can make a big difference with regards to viewership. There are just a lot of variables to the whole process.
Thank you George, Sherry, and Jack.
Jack, I post a lot of videos on Facebook banjo and bluegrass groups, so most of my views come from that; however, once in a while the YouTube algorithm picks up on a video and promotes the heck out of it, for whatever reason (still haven’t figured that out yet). One thing that helps is the fact that tutorial videos are longer and folks will re-watch them multiple times if they’re learning that particular tune, so “watch time” increases a lot as compared to posting a performance video.
btw, nice work on getting 17 and 18 k views on those entries.
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Originally posted by chuckv97
btw, nice work on getting 17 and 18 k views on those entries.
Thanks Chuck, but thank The Almighty Algorithm even more. I am mystified.
One thing that does help bring in new viewers is to group your YouTube videos into playlists, say "Banjo Tutorials" and "Banjo Performances". I have lots of playlists--by style, instrument, key, tunes with tabs, etc. The Algorithm seems to like playlists.
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Originally posted by jack_beuthinquote:
Originally posted by chuckv97
btw, nice work on getting 17 and 18 k views on those entries.Thanks Chuck, but thank The Almighty Algorithm even more. I am mystified.
One thing that does help bring in new viewers is to group your YouTube videos into playlists, say "Banjo Tutorials" and "Banjo Performances". I have lots of playlists--by style, instrument, key, tunes with tabs, etc. The Algorithm seems to like playlists.
Yeah,, I've got mine in playlists also - bluegrass, fingerpicking guitar, fingerstyle guitar, vocal tunes, hymn & gospel songs , Christmas tunes. And I set them to "loop" , in case somebody falls asleep listening and the tunes will keep playing...lol. I sometimes feel like John Henry trying to beat "the machine" ,,, they've been running ads on my videos for 2 years now but I get zero $ cuz I don't have the required 4000 watch hours in the last 365 days yet.
My guess is that 90% of all banjo owners are beginner level players, 9% intermediate players, 0.9% advanced players, 0.09% professional players. The missing 0.01% are Noam Pikelny, Bela Fleck and Jens Krüger. 
learned banjo and mandolin when i was 18 i have a wealth of jim mills videos i copy him note for note 18 was a long time ago
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Originally posted by phbMy guess is that 90% of all banjo owners are beginner level players, 9% intermediate players, 0.9% advanced players, 0.09% professional players. The missing 0.01% are Noam Pikelny, Bela Fleck and Jens Krüger.
This seems correct
Id say 90% of banjo players look at their banjos more than play them, or give it up altogether.
I know a lot of guitar players who buy a pac rim and it sits on a stand for decades without being played. I believe there are more deadbeat guitar players by far than deadbeat banjo players(in raw number and %) simply from cost of entry and popularity in modern times.
So thats a banjo positive...On a side note, I became a pro banjo player as a beginner...since I get paid to play. Im also a pro knee slapper, spoons clacker, jug hooter and chainsaw player among other things.
Consider that many people don’t aspire to achieve pro level. They just want to bang out a tune around the campfire. Maybe that should be your target.
I see the most views on YT from good looking young gals in tank tops shredding Hendrix tunes. Probably not an option for you.
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Originally posted by Laurence DiehlConsider that many people don’t aspire to achieve pro level. They just want to bang out a tune around the campfire. Maybe that should be your target.
I see the most views on YT from good looking young gals in tank tops shredding Hendrix tunes. Probably not an option for you.
Hah,, I've booked my sex-change surgery for next month,,, now to look for a left-handed ee-lek-tri-fried guitar
Learning is relative.
I believe we continue to learn all of our playing lives.
After 40 years of playing, I am still a learner. I started with claw hammer and in recent years have been learning three finger. I play regularly with New England dance fiddlers who do lots of jigs in 6/8 time and love Cape Bretton and Irish tunes. This has been a huge challenge along with learning to play melodic style for fiddle tunes. I don't believe I will ever master the banjo, but I get immense satisfaction from arranging tunes and trying to keep up with the fiddlers.
Used to give lessons back in the 60's/70's , wrote my own tabs , as there were not many then , & relegated myself to thinking some people catch on quick & others will probably want tabs forever . Of course the teacher (me , in this case) makes a difference , wherever that put me , I don't know but being patient I thought was important .
Like anything else in life , it's how bad u want to do it .
Some learners were out in la la land & some really wanted to learn .
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Originally posted by Bill HAfter 40 years of playing, I am still a learner. I started with claw hammer and in recent years have been learning three finger. I play regularly with New England dance fiddlers who do lots of jigs in 6/8 time and love Cape Bretton and Irish tunes. This has been a huge challenge along with learning to play melodic style for fiddle tunes. I don't believe I will ever master the banjo, but I get immense satisfaction from arranging tunes and trying to keep up with the fiddlers.
Contra Dances are one of the best places to learn fiddletunes.The tune gets played a couple of dozen times through and one can start with simple chords and rhythm and move on into the melody with a bunch of other musicians to hide behind.
One of the best forms of "immersion".
