Hello everyone!!
So my experience on the banjo basically consists of playing tabs from "The Banjo players Songbook" and what I print off from that claw hammer guy on you tube.
I also "bum ditty" as I change chords and improvise lyrics over it.
Last night, a friend with a guitar, who is a much more developed musician than me came over.
He taught me this:
1-2-3-4, 2-2-3-4 (bum ditty open G)
1-2-3-4 (bum ditty whilst fretting C)
1-2-3-4 2-2-3-4 (bum ditty open G)
1-2-3-4 (bum ditty whilst fretting C)
Where 1-2-3-4, 2-2-3-4 is the counting I did in my head so I knew when to change chords.
Once in awhile, I changed
1-2-3-4 2-2-3-4 (bum ditty open G)
to
1-2-3-4 (bum ditty open G)
1-2 (D chord)
3-4 (C Chord)
1-2-3-4 2-2-3-4 (bum ditty open G)
Which sounded really nice. A very basic pattern, but the point is it made it easy for us to be playing the same chords at the same time.
Anyway, as simple as this was, I had A LOT of fun doing it haha, and he didn't seem to mind either. Sort of just zoned out and went. That being said, I want to do more next time.
People give me advice like "Just play around" and "Just feel the music man" and things like this, which when I try to do ends up clashing harshly with whatever the other musician is doing >.<
So yeah... What else can I do to expand on this? I really want to get better at jamming, because even though my "Jam session" was embarrassingly basic I had a lot of fun playing with another person.
__________________________
Side question but relevant to improving Jam skills:
In Earl Scruggs book he wrote that the 5th string clashes with certain chords. I think I was able to notice this; when I play e-minor or open G, the 5th string fits right in to the sound, but when I play a D-chord is definitely stands out more than I'd like. The bum ditty is my bread and butter, and the bum-ditty by definition involves the 5th string!! Now I'm unsure about bum ditty in certain chords because I'm under the impression that the 5-th string clashes with the rest of the notes.
Edited by - msv133 on 11/01/2024 07:01:50
The sometime dissonance of the thumb string with the other stuff you're playing is part of the characteristic sound of the 5-stringer, if you're playing in any of the traditional styles. (Including bluegrass!)
You're doing fine. Listen to lots of the best banjo playing you can find. Fill your head up with the sound you want to make, and trust your subconscious to keep steering your playing toward that goal.
quote:
Originally posted by Dan GellertThe sometime dissonance of the thumb string with the other stuff you're playing is part of the characteristic sound of the 5-stringer, if you're playing in any of the traditional styles. (Including bluegrass!)
You're doing fine. Listen to lots of the best banjo playing you can find. Fill your head up with the sound you want to make, and trust your subconscious to keep steering your playing toward that goal.
I think I might print out that 2nd paragraph and affix it to the inside lid of my banjo case. Or maybe just memorize it.
What to do next with it?
Do it in Waltz time
123 223 or bum ditty ditty
Replace GCD chords with CFG chords
Thank you Dan! I needed to hear that... if I ever want to develop into the banjo player I'm meant to be I need to trust my innate skills O_o
Also thank you FatHand! As profound as Dan's response was, this basic practical advice is really what I came here looking for; I didn't even think about Bum ditty ditty 123 timing.
Would you say the CFG chords go better with the bum ditty ditty 123 timing than the GCD chords?
Or would it be just as natural to do GCD with 123 bum ditty ditty and CFG with 1234 bum ditty.
Are GCD and CFG both parts of different scales? I don't mean to open the pandoras box of music theory here, but I find it fascinating that there is (apparently) something more natural about GCD than say, GCF (and likewise something more natural about CFG than say CFD).
Also, when you say CFG, does the fact that G comes last mean anything? Since that G comes last do you mean for me to play a G chord rather than open G? Like a G chord closer to the drum/bridge?
Last question is extra stupid... moving from an open G to a G chord closer to the drum/bridge, would the latter G be "moving up" the neck or "moving down" the neck?
Thank you all for your patience with me, I really hope you see develop my skills in these coming months O_o
I want to post a video of me playing, but when I record myself the video's are always too large to attach.
Thanks again!!!
When fingering, "up" and "down" the neck refers to pitch, not hand position.
As for the rest of your questions, I'd recommend you find a few simple 2- or 3-chord songs, find a key you can sing each one in, and learn how to accompany yourself. If you don't think you can sing, sing anyway. You don't ever have to let anyone else hear you. Your ear will start to recognize how those chords relate to each other musically.
A few lessons could help a lot, especially from a few different teachers. No two teachers have the same approach, and no two students learn the same way. Figure out what works for you.
quote:
Originally posted by msv133
Are GCD and CFG both parts of different scales? I don't mean to open the pandoras box of music theory here, but I find it fascinating that there is (apparently) something more natural about GCD than say, GCF (and likewise something more natural about CFG than say CFD).
G (1) C (4) D (5) and C (1) F (4) G (5) are the same progression of chords but in a different keys. The reason GCD is apparently more natural to you is because your banjo is (most likely) tuned to an open G chord. Note that the G and C chords are shared between both keys, which means playing songs in the key of C while tuned to an open G chord is possible albeit slightly less intuitive than playing in your home key.
What doe the (1) (4) and (5) mean after the GCD (and CFG)?
I figure it's referring to the Nashville Number System??
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