Hi everyone...I'm brand new here and have a problem I can't solve. Please forgive me because this is probably the dumbest question you've encountered but I don't have anyone to ask. So I took up the banjo (Scruggs style) when I retired 4 years ago. It's been hard to learn but I put in 2-3 hours every day but not very effectively. Here's my dilemma...I've been working on Scruggs' Cripple Creek for 6 months. I purchased Anytune because it was the only slow-downer I found that didn't slaughter the song when slowing it way down.
My banjo teacher suggested I start playing some backtracks of the song which I found on YouTube and downloaded and it's working like it's supposed to but I can't seem to play the correct tempo....I'm either finishing too soon or too late. I've set a metronome and it's still not working for me. My teacher tells me to listen to the chord changes and it should keep me in the right place but I guess I'm just not talented enough to hear it like he does. The problem with any slow-downer i found, it doesn't show tablature with it so i can play and be sure I'm following along correctly. I just can't seem to hear it like I should.
I've read online to look at Ultimate Guitar because it's all tablature with the music so you can follow along but i can't see any of the music I'm playing and don't want to invest in it if it doesn't work. Has anyone out there struggled with playing the right tempo with following along on a slowdowner backtrack and is there by any chance a program out there that will slow down as well as let me download the music so I can play along until I learn to hear it? Thank you so very much for your input....~Cindy
Get TABLEDIT and you'll have thousands of songs to learn from.
I’m of the opinion that Scruggs’ “Cripple Creek” is too far advanced for a beginner,, he recorded it himself on an album so it’s obviously not an easy tune; however, it seems so many instructors and books throw it out there for newbies,,,, grrr. This is what we were discussing in the thread about beginners tackling tunes that are too difficult.
I admire your perseverance and dedication, but easier tunes in the first year would be my recommendation. I have some easier arrangements in my videos with tabs in my gallery on my homepage , but even those aren’t for rank beginners. I’ll work some up, but you might be beyond that level already, hard to say. Maybe ask your teacher for an easier tune.
Best of luck! :-)
Edited by - chuckv97 on 12/03/2024 22:13:49
I would suggest memorizing the tablature (or a portion of it). Reading tab, watching your fingers, counting the beats, listening for chord changes - It's just too much for your brain to handle, especially just starting out. You could also just play chords for a while or just sing the tune, until some if this stuff is internalized.
Hi Cindy
I agree with Rick, TablEdit or the FREE version TefView is the tool most banjo players use. You can play along with the TAB slow it down / speed up to match your skill level.
You might care to check out Banjo Ben's arrangement of Cripple Creek. If you sign up for a free Silver Pick Membership you can unlock up to three full lessons free without obligation.
Edited by - FenderFred on 12/03/2024 23:59:16
Cindy, the difficulty you are encountering is exactly the thing you need to work on. The fact that it is difficult only proves that this is the very thing you need to work on. And it is not about talent, it is about practice and you can do it. If you have tabs scroll along with the backing track, you are avoiding the difficulty, not overcoming it. And you'd only practice sight reading tabs, a skill that may be useful but which you don't need nowhere nearly as much as playing in time with an accompaniment. I would suggest to first try to sing the banjo music to the backing track. I know, it sounds silly, but you need to get a feeling for what sounds your fingers are supposed to create on the banjo at what point in time indicated by the backing track. We all know what the standard Scruggs-style arrangement of Cripple Creek sounds like: da-YIM, dee-dum-dum, DEE-ya-dum-dee-DUM, plim, DO-da-dee-da, DO-da-dee-da...
In the end playing an instrument in this musical genre is all about learning to make your fingers create the sound you are imagining in your head as you go along, not about turning written music into sound waves.
Youtube videos have a speed control in the video settings. Put your finger on the timeline , when the red dot appears tap on settings icon and play speed will be an option. Ive tabbed many a tune that way
I guess I'm different than the rest of you. One of the first songs I ever learned was Cripple Creek. My instructor said it had all the basic elements I needed to learn: timing, tempo, slides, hammers, pull offs. We took it slow and easy and I learned it in a couple of weeks. It wasn't difficult. Maybe that's just me.
If you're having problems keeping time, it may be you aren't counting or aren't counting correctly. You have quarter and 8th notes and if you rush the quarter note or slow down the 8th notes, your time will be off. Listen to the song over and over until you have the melody in your mind and can either hum or sing it ( yes, it has words). Then try to play the song while you're hearing the melody in your brain. See if that helps.
I do agree that Tabledit will do what you want it to: show the tab to the song and play the tune, slow down to whatever speed is comfortable for you. You can download the free TefView and try it out and see if it helps. We have literally hundreds of free tab here on the Hangout that are Tabledit .tef files and you can load them into the TefView file.
As far as hearing chord changes, don't feel bad if you can't. I couldn't either when I was a beginner. It took a long, long time and going to lots of jams before I could distinguish one chord from another. It's easy now, it wasn't then.
Good luck. I know you can figure this out and continue on your banjo journey.
It's a nice tune but for beginners it's just a collection of weird musical note tricks. Listen to the actual melody while it's being sung and that'll help your brain to figure out what the hay is going on:
This might be helpful: soundslice.com/slices/tXkDc/
quote:
Originally posted by earlstanleycroweThis might be helpful: soundslice.com/slices/tXkDc/
OMG!! Love this! Can't thank you enough!
