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Q - Murphy,
I am a struggling beginner on the 5 string banjo. I have been trying to play for over a year and a half and seem to have hit a wall. I am having trouble with the rolls. I have many of your tapes and you seem to focus on the chords. Surprisingly, the chords have not seemed to be an issue for me. I am not to a point that I can play with other musicians yet, but I would like to. I have tried and do not seem to know what to do to play along. I have no idea what roll to use to make it sound right with the song being played. I just ordered your vamping DVD, with the hope that I will at least be able to sit around the camp fire on the beach this summer and play along. –Struggling in Maryland
A - Howdy!
Good to hear from one of my students. I'm really sorry to hear that you have hit a wall. That's no fun! Before I try to give you an answer, can you give me some more info. I'm not quite understanding where you are. Can you tell me what songs you have learned from our DVDs. How much do you practice? I'm a little confused when you say our tapes seem to focus on the chords. To my mind, they focus on the rolls and how to put the various rolls together to make songs. So say more about that.
Also, are you still using tablature along with the tapes?
And really specifically: Can you play Banjo in the Hollow, Cripple Creek, and Boil Them Cabbage Down.
Also, what songs are you currently working on?
Fill me in on some of these details, and let's see what we can do to help you!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Murphy
Q - Murphy,
First of all, THANKS for responding. I hope I did not offend you. That certainly wasn’t my intent. What I mean to say is that the camera is on your left hand while you explain the rolls. I guess I don’t put the two together very well. I understand the theory of the rolls and that they go together to form songs. I guess I am missing a few links in the chain. I do use tablature right now. I recently decided to go back in order to go forward. I am focusing on practicing the rolls and working through the chords until I can smoothly do that. I found that to get pretty boring in the past and started to try to play easy songs from yours and others DVD’s.
As far as the songs, I can Cripple Creek (Scruggs version), Boil Them Cabbage Down, Rocky Top (single string). I think I have brain damage. I have a PhD, but I can not seem to remember songs. I know how important it is to not use tablature, but without it, I get totally confused. I recently received your Amazing Grace, Simple Songs for Banjo (Casey), Slow Jams, Jam Session in the hope something clicks. I also own your Beginning Banjo 1 & 2 as well as I just ordered your vamping DVD. I hope to attend a workshop in Elkton, MD in October with Casey. I pray I am much better by then.
I unfortunately have not be the best at practicing as often as I should or would like. But supporting my family comes first, so I practice as often as I can. I currently practice at least a 15-30 minutes a day. After teaching martial arts for many years, I am a firm believer in “perfect practice, makes perfect” otherwise you simply practice the mistakes. I unfortunately have no idea if I am practicing correctly or not.
I hope this helps you to help me. As a side note, I am also learning to play piano at the same time. My biggest concern when I started playing piano was that I would not learn how to read music. That only took a month. Reading music isn’t as hard as making my fingers play the notes. I find trying to play and making the noise I make very relaxing. I hope in time, other will not mind hearing me play. –Struggling in Maryland
A - Dear Struggling,
NO offense taken. Just trying to figure out where you are. I'm going to be blunt here, because you seem quite frustrated with where you are with your banjo playing. You do NOT have brain damage () you're just going about your learning in the wrong way.
STOP using the tablature. Use it NO MORE. Do not practice the songs you have learned from tab. We will begin again at the beginning.
Start with the Beginning Banjo DVD Volume 1. Acquaint yourself with the 3 rolls I teach to begin with and the 3 simple chords, G (open), C, and D7. Don't stay on this section very long, no more than a week, less if you've got the hang of it.
Then start with BAnjo in the Hollow. Learn it one piece at a time, as I teach it. WRITE DOWN NOTHING ON PAPER. Do it all by ear. This is where you start training your ear. To learn this song should take between 2 weeks and a month. DO NOT do it any quicker!!!!! If you get bored with playing it, so be it.
Next: review Cripple Creek from my DVD. It is similiar to the Scruggs version. But if you learned that from tab, it simply doesn't count. Learn it again. My way. Again, take about a month. Keep playing BITH.
Next: Switch to the Misfits DVD and learn first the low break to Boil them Cabbage. Take 2 weeks to a month. Then the high part, which should take about a month.
You will now have 4 songs. This is your foundation. Don't do it ANY OTHER WAY. Why do I say this? Because I've seen this way work almost every time in adults who are having trouble learning banjo. So if you are serious, give this a try.
Skip the chords and rolls thing you were talking about.
I really think you can do this, and I really WANT you to. Even with 15 to 30 minutes practice, you should be able to make progress.
GOOD LUCK and hang in there! You CAN do it!
Murphy
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Banjo