Vol 1 of the B-bury B-njo B-ok

[Jody Stecher]

Let's try to keep this post as one thread until I get to the end of book one. If the thread gets too long I'll start a new one sooner than planned.

I found some obstacles and puzzles on the next 2 pages: 40/41 in the 60s book; 41/42 in the newer edition. 

At the top of the first page under the heading "Continued Practice in E minor" we are presented with one inversion each of an E minor, A minor and B7 chord.  The fingering for the E minor 221 is less comfortable than 331 or 321 but it makes sense to use that fingering when the next chord is A minor fingered 422 because that way the 2 bar (barre/barré) is already in place. Minimal left hand movement is a good thing.

This section prepares us to read and to play a second banjo part to Banjo Jubilee.  As with other prescribed accompaniments earlier in the book the formula is Oom pa pa pa. It's like waltz time with an extra pa. It's a  bass note followed by three chords  This is historically consistent with an accompaniment style from the earlier 20th century and perhaps earlier still. For myself who has heard and played both 2/4 and 4/4 music accompanied by Oom pa Oom pa (bass followed by a single chord, and then both repeated) as the norm, the Oom pa pa pa formula sounds awkward and stiff.  

Then we come to  Banjo Jubilee itself.  Here I found some oddities as well.  In the first measure of line 2 the same chord formation (B, E, G) that at the top of the page we are taught to finger as 221 is now indicated as 331. It feels better and since the next chord is not A minor  422 there is no reason to not be as comfortable as possible. But it is odd to find because in previous pages we are taught that the one and only fingering for E minor in 4th position (at fret 4) is 221.   

Then in the first measure of the bottom line we find the same E minor chord formation. Which fingering is prescribed here? Both. We're given a choice. Well yes, we always have a choice but I found this sudden lenience odd, after being admonished (wisely, in my opinion) to finger everything exactly as taught in this book.

The next page deals with playing arpeggios on one beat. Here I did not understand why playing a three note arpeggio on strings 4, 3 and 2 should be done with the thumb ( pluck and drop) and index. I understand  why the thumb plays the two low strings in a four note chord arpeggio but why do this when the 1st string is not played?  The three note arpeggio of the three high long strings is done with thumb, index and middle in succession  (x  .  .. ) so why is it bad form to do this one string lower when playing a three note arpeggio on consecutive strings? 

I also found that the two-string thumb move came more easily when I pulled my thumb closer to the bridge so that the thumb was "behind" the index and middle.  I decided not to encourage this.

[Jody Stecher]

There have been no replies to this Vol 1 post.  I've payed through a few more pages but I'm uncertain whether to post my comments here now or to wait or to do it now in a separate post.  Separate posts are less likely to get lost. OK, I'll take a chance and put the comments here.  Here goes:

The next 2 pages deal with the upper frets on the D string and a composition called “Belle Of The Ozarks”.   Curiously, the title is in quote marks as if to suggest that is not the real title. And as Joel has pointed out, that is probably the case. But no other titles are in quotes and they are mostly re-titled oldies. So this is an anomaly. 

At two points in this Banjo Solo the word “Unison” appears in parentheses above an ascending passage on the bass string.  There is no other string on the banjo tuned low enough to match these pitches (C#. D, E, F#) so they cannot be played in unison with another string. Since the U Word appears in place of chord symbols I am guessing that it signifies that the second banjo, the banjo playing an accompaniment, should play these sequences in unison with the first banjo. If that is the case wouldn’t it have been better if Bradbury said so?  He is writing for beginners and ought to be as explicit here as he is elsewhere.

I found a fingering anomaly on the second page of  “Belle..”

At several points, including the first measure at the top of the second page, the notation follows C natural played in octaves with   a melodic arpeggio in which the first finger is laid flat on strings 3, 2 and 1 at fret 5. It’s a barred C major chord. Why not play the open bass string along with the fingered C an octave higher at fret 5? That’s what I would do. It is especially surprising to see this first position fingering prescribed at the start of the 3rd measure. The second measure ends with the barred 5th fret. Why make the hand fly down to first position and then immediately return to fret 5?  

Pages 44 and 45 present useful exercises that help the student become familiar with horizontal movements on single strings between the 5th and 10th frets. I found all the notation and the fingerings it represents to be sensible and practical. I found the footnote on the bottom of the page to be in need of editing. There is a sentence with no verb and the word “introduced” appears as “introducing “ in a sentence analogous to “I am very interesting in learning to play banjo”.  The exercise itself makes the meaning of the footnote apparent but I think clear sentences—and actual sentences— would have been helpful. Bradbury is a banjo teacher, not an English professor or a professional writer, but a professional editor employed by publisher Mel Bay should have noticed this and suggested an edit. In comparing the basic tutor books of Grimshaw and Bradbury it seems to me that that Grimshaw may have had a better grip on the English language. 

[Jody Stecher]

Stoopid spell "corrector". I *played* through a few more pages. I only had to *pay* once, when I bought the book on eBay.

Jody Stecher said:

There have been no replies to this Vol 1 post.  I've payed through a few more pages but I'm uncertain whether to post my comments here now or to wait or to do it now in a separate post.  Separate posts are less likely to get lost. OK, I'll take a chance and put the comments here.  Here goes:

The next 2 pages deal with the upper frets on the D string and a composition called “Belle Of The Ozarks”.   Curiously, the title is in quote marks as if to suggest that is not the real title. And as Joel has pointed out, that is probably the case. But no other titles are in quotes and they are mostly re-titled oldies. So this is an anomaly. 

At two points in this Banjo Solo the word “Unison” appears in parentheses above an ascending passage on the bass string.  There is no other string on the banjo tuned low enough to match these pitches (C#. D, E, F#) so they cannot be played in unison with another string. Since the U Word appears in place of chord symbols I am guessing that it signifies that the second banjo, the banjo playing an accompaniment, should play these sequences in unison with the first banjo. If that is the case wouldn’t it have been better if Bradbury said so?  He is writing for beginners and ought to be as explicit here as he is elsewhere.

I found a fingering anomaly on the second page of  “Belle..”

At several points, including the first measure at the top of the second page, the notation follows C natural played in octaves with   a melodic arpeggio in which the first finger is laid flat on strings 3, 2 and 1 at fret 5. It’s a barred C major chord. Why not play the open bass string along with the fingered C an octave higher at fret 5? That’s what I would do. It is especially surprising to see this first position fingering prescribed at the start of the 3rd measure. The second measure ends with the barred 5th fret. Why make the hand fly down to first position and then immediately return to fret 5?  

Pages 44 and 45 present useful exercises that help the student become familiar with horizontal movements on single strings between the 5th and 10th frets. I found all the notation and the fingerings it represents to be sensible and practical. I found the footnote on the bottom of the page to be in need of editing. There is a sentence with no verb and the word “introduced” appears as “introducing “ in a sentence analogous to “I am very interesting in learning to play banjo”.  The exercise itself makes the meaning of the footnote apparent but I think clear sentences—and actual sentences— would have been helpful. Bradbury is a banjo teacher, not an English professor or a professional writer, but a professional editor employed by publisher Mel Bay should have noticed this and suggested an edit. In comparing the basic tutor books of Grimshaw and Bradbury it seems to me that that Grimshaw may have had a better grip on the English language.