ting until the April 6th 1917. America had up until then had helped supply Britain the allied forces. The people of America had not wished to become involved, but the feelings shifted and songs like this one must have been issued to help change the public attitudes.
The lyrics don’t pull any punches either:
Have we forgotten, America - the battles our fathers fought?
Are we ashamed of our history- In the peace that fighting brought?
Must we laughed at, America, while our swords turn weak with rust?
Is the blood of our fathers wasted? - And how have we treated their trust?
Is Columbia the gem of the ocean? - Is Old Glory the pride of the free?
Let’s forget every selfish emotion - United forever let’s be!
CHORUS
Wake up, America, if we are called to war.
Are we prepared to give our lives – for our sweetheats and wives?
Are our mothers and our homes worth fighting for?
Let us pray, God, for peace, but peace with honour,
But let’s get ready to answer duty’s call
So when Old Glory stands unfurled, Let it mean to all the world
America is ready----that’s all!
Steve describes it as a “rousing and jingoistic March” that goes well on the banjo!
I have added to the MUSIC LIBRARY along with a midi file of his arrangement.…
..Hahahahahhahhaha !!
I found this interesting, and tongue in cheek, article on how much practice you need and how long it will take to succeed!
... I have only got 150 years to go and then I will be Fred Van Eps.
The following charts are for 7 days per week, 3 days per week, and 1 day per week.
Average Hours it takes to learn to play the Banjo ……………..2,000
How Many Minutes is that?......................................................120,000
7 Days per week
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …5
Per Week Minutes Invested…35
Years to Goal…65.9
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …30
Per Week Minutes Invested…210
Years to Goal…11.0
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …45
Per Week Minutes Invested…315
Years to Goal…7.3
3 Days per week
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …5
Per Week Minutes Invested…15
Years to Goal…153.8
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …30
Per Week Minutes Invested…90
Years to Goal…25.6
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …45
Per Week Minutes Invested…135
Years to Goal…17.1
1 Day per week
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …5
Per Week Minutes Invested…5
Years to Goal…461.5
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …30
Per Week Minutes Invested…30
Years to Goal…76.9
Average Daily Minutes of Practice …45
Per Week Minutes Invested…45
Years to Goal…51.3
Thanks to Richie Dotson http://www.banjoresource.com/
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e to play banjo for a long time. Because of this, I have decide to sell some of my new banjo books in order to pay some medical bills.
Books are brand new and unused. They were purchased new and have been stored in a box in a smoke free environment. If you are interested, please send me a message.
-The Banjo and How to Play It (with CD)
-Emile Grimshaw’s How to Excel on the Banjo
-Morley Magic: Solos Book One (with CD)
-Morley Magic: Solos Book Two (with CD)
-Morley Magic: Accompaniments Book One
-Morley Magic: Accompaniments Book Two
-Morley Magic: Commentaries
-A Short Biography of the Unique Joe Morley
-BMG Magazine Winter 2020
-(2) Cool Joe Morley Stickers
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instrel" strings, which are designed for the lower eAEG#B or dGDF#A tunings. Usually this in conjunction with a banjo designed around those tunings (ie, often a longer scale...like 28").
Regarding Nylgut, I do like the tone I get out of it...but I'm just as keen on the feel under the fingers. I don't like a really floppy/rubbery string but neither do I like a very hard string. Nylguts seem to fill that bill for me nicely. I must say that the natural gut sets from CE are also a favorite of mine...and the "Weaver 4ths" are much more durable than the Nylgut 4ths (which "notch" on the frets quite quickly). I usually change Nylgut 4ths 2:1 with the rest of the set. The CE Weaver 4ths appear to wear less quickly and I've changed them 1:1.
Not that I change strings all that often. I'm not a performer, so I often find myself changing strings on my fretted banjos annually (if not longer). Fretless...well, I'm on the second set of Nylguts I mounted when I purchased my Hartel Ashborn in 2008. Would still be on the first set if I hadn't changed the head a couple years ago. ;-)…
old "A notation" (for the eAEG#B tuning) then you may be better served by working out of any of the American tutors. Joel Hooks is the only person I know who has done such (and quite well).
Frankly, most of the Classic Banjo repretoire available today is in C notation and you would probably be better served by using the Grimshaw tutor. Another common "C-Notation" tutor is the Bradbury (which is still being published by Mel Bay).
The most common nylon string sets used today are those sold under the "Chris Sands" brand...and I usually recommend the "heavy" gauge for people who come from steel-string playing...but mediums are also popular.
Alternatively, Aquila sells their "nylgut" in sets designed for Classic Banjo. I like them a lot (though I'm currently playing on natural gut sets from Clifford Essex).
When you switch over to nylon, you'll want a pretty light bridge...no ebony top, simply maple. There are a variety to choose from. Tailpieces vary considerably also. Almost any will work but nylon and nylgut strings are very sensitive to sharp edges. Any tailpiece to be used needs to be carefully checked and de-burred or it will cut the strings.
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for a few minutes before needing to go back to work. I tuned it up to eAEG#B (which was only a half step up or so from where it was during shipping - so I'm guessing Bernunzio probably had it tuned up to G in their shop but who knows). Anyway, I think it sounds great in the A tuning. One problem was that the fifth string did slip a little and I noticed the tuning peg was a little loose. If this had happened with one of my banjos with violin style friction pegs I would've simply pushed the peg into the neck a little more in order for it to hold better. But obviously the metal tuners don't push in ... They do have small screws on top of them, however, and I tightened that a little and it did seem to hold better.
Is this the right thing to do if the tuning peg is slipping with metal friction tuners?
Or is there something more drastic going on here - like the tuning peg is damaged?
Any advice/thoughts are appreciated ... Like I said it is a newbie question. :)
I've attached some picks of the 5th string peg just so you can see what I'm talking about (apologies for the blurriness of the pics - I was rushing to get back to work.)
Thanks again.
Best,
Adam…
a few basic questions.
I'm writing out some A-system pieces which might eventually be put in to C-system plus tab. At the moment I'm okay with inputting notes and timing, and also ornaments and slurs. It's all looking okay. I managed to change the tuning of the Standard Banjo to eAEG#B, but don't know how to save that as an alternative banjo choice for future scores. Plus, when I copy and paste the treble clef dots into the tab stave, it appears an octave higher - an open string is the 12th fret, for instance.
So, how do I save the tuning as an alternative for future use, and how do I get the tab down an octave?
I tried temporarily lowering the treble clef notes an octave, copying that and pasting into the tab, but it still comes out at the higher octave.
I'm sure there will be many tips and tricks for banjo (with or without tab) typesetting with Musecore, so maybe you could include some of that here?
With thanks,
Rob…
ent playing. This branch of the student's musical education is often neglected entirely by both teacher and pupil, being apparently considered unnecessary or superfluous. Again, it seems when amateur orchestras or clubs are organized each and every member wants to play the leading part. This is not only impossible but absurd. There can be but one leader, and someone must play "second" banjo--why not you? Do not imagine your ability is superior to the requirements of the part. Indeed, if you prove equal to the task you may congratulate yourself, for among the best soloists to be found anywhere, regardless of the instrument on which they perform, scarcely one in five would be capable of playing offhand, a respectable accompaniment to an ordinary song as it should be done.
The reason of this is apparent: Accompaniment playing is an art of itself, and must be thoroughly studied and practiced before proficiency can be attained; thus, very few soloists are good accompanists, because their entire time and attention is usually given to their solo work to the exclusion of everything else.
It will be possible to give only a few general hints on the subject herein, because a knowledge of Harmony would be necessary before the student could understand the system of writing and arranging accompaniments, were I to attempt to explain it. How to play an accompaniment properly, is the important point the pupil should consider.
The requirements vary according to the circumstances under which the performance is given, the character of the song to which the accompaniment is written, and the number and variety of instruments (if any) on which other parts are played at the same time.
First it should be remembered that accompaniment playing consists of something more than "thumping" the chords indiscriminately in an effort to "drown out" all the other parts. Again, if the performer is adapting or arranging his own accompaniments, he should make an effort to introduce a little variety in the character and style, as well as the harmony, and not write all his accompaniments simply in an endless succession of "straight"chords, with never a change or rest to break the monotony. There are so many styles of accompaniments that no further effort will be made to explain how they should be written. A study of good composition will enable the student to form a general idea of the correct method,and will enable us to devote more space to hints on how they should be executed, which is more important.
1st. Do not try to play louder than the solo banjo or other instruments.
2nd.Do not "twang" the strings when playing chords, as it spoils the effect. Many amateur banjo players have a habit of lifting the strings bodily upwards when they pick a chord, allowing the strings to strike against the frets as they fall back into place, making a most irritating and disagreeable sound, that is positively nerve shattering. This fault is generally mere force of habit, and should be corrected as soon as possible.
3rd. Don't start slowly and then play faster and faster, unless the music requires it. If you do you will probably finish the piece several bars ahead of your most enthusiastic competitor in the race.
4th. Do not play softly at all times,neither loudly throughout,unless especially indicated on the music. The same may be said is regard to playing slow or fast. These things should be indicated on the music; If they are not the leaders judgement must be relied on as to when to play slow, fast, soft or loud, etc.
5th Don't play the chords like a machine or with a monotonous, everlasting "plunk, plunk." Put a little spirit, life, animation,or sentiment into your playing, according to the character of the music; In a word, play accompaniments, as everywhere else, with expression.
6th. The entire art of accompaniment playing may be summed up briefly as follows: It consists of the ability to read and understand the accompaniment perfectly, and to execute same as may be required, while listening to and being conscious of the progress of the melody, so as to follow every change of tempo, degree of power, and light and shade of expression given the melody by the soloist, blending perfectly with the leading part in such a manner as to make both seem as practically one. This is the ideal to be sought after, and it leaves little or nothing to be said on the subject, except that while this chapter was written for banjoists, every word of it applies forcibly to accompaniments to be played upon the guitar as if it were written with that instrument in mind. Thus we attempt to enlighten amateur guitarists who may be numbered among our subscribers as well as banjoists.
______________________
Subscription to The 'Jo is 61 cents for 6 numbers or $1.22 for a year, (12 numbers). American subscribers may remit The Cadenza office, and we will have The 'Jo forwarded to them promptly.
______________________
published in The Cadenza, Nov-Dec 1895.
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fishing in gauges that gave me good tone and approximate firmness when plucking for all five strings. Already had a selection of material in my tackle-box and added more when on sale at Walmart. All monofilament lines, no tests of fluorocarbon was made.
I initially strung a standard banjo with 20,30,40 and 50 lb test and these worked well in D tuning but later changed to 25,30,40,80 lb test, especially tuning base to C. These work beautifully and give good tone and volume. Also changed the bridge to the classic design in maple. Noted that using a wound steel base string was not as satisfactory to me as the 80 mono.
See attached table of measurements made with a micrometer in imperial units and converted to metric for those who prefer. Note, I took three dia meas over a 5 ft length and found the readings to be consistent within acceptable limits. This seems to rule out "out of roundness" or varying thickness within a length of 5 ft, which is acceptable. Stretching after mounting was minimal especially on the heavier gauges although this may be misleading. All monofilament strings stretch at least 2 halftones before settling in.
I have made a table showing my results for those who may wish to experiment.
Table 1: Measurement of some monofilament only fishing lines for use as banjo strings
Dia “A” = diameter measurements over 5 ft length, Average of 3 readings.
Dia “B” = diameter of string as stretched and tuned on my Morgan Munroe Banjo
* = Strings currently on my Morgan Munroe Banjo
** = Base string on a banjo in A tuning
Brand
#Lb.
Test
Dia “A”
Avg. of 3 readings within 5 ft. L
Variance within 5ft. L
Dia “B”
stretched
Berkley
20
0.01703”
0.432mm
+ or - 1.75%
Stren
25
0.01924”
0.489mm
+ or - 1.53%
0.0185”
chanterelle
Ande
*
25
0.0201”
0.51mm
+ or – 0.0%
0.019”
Eagle Claw
*
30
0.0214”
0.54mm
+ or – 0.5%
0.020”
Eagle Claw
*
40
0.0240”
0.61mm
+ or – 0.4%
0.023”
Eagle Claw
50
0.0256”
0.65mm
+ or – 0.4%
Shakespeare
50
0.02935”
0.745mm
+ or – 0.5%
Eagle Claw
*
80
0.03425”
0.87mm
+ or – 0.3%
0.034”
TrikFish
100lb leader
**
100
0.044”
1.12mm
+ or – 0.5%
0.44”
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e my darlin’ is true,
Need your kiss little sweetheart -- when the day is done,
Need your kiss little sweetheart -- like the earth needs the sun,
So when I strum on my banjo -- the world is hummin’ along;
Love plays the strings of my banjo -- when I put my heart in my song.
Oh dear, I think I am going to be sick :)
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