Weidt Book 1: Study Schedule

[Cyndy Richardson]

Some time ago, I tossed out the idea of creating a collaborative group to study the Weidt books. Then I got really busy--too busy to tackle something new--so, in my mind, I set June 1st as the date that I would try to get things going.

Well, it's June 1.

I've put together a reasonably-paced study schedule (see below) and I'm ready to dive in. Anyone else who would like to join me is welcome to.

I will create a new blog post at the beginning of every week so that there will be a place to have a conversation about the material, if anyone wants to comment.

Let's see how the experiment goes.

Cyndy

- - - - -

BOOK

C Notation

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WDiOdijZaXgSgEwx0CcuvUWUzY6kGsbC/view 

(courtesy of Joel Hooks)

SCHEDULE (Revised 2 Jun 2018)

Week 1

Scale in C major; Exercises for learning to read notes; chords and exercises in C major; The Yodler; Amusement Waltz

Week 2

Exercises on time 1-3

Mosquito Jig

Week 3

Exercises on time 4

The Fairies (Banjo 1)

Week 4

The Fairies (Banjo 2)

Week 5

Elfin Waltz (Banjo 1)

Week 6

Elfin Waltz (Banjo 2)

To be continued ...

[Jody Stecher]

A major?  Didn't we agree on C major notation?

[thereallyniceman]

Correct Jody,

Amaj  is a No No.

 Our Classic Style Banjo is in C notation please.

[Cyndy Richardson]

I added mention of C notation to the outline and my thought would be for anyone else who might want to join me in the endeavor to choose based on their own preference.

Not too long ago, though, I talked with a classic banjoist who was positive about A notation. I am respectfully open to hearing why there seems to be a strong preference for C.

[thereallyniceman]

Because ALL the printed banjo scores that were produced in the UK from around 1900 to date are in C Notation, and almost 100% of USA produced scores too.

   99.9% of Classic style banjos are now tuned CGBDg  NOT   A E Gsharp B e

It makes no sense to learn scales and exercises that are not playable in modern tuning.

[Cyndy Richardson]

That seems like a solid reason to go the C route. :)

[Jody Stecher]

My personal reason for preferring C notation is because reading A notation at the same time as using what I think of as C fingering makes my head spin. There is also the added benefit that the sounds coming from the banjo correspond with what's on the page. A notation at first corresponded with A tuning. Low tuning on the banjo is a wonderful sound. Listening to it is a bit of a time machine. But in the USA banjo players were reading in A and tuning to C and this went on for a surprisingly long time.   

But you are right: participants in this Weidt study experiment should be free to use whatever notation they prefer.

[Cyndy Richardson]

I've been experimenting since I posted. I can see how C notation fits what I already know about the banjo and I can see a lot of value in not needing to adjust my thinking to learn to process A notation.

I appreciate the wise comments ...

[Jody Stecher]

I've now played through the first 6 weeks and I don't understand why you are proposing to switch the order in which the pieces are presented. Weidt has presented them in order of difficulty. I especially don't understand why anyone would need a week to master the 2nd banjo part of The Fairies. It's just arpeggios. chords and Oom pa pa. What am I missing?

[Jody Stecher]

AH!  I see what I missed. Weidt himself advises studying page 8 before pages 6 and 7.  What a strange way to lay out a book!  Anyway I'm having fun playing the exercises. So far I don't see a consistent right hand system being taught. It's all viable for sure. One problem I'm having is knowing at what speed to play these.

[Jody Stecher]

A reminder to everyone participating in this Weidt Experiment:  It would be prudent to ignore all handwritten markings that appear on this copy.  Someone has written in unworkable fingerings, wrong chord names, bizarre fret  positions, etc. I won't even try to guess what was intended.