Comment by Alan Jones on April 18, 2018 at 18:48

1st two lines leaned.

Comment by marc dalmasso on April 18, 2018 at 19:16

really a good sound for a guy just starting ; bravo

Comment by Alan Jones on April 18, 2018 at 20:17

Thank you. It might take a while but I will post again when I have mastered it all.

Comment by thereallyniceman on April 19, 2018 at 7:20

One week? !!!! It took me months to get anywhere near this! Very good indeed. One tip from me is to concentrate on trying to use "Alternate Fingering" as picking a run of notes with the same RH finger will make things more difficult as you improve, and that won't be so long! Look at Eric's post down the page "Tunes for Beginners" where I added Sunflower Dance with every RH finger shown for each note and give it a try again. This way you will be learning Sunflower Dance AND alternate fingering without even noticing.
:-)

Comment by Alan Jones on April 19, 2018 at 12:18

That's one week at classic banjo. I have played music on other instruments for a long time and I sight read with Tenor banjo, mandolin and violin. But what I have to learn on the 5 string is where the notes are on the fingerboard. also the technique which is new to me having used a plectrum or a bow all my life. Thanks for the tip I will try to put it into practice.  I am enjoying the challenge.

Comment by Joel Hooks on April 19, 2018 at 18:35

Yeah, sounding good.  I second Ian, best now to learn alternate fingering than try to learn it later.  I know from experience. 

Comment by Alan Jones on March 9, 2019 at 18:00

Well as promised here is a video of my progress. Fell apart at the end and not yet mastered the trio part. https://youtu.be/n1dFDvrPYWs 

Comment by Joel Hooks on March 9, 2019 at 20:10

You are looking and sounding great.

As you practice try to keep your thumb on the back of the neck just above the center.  Avoid resting the neck in the crook of your hand and hooking your thumb over the top (you will thank me later)  Also work to use "alternate fingering"-- now is the time to do it and not later.

On the published versions of "Sunflower Dance" most of the fingering is not noted.  It is pretty straight forward and the fingering is only noted on tricky parts.

On page 21 of the Mel Bay Bradbury method he gives a nice explanation of alternate fingering.  By the time one has worked up to that page they have the fundamentals that will help them understand it better.  It is really the key to playing classic banjo.  

"Bum ditty" = clawhammer

"Rolls"= Bluegrass

"Alternate fingering"= classic banjo.

Your tone is clear and snappy!

Comment by Alan Jones on March 9, 2019 at 20:13

I have just found a copy of Mel Bay's Banjo Method C Tuning Concert Style Frank Bradbury on ebay at £4.95, now ordered.

Add a Comment