Potentially the best method

[Austin]

Someday I want to write my own method, but I know I have a lot of learning to do before that's even close to being possible. Anyway, My opinion right now as a beginner. Is that somewhere between Bradbury's method and Grimshaw's method is the perfect method somehow. Grimshaw's freshly composed exercises with Bradbury's teaching style and format. Curious what everyone else thinks. I think Grimshaw is more tricky to get right for a beginner, but all in all more fun due to the exercises being melodious.

[Richard William Ineson]

It's debatable whether or not there is a need for yet another banjo method, the ground has been so well covered by so many over many years that there is nothing left to say, in print, in my opinion. What most people seek when they decide to learn to play a musical instrument is access to that magic box of dust, which, when sprinkled on their head turns them into a virtuoso without having to do any of that time consuming and boring work which has been the mainstay of the process since Psychopompous twanged the dessicated intestines of a dead tortoise and found that it produced a sound, thousands of years ago. That magic dust has never existed but I imagine that the day is not too far away when you will be able to buy a programme loaded on a tiny chip, which can be inserted in your body which will have the same effect as that much sought after, but never found,  magic dust. It might even be that even the insertion of a tiny chip may not be necessary, as the IT wallahs will probably develop learning programmes for everything  which can be transferred to your mind at the touch of a button. This is the way forward, somebody, somewhere, is working on this right now. 

[Joel Hooks]

I agree with Richard.  One could even argue that there were already enough when Grimshaw came out.

That said, I would not want to discourage you from anything you want to do, so make it a goal if that is what you want and I’ll support the endeavor (provided it is good).

I’ve been perfectly transparent about my fanboy love for Bradbury, but there are many other tutors that are also good, or rather, do the job.  In A notation we have Converse, whom my affection for equals Bradbury, if not eclipses.

Grimshaw’s “How to Excel’ is an excellent work for advanced students who are past the basics and have established solid timing and playing in all the natural keys but want to develop a better touch.

From what I have witnessed, the Grimshaw supplement is usually used incorrectly, and people who post videos (which is rare) typically ignore the point of the exercises.

[Jody Stecher]

Let's compare apples to apples please.  It seems to me that the Grimshaw near equivalent to the Bradbury method is "The Banjo and How To Play It", not "How To Excel On The Banjo/ 114 Melodious Exercises". 

Joel Hooks said:

I agree with Richard.  One could even argue that there were already enough when Grimshaw came out.

That said, I would not want to discourage you from anything you want to do, so make it a goal if that is what you want and I’ll support the endeavor (provided it is good).

I’ve been perfectly transparent about my fanboy love for Bradbury, but there are many other tutors that are also good, or rather, do the job.  In A notation we have Converse, whom my affection for equals Bradbury, if not eclipses.

Grimshaw’s “How to Excel’ is an excellent work for advanced students who are past the basics and have established solid timing and playing in all the natural keys but want to develop a better touch.

From what I have witnessed, the Grimshaw supplement is usually used incorrectly, and people who post videos (which is rare) typically ignore the point of the exercises.

[Austin]

Even in the banjo and how to play it. He has a bunch of exercises that are very fun

Jody Stecher said:

Let's compare apples to apples please.  It seems to me that the Grimshaw near equivalent to the Bradbury method is "The Banjo and How To Play It", not "How To Excel On The Banjo/ 114 Melodious Exercises". 

Joel Hooks said:

I agree with Richard.  One could even argue that there were already enough when Grimshaw came out.

That said, I would not want to discourage you from anything you want to do, so make it a goal if that is what you want and I’ll support the endeavor (provided it is good).

I’ve been perfectly transparent about my fanboy love for Bradbury, but there are many other tutors that are also good, or rather, do the job.  In A notation we have Converse, whom my affection for equals Bradbury, if not eclipses.

Grimshaw’s “How to Excel’ is an excellent work for advanced students who are past the basics and have established solid timing and playing in all the natural keys but want to develop a better touch.

From what I have witnessed, the Grimshaw supplement is usually used incorrectly, and people who post videos (which is rare) typically ignore the point of the exercises.

[Jody Stecher]

To whom and to what point are you replying?  And what do you intend to say? 


Austin said:

No even in the banjo and how to play it. He has a bunch of exercises that are very fun

[Jody Stecher]

Austin, Do you think I said there were no exercises in The Banjo And How To Play it? I didn't,  I gave the full title of the other one,

The word "Exercises" is part of the  title.  Again, the title is "How To Excel On The Banjo/ 114 Melodious Exercises". 

[Austin]

I thought you were saying that you want to compare The banjo and how to play it to the Mel Bay method. In which case I think some sort of combination between the two is the best option. Grimshaw doesn't have that great of a teaching scheme, but he makes his exercises very fun. Bradbury has a much better teaching scheme, but The exercises on learning the strings and everything are very dull. I feel like it could be a bit more engaging to learn the notes on each string up the neck without throwing everything at you at once like Grimshaw does. 

Jody Stecher said:

To whom and to what point are you replying?  And what do you intend to say? 


Austin said:

No even in the banjo and how to play it. He has a bunch of exercises that are very fun

[Jody Stecher]

I was saying that How To Excel and Bradbury are apples and oranges.  Bradbury's method is a tutor for beginners. As Joel aptly pointed out, How To Excel is not. Therefore there is nothing to be gained by comparing the two, But Grimshaw wrote another book (The Banjo And How To Play It) that *is* intended for beginners. Therefore comparing that one to Bradbury makes more sense to me.

I agree that Bradbury's exercises are tedious and that Grimshaw's are not.  

I realize this is an informal forum and that there are new ways of writing thoughts. All the same please try to write complete sentences with apt punctuation. You will be more easily understood if you do. For someone of my age (even older than Richard!!)  "No even in the banjo and how to play it".  is impenetrable as an idea and meaningless as a sentence. 

Austin said:

I thought you were saying that you want to compare The banjo and how to play it to the Mel Bay method. In which case I think some sort of combination between the two is the best option. Grimshaw doesn't have that great of a teaching scheme, but he makes his exercises very fun. Bradbury has a much better teaching scheme, but The exercises on learning the strings and everything are very dull. I feel like it could be a bit more engaging to learn the notes on each string up the neck without throwing everything at you at once like Grimshaw does. 

Jody Stecher said:

To whom and to what point are you replying?  And what do you intend to say? 


Austin said:

No even in the banjo and how to play it. He has a bunch of exercises that are very fun

[Jody Stecher]

Joel, you've mentioned before that there are several versions of the Bradbury book. I've been trying to find the comments  using the search function but not finding what I'm looking for. Could you please say what has been published, and which version you like best?  What are the differences?  I remember you saying that the Melbay version changed the sequence of lessons in a few places and not for the better. Have I got that right? Is that the newer Melbay version vs the 1960s one. Or all Melbay versions vs the 1920s one?  Used copies of the 1960s version are easily available on the internet but they seem to all be volume one according to what the cover says. But then it also says it is complete in two volumes. (see attached image below)

Is the second volume also in the one book, or is volume 2 harder to find?

thanks.

Joel Hooks said:

I’ve been perfectly transparent about my fanboy love for Bradbury,