Improving Timing

To improve on timing, SLOW DOWN! Most all banjo pickers tend to want to play too fast too soon and that makes for sloppy banjo pickers.

Get a metronome or something that will give you a good, solid beat to work with. Start SLOW, whether you're doing rolls or chords or moving up and down the neck. Go only as fast as you can smoothly and cleanly do whatever exercise you're trying to do.

When you can do that particular exercise perfectly at a slow speed at least 5 times without a mistake, THEN bump up the speed about 5 and try it again and so on. Eventually, you'll be able to do that exercise at a good rate of speed. But, again, speed only comes with time, effort, practice, sweat and tears!

Angie's Banjo.com