Bluegrass Festival Etiquette

Here's a few useful rules of etiquette to following when you attend a bluegrass festival.

1. Don't pester the excellent musicians to death or ignore the "not so accomplished" ones. Ask for help, but be willing to share as well.

2. Never touch anyone's instrument without their permission.

3. Listen for the soft playing musician and give them a break if they seem to want one. Share the fun.

4. Show good sportsmanship and support those that try.

5. Never feel that you are too good; someone will show you that you are not.

6. Don't blast the others with volume. The person right in front can hear it better that the player can. Playing too loud causes competition for sound and then everyone gets too loud. It turns into a framming match.

7. Don't bump your instrument into other people or their instruments while moving around. Their instrument is their baby.

8. Never belittle another person's instrument even if it is junk. If they love it, it's as good as gold.

9. If someone is playing a song wrong, don't insist that it be played in a particular way. Just go with the flow until it is over. You can workout the details at home with your own group.

10. Be proud of other people's accomplishments as you want other people to be proud of you.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New?

What type of material should the bridge be made of?

What type of material should the bridge be made of?

If it were made of rubber, very little sound would transfer into the head. If it were steel, it would be too heavy to transfer and sound would again be lost. Wood has always fallen into the right spot for this.

It's a matter of what is best from here. Ebony has been the most popular wood for the top because of its hardness and ability to not allow strings to cut in. Ebony also has enough sound absorbing capability to help control some of the unwanted tones. Maple has been the wood of choice for the bottom. Maple is stiff while being lightweight at the same time. This allows the vibrations to transfer better.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New?

Banjo Styles

Here's a good article at this link Banjo Styles Guide by Wayne Rogers, owner of Gold Tone Banjos, about all the different styles of banjo playing and how to choose the style you would like to learn on the banjo.

Keep on pickn'!

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Banjo Terms

Tuning the Head

The head needs to be tight for more volume and high-end tones or treble. The head should be loose for low-end tones or bass. Somewhere in the middle is going to be your personal preference. For a banjo constructed with a rim and tone ring, you can lightly tap the head and tune it somewhere close to an A note. A drum dial will help to set the tension with out confusion.

The Nut

What type of material should it be made of? The standard bone or hard plastic type materials that are made for building instruments are fine. I don’t see much difference. I like bone because it is more natural to me.

The Armrest

The armrest is a great looking piece that really makes a banjo look good, but it plays an important part of the sound as well. If your arm were to lie on the tension hoop, you would start to deaden the sound. The armrest prevents that. The armrest should be set above the tension hook as not to absorb sound. They can also cause a vibration or rattle if allowed to touch. I always tap on them and bend them back if needed.

The Neck

The neck carries sound as well. The type wood can influence the sound travel. The neck should be bent slightly into a dip and not flat. Strings move back and forth mostly at the center of the string. This dip is to better fit the shape of the moving string; otherwise, the action has to be set too high to keep frets from buzzing. The truss rod in the neck is used to control this dip.

Frets

Many times frets are too high from one to another. If they appear to be coming loose, you can tap them back in with a block of wood. If they just don’t move, you can cut them down with a small smooth file. Place the file across at least three frets and see if you can create a seesaw action. If you can, file down the high one.

The Strings

The heavier the string, the stronger the sound; the stronger the sound, the more tone you have access to. I recommend medium gauge always.

The Picks

The type of pick that you use will greatly determine the sound you get. Thick picks are loud, thin picks are soft. Pointed picks are crisp and spoon shaped picks have a deep dark sound. Try different ones. As your style changes, your picks might as well. Different songs may require different picks.

The Sweet Spot

The sweet spot refers to the place that you pick where the best tone is. This is a matter of personal opinion and style. Most generally, it is located about 2-1/2 inches to 3 inches above the bridge; it’s just below the fingerboard for vamping.

Keep on Pickn'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Why should a banjo be setup?

When a banjo is built at the factory, it is set up to a set of specifications and quality standards that the company has in place. Unfortunately, that means that it is playable when it leaves the factory rather than set to the maximum ability for tone and playability. From there, an instrument can change for any number of reasons such as moisture content changing, stress, or abuse. Even an instrument that has been set up properly will change in time.

For more answers to your banjo setup questions visit BanjoMD.com

Keep on Pickin'

Angie's Banjo.com

Online Catalogue

What's New?

Making Time for Practice

Examine your life to determine honestly how much time PER DAY you are willing or able to practice. Be totally honest with yourself. Sacrifice some t.v. if you have to. The main point is to actually examine your life and see "Alright, how much time do I really want to invest in this? Also, how much time is really feasible and practical?"

Once you identify "holes" in your day, commit to practicing during those times regularly, every day. Make the commitment formal by telling family members and stating it in your mind ("from now on, I'm gonna practice at 4:30 every day for an hour...") Formalizing the commitment in this way is very powerful. In addition to a formal time of practice, you can pick it up spontaneously during the day for fun. But establish that formal practice time. It's important to build a sense of "disciplined habit."

If you have 5 hours a day available, be smart. Don't think you can practice that much all at first. If you begin to develop hand pain, back off, even skipping a day or two. Beware of "mushy" concentration when you are not really with it and are just smudging along. That's a sign to take a break. When you practice you should be alert and concentrated.

If you identify times to practice and do so every day, it becomes sort of a meditation. A period of no-distractions during which you are one-pointedly concentrated on the task at hand. After some time, the discipline begins to feel good. You gain a tremendous amount of confidence because you know that banjo! Your ears know the sound and your hands know the strings. Play!

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Single String Style - what's that all about?

The single string style is being incorporated more and more into contemporary banjo playing and it can add so much to your own style, sound, and versatility. Single string playing has often been referred to as Reno or sometimes Adcock Style. Both Reno and Adcock used single string picking mixed in with a more traditional three-finger style. At that time it was more unique, they were developing and playing this style at a time when there were not many players doing that. Now, most agree that single string style can be something that all banjo players can benefit from and find very useful in many playing situations.

If you have a more traditional approach and consider yourself a more Scruggs' Style player you can use many single string techniques to add punch to your playing. For instance, playing a two note alternating thumb and index on the same string. As a simple example, substituting a 2nd fret 4th string to open 4th string pull-off, to picking both notes with the thumb index on the same string.

In melodic playing the single string technique can be the best way to get a note you need in the melody and sometimes the only way to get it. Sometimes the tone you get with single string technique will add variety to the repetitive flowing scales of melodic playing.

Taking extended solos in the single string solo can take a lot of practice. For most banjo players the left hand has been considered secondary to the demands and importance of your right hand picking. To have your priorities straight it does make sense to start with the right hand but it also makes sense to maximize your capabilities and have this valuable technique ready to implement when it suits the song you're playing the best.

In the context of performing, the single string technique is very flashy and will often be rewarded with applause. To the audience it looks harder. It's hard for them to see the intricacy of the right hand when you're banging out Foggy Mountain Breakdown. However, it's much easier for the audience to see the intricacy of a flat-picking guitar solo for instance, which can explain why flat-picking can be so impressive to watch, and commonly receives applause. Wouldn't it be nice to lay down some single string solos of your own in addition to your hard driving right hand?

Here are some recommendations for practice.

If you are at a more beginning level, you could start by playing scales using an open string between each note within the first five frets. If you are more intermediate or advanced, you could practice scale patterns. It's recommended you take each one separately, use a metronome and keep increasing your speed. In order to play these scales or patterns at a reasonably fast tempo you will have to commit them to muscle memory and have them be as automatic as your right hand rolls are. Don't forget just how much time you put into your right hand practicing and be patient as you work up your ability. Another quick tip is to keep your fingers close to the neck as you are playing these scales. You wouldn't want to lift your right hand fingers far from the strings when you're picking. Excess finger movement in either hand will slow you down and could make you sloppy.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

How Green is My Banjo

Special note: This is one of the many articles written by Andy McGeehan for "Silver Strings" a free banjo magazine for those just learning the banjo.

Hello fellow banjo enthusiasts! My name is Andy McGeehan and I want to thank Angie for giving me the opportunity here to talk about all things banjo. While I've been playing for thirty-five years off and on (mostly off) I'm not a professional performer, so my observations are from the recreational picker's point of view. Currently I'm mentoring three students and I run an informal jam once a week. Today the topic is the totally green banjo student.

Many people who have heard the banjo have fallen in love with it's sound (I did). The result of this is a desire to learn to play the instrument. The green student is one who has never played a musical instrument before and has no prior musical experience. While many instructors demonstrate an enormous amount of patience and perseverance with beginners, this type of student can be exceptionally frustrating for other instructors. The need to review the most basic material repeatedly can grate on the instructor's nerves until it is unbearable. Under these circumstances, I have seen instructors give the student an exceptionally challenging assignment (knowing well that the material is beyond the student's capabilities at that time), and then say when the student can play that, come back for another lesson. Other times the instructor will say the student has no aptitude for the instrument, and should try something else. While I understand the instructors desire not to waste time (his or the student's) and certainly his frustration, this is of no use to the student.

A certain skill level is necessary to be able to enjoy picking or jamming. Now, not all of us are destined to be the next Earl Scruggs or Bela Fleck (I know I'm not), but we still want to play the banjo well enough so that the tune can be recognized. What options are left for the student? Well, there are the numerous CD and video lessons now available. I own a number of these by various instructors and some of them are very good. One of my concerns with them is that if the student has a question about any of the material presented, there is no one to answer the question. Another one would be how does one select the instruction material that is right for the student? If a student is just starting out, the amount of instructional material, by so many different teachers, can be confusing. While video/CD instruction is affordable, it can be easy to spend a lot of money before finding a program that conforms to the student's needs and skill level. The best bet here is your ear. Listen to the kind of music that interests you, and find out who is performing it. If the artist has a beginner level instruction video or CD available, it is likely that this would be a good investment. The tunes being taught are familiar and the material is being presented on a level the beginner can understand. One of the assets to the video/CD lesson is that it can be played repeatedly in the event that the subject wasn't entirely understood the first time around (thank goodness for the rewind button!).

There are many schools of thought on how a lesson should be structured. I prefer the 3-R's method. The 3-R's stand for Review, Reach and Relax.

With jobs, school, and life in general to deal with every day, it isn't always practical to spend as much time with the old five-stringed minnow dipper as one would like. This method divides the lesson into three sections:

Review: Go over the fundamentals. Concentrate on proper right hand and left hand form. Check for proper fretting. Play some rolls or licks that have already been mastered. Play a song or two as a form of warm up.

Reach: After getting warmed up and comfortable, dive into the new material to be covered. Set a time limit on working with the new stuff to prevent getting frustrated or saturated.

Relax: Pick the banjo! It can be some songs or just a couple of licks. Have some fun with the instrument. This is the time to experiment and create.

I have been very successful with this method, and I use it when mentoring others. It keeps the learning experience fresh and fun and in addition, gives a sense of accomplishment at the end of the lesson.

In conclusion then, keep these points in mind:

1. You should be playing tunes you want to play

2. You should be having fun (or why bother with all this work!)

3. The melody of the tune should be recognizable

4. Not everyone is a gifted musician (I know I'm not). Some things that the pros and instructors can do require a great deal of skill and years of practice. It is unreasonable therefore to expect the student with no previous musical experience to learn them overnight.

To learn a tune, here are my recommendations:

Find the melody (just the notes) on the fret board, and repeatedly play it over and over until you can play it comfortably so the tune can be recognized.

Find the chords that work with the melody

Experiment with the embellishments and slurs

The advantage of this method is that you are playing the tune right away and evolving a more sophisticated arrangement as you go along. The work in progress allows you to see improvement more readily.

"Remember; pick it like you mean it!" - Andy

Angie's Banjo.com

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Developing good practice habits

Anybody who really wants to learn a musical instrument can do so. If you have a burning desire to learn, you will eventually be successful even in spite of poor practice habits. But why do it the hard way? Develop good practice habits early and you will progress much faster.

Practice EVERY DAY. As a beginner, thirty minutes per day is a realistic goal. An hour per day divided into two thirty-minute sessions is more than twice as productive. Make the practice session a daily regimen, like brushing your teeth. Try to practice at the same time every day, in the same place. If you must skip a day or two, try to make up by practicing extra the next few days.

Practice without distraction. You cannot realize the full benefit from your practice time if you have the television on, children playing in the room, other music playing, or any other distraction. Choose a time of day and a location that provides an environment conducive to study...the earlier the better so you will be alert. A bedroom, study or basement room is ideal.

Use proper position. Poor technique leads to poor results, extra effort and wasted time.

Use the recording. A carpenter would never think of building a house without a blueprint. This is an aural art. Use the "song blueprint" which accompanies the instruction book your learning from. The amount of time that it takes to learn a tune may be cut by as much as half if the essence of the tune is in your head before you ever attempt to learn from the tablature. Listen to the recording as you drive or work around the house. Even semi-conscious listening will speed up your learning time considerably. Use the recording to check your progress, playing along with the slow version until you are synchronized with it. Then move on to the next level.

PLAY SLOWLY! Learning music is much more efficient if it is done slowly and correctly the first time. It may not sound like banjo music until weeks later when your speed has increased, but valuable time will not be wasted going back to correct errors. Play so slowly that the spacing of the beats is uniform from the first time you play it. There should be no buzzing or muted notes.

Suggested Daily Practice Routine

Five minutes: Warmup. Just as an athlete must warm up and stretch before an event, the musician should loosen up the fingers and get the mind in gear. Play rolls, exercises and simple tunes you have already mastered at a medium to slow tempo with the recording or a metronome if possible.

Ten minutes: Exercises and problem areas. Identify the areas that are giving you trouble. Extract the two or four measure phrase that contains the problem spot and play it repeatedly with the recording or a metronome. Play the entire phrase, not just the two or three notes that you are having difficulty with. If you are having trouble with a certain technique such as a pull-off or slide, play an exercise that focuses only on that technique. Play so slowly it is absolutely error-free.

Ten minutes: Work on the newest lesson and on memorizing the two or three previous lessons. Keep it slow and read all the accompanying text every day.

Five minutes: Play for fun! The work is over...now just do whatever you feel like. You will be enjoying the banjo so much you will probably extend the session without even realizing it. This is a typical thirty-minute practice schedule. For a one-hour session, simply double the time devoted to each segment of the practice session. However, two thirty-minute sessions per day may be more effective than a single one-hour session for a true beginner's first few days or weeks.

If your a real beginner you will find the new DVDs put out by John Lawless a huge help. They are "Learning to Play Bluegrass Banjo - Lesson 1 / Lesson 2 / Lesson 3.

Keep on pickn'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

What's this thing called Jamming?

It's OK to be curious about this thing called "Jamming." If you've never encountered it, how could you possibly know the "ins and outs" of the matter.

Actually, jamming is something that has to be learned, just like everything else. When you get right down to it, it is a form of "musical performance," however informal. There is an "etiquette" to it and there is an order to it. (In your better sessions, anyway.) Knowing the songs and tunes is only part of it. Still, that's a mighty big part.

Perhaps the best way to start learning about "Jams" is by actually attending one. You don't have to take your instrument. Just sit and observe. Listen to the songs and tunes, of course, and see if you can pick out the "leaders." These may or may not be the best musicians in the group, but they're definately the ones who feel confident calling the "shots" as far as which tunes will be played and who may get to kick them off. Depending on the group's skill level and their familiarity with each other, one of them may stand out as being the person most "looked to" for instruction concerning who among the group gets to take the instrumental breaks and when.

In time, you'll get to know, not only the tunes, but some of the folks, as well. You will feel more confident about being welcomed with your banjo. Then, by watching and listening and asking questions, you'll figure out how and when to "vamp," as well as how and when to perform other techniques. In short, you'll be learning the "tricks of the trade."

To learn how to jam with others check out these Playalong CDs & DVDs.

Keep on pickn' !

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Am I to Old to Learn the Banjo?

I get ask this question a lot. A lot of folks think if you didn't start learning the banjo as a child you won't be able to learn it later in life. That's simply not true. Anyone can learn the banjo if you have the desire and you put the time into practicing. And as we get older we start to have more time available to do just that. I've even read where doctors say learning something new like a musical instrument helps keep the "old" brain cells active as we age like fine wine.

The banjo is a fun instrument to listen to and to learn. I won't say it's something you'll learn overnite but you can do it if you have a yearnin' to. Not everyone wants to learn the banjo to play in a band or perform in front of others. Some folks just want to learn it for the challenge and fun of doing it for their own pleasure and some want to learn to jam with others. That's very doable no matter what age you are.

In our monthly banjo magazine "Silver Strings" (all 2008 issues are free for the taking by the way) you can read about people later in life "middle aged newbies" just starting to learn the banjo in their 50's, 60's and beyond. These are very inspiring stories for anyone wanting to learn the banjo at whatever age you are. (We do have issues 2005 - 2007 compiled into Best of Silver Strings downloadable ebooks for a small charge.)

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New?

Do I have to plant both fingers?

Many people cannot pick at all with their ring finger planted -- seems like there's a connection between the ring and middle finger and it's sometimes difficult to "disconnect" the two.

Is it necessary to plant the ring finger? No, not really. Not if it doesn't interfere with your picking. Many excellent, professional pickers only plant the pinkie and let the ring finger dangle and do it’s thing.

If you want to try and plant both fingers here's a couple of suggestions by some that have accomplished doing it.

Take a rubber band and secure the ring and pinkie fingers together (loosely, so you don't interfere with circulation). Make sure that both fingers are touching the head rather than having one finger down and just attaching the other finger to it with the tape or rubber band.

Other people have used 2-faced tape on the banjo head and stuck both fingers on that and that helped.

It usually takes about 2 weeks in using one of these methods before you can practice without anything holding your fingers together.

Your speed will go down at first but if you persist it should work.

For me, I just plant my pinkie. It works for me!

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Tips on buying a beginner banjo

The first thing you must have in order to play the banjo is...a banjo! Most people start with some kind of budget. Banjos sell for anything from $100 to many, many thousands. There are no guarantees that you'll succeed in becoming the next Earl Scruggs so buying a $5000 banjo may not be the best choice. On the other hand who wants to play something that sounds bad and plays worse?

There are several things to look for in a student banjo. First it should play easily. The strings should be easy to push down, both right in front of the nut (the white piece at the top of the fingerboard that holds up the strings) and farther "up" the neck closer to the round part of the banjo. You don't want to have to slice your fingers like a piece of cheese in order to play a fretted note!

Secondly, the banjo should be easy to play with the right hand. You should be able to pick a string lightly near the bridge and hear a clear note. If you have to really pound on the strings with your right hand to hear anything that sounds remotely like a banjo you will quickly get frustrated. There's no point in trying to learn on an instrument that can't produce a pleasing sound and is painful to play at the same time.

Most student instruments today are quite adequate for starting out on. You should be able to hear a difference in sound as you progress as a student. Otherwise you won't have an incentive to continue.

The first thing to know is that most student instruments you'll see are made in Korea, China, or another country in Asia. This has been true for many years. In fact, many of these instruments are made in the same factory even though they have different brand names and have different finishes, inlays, etc.

Differences in sound or ease of playing will usually be caused by setup issues. The head may need tightening, the neck may need adjusting, etc.

Gold Tone makes some very good quality and good sounding beginner banjos. They also back up their work and stand behind their warranties.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie's Banjo.com

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Ask the Banjo Teacher - Cleaning your banjo

Cleaning your banjo by Wil Huckabay

First, lets talk about your fretboard.

Every time you change the strings, you should oil your fretboard with lemon oil...NOT lemon polish. Lemon polish, such as Pledge will gum up your wood with wax. The lemon oil should be wiped on with your fingers as you rub it into your board. This should be done about once a month. So just get in the habit of changing your strings once a month, taking them all off all at once so as to completely expose your board.

The dust and dirt in the cracks of your pot is a different issue. Probably about once a year to 18 months, depending on how much you play outside, you should completely bust your pot down and clean it. The dirt that accumulates in the cracks can severely hamper the vibrations that give your banjo its voice and volume. If continued to be ignored, you'll notice your banjo losing its punch and sustain. While this can be a bit scary to the player that has never dismantled their banjo, it really is no big deal.

If your banjo is nickel, I recommend a cleaner such as Silvermate to wipe the hardware down once you've taken it apart. If your banjo is gold, do not use an abrasive cleanser. You can use something like Windex and a soft cloth. Martin Guitar Polish is good to use on the resonator.

If you have a question for the banjo teacher about learning the banjo or about banjo setup please email those to angiesumpter@aol.com

Keep on Pickin'

Angie's Banjo.com

BanjoMD.com

Online Catalogue

What New!

Practice Tips

Slow it Down - This is virtually a cure-all for any problems arising during practice. You can work through almost anything if you slow down enough. Beginners may learn a piece in sections by practicing short phrases of 2 or 4 measures and then playing the sections in order after the piece has become easier.

Learn to sing the melody of any piece you practice. Musicians have a saying, "If you can't sing it, you don't know it." Singing is a powerful tool for developing the "musical ear." Practice a piece backwards. It will force you to learn it more thoroughly. Not note-by-note backwards, but learning it phrase by phrase backwards. That is, work up the last phrase until you have it in mind. Maybe not up to speed, but so that you're comfortable with it and have no doubt how it's played. Then work the next-to-last phrase, continuing through the last phrase. Then work the third-last-phrase, continuing through to the end. At any point, you'll have practiced what comes up later, so that there's no need to stop. Once learned, you will have learned everything as it flows, and you're not so likely to get to a "joint" where you can't remember what comes next.

Have a healthy, positive attitude. Rome wasn't built in a day. It takes years to master an instrument - you'll get there with practice and perseverance. Have patience in the short term, perseverance in the long term, and faith in yourself always.

Look at where you want your fingers to go next, not to where they currently are. For example, if you're playing a G chord at the 3rd through 5th fret and going to go to a G chord (D position) - don't look at your fingers (you already know where they are) but look at the frets of the new position, where they will be next. Then when you move your fingers who can see where they're going, not where they've been.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!

Building Speed on the Banjo

You've heard "you have to walk before you can run" - well that applies to learning the banjo as well. All beginners want to play fast and that's understandable. However, it's not what you should be working on. What you should be working on is timing, tone, technique -- after you get that down, speed will come.

If you try to play fast too soon, you'll end up being one of those sloppy banjo players that everyone avoids jammin' with. You'll also develop some bad habits that will be hard to overcome.
Metronomes, Drum Machine and Rhythm (Playalong) tracks will help you with your timing. Your tone and technique will be helped by playing along with a steady beat.

Keep on Pickin'

Angie

Online Catalogue

What's New!