Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Discuss the Banjo lesson: 6th Interval Backup– G, C, & D Chords

#10

economy of motion
comfort
speed

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#11

I concur with what @fiddle_wood said and would add it increases your knowledge of the finger board.

#12

So cool! Now I can start learning the blues on banjo! If I ever find the time :roll_eyes:

#13

Ben, so I’ve been working on this for a bit now and it just isn’t sounding right to me. I practiced with a metronome to try to get the triplet timing down, but it still doesn’t sound quite right. On my resonator banjo it sounds a little better than on my open back, but I still think I’m doing something wrong. Anyway, sorry for the sound on this video, it was hard to find the balance to hear the song’s rhythm but still hear my backup.

#14

Hey @ambergkeith!

You’re playing those notes as eighth notes instead of triplets, which is why it’s not sounding right. That tempo is too fast to play what you’re wanting to hear. I guess you could play eighth triplets, but it would be super fast!

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#15

Thanks Ben. Any suggestions on songs to try this back up with?

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#16

Amazing Grace comes to mind as a good one.

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#17

Here is a video I recorded back in 2014 - I play triplets starting around the 1.16.

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#18

So, since that’s a waltz time the triplets will kind of bleed over into the next measure, right? So I’ll end up doing three triplets in two measures or that song, correct?

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#19

@Archie thanks! That was very nice and helpful.

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#20

No, you’ll do a set of triplets for every beat in the measure. You’ll play 9 notes per measure.

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#21

But I thought triplets was putting 3 notes in two beats of time.

#22

Hi Keith, The arrangement I played is in 3/4 Waltz Time but I have come across other arrangements which are in 4/4 time. In 4/4 timing you have four quarter notes. So if you subdivide these into triplets you get 12 notes. No measure overlap.

I seem to recall spending a lot of time learning triplets. Lead with the thumb on the first triplet, then lead with the middle, then back to the thumb etc… Emphasising the down beat. If that makes sense.

#24

So does this sound better?

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#25

It is putting 3 notes where 2 of those particular notes usually fall. If you’re talking quarter notes, then quarter note triplets would place 3 quarter notes where 2 quarter notes (or beats) would be. But most every time we play the backup lick you’re playing, they’re played as eighth note triplets. There are 6 eighth notes in a 3 beat measure. If you filled that measure with eighth note triplets, you’d play 9 notes. That make sense? If not I’ll make a video. This will help you understand: https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/banjo-timing-study-banjo-beginner

#26

Yessir, that’s it!

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#27

OK, thanks alot Ben. Yes, that makes sense. I was misinterpreting the 3 in 2 type of thing.

#28

Yes, Much better. After a while you’ll begin to feel the groove.

This is how I learned to play triplets. In this instance Murphy is playing with the thumb and pinching the 1 & 2 strings with the middle and first finger which gives it that much fuller sound. In @BanjoBen 's lesson there is no pinch. Forget what I said about 12 notes and follow Ben’s advice. He knows what he’s talking about, I only think I do. nod-and-a-wink

What I encourage you to do is to LISTEN a lot to the sound of the triplet. When it clicks into place it’s like adding the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle.

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#29

When you’ve nailed the triplet Keith. I mean really NAILED IT! Go check out this Advanced Masterclass Lesson with Jens Kruger It will really blow your mind.

#30

Here is a lovely slow arrangement to practice with. This arrangement is in the Key of E so you’ll need to figure out the chords. E A B C#m