So many helpful things! So far @BanjoBen 's beginner track has been awesome. I have been practicing slowly with the metronome and making progress. I am only at about 90 beats per minute at the moment where I can go without mistakes. Hard to imagine getting up to speed! Especially as I have struggled with speed with every other instrument I’ve played (piano, bassoon, brass). I also tried singing the melody along with the rolls and everything fell apart . I assume that kind of thing will get better with practice and time.
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Banjo Forward Roll Study
Thanks for the video! I’ve only been a Gold Pick member for a week, but I love how many places on the site you emphasize all the ways to trick the brain into building new connections. That type of practice resonates with me and I will try out the things you mentioned!
Hi Sarah , Don’t worry about speed, that comes with experience. Better to play slow and accurate.
Hi Ben
I don’t know much about Banjos.
I signed up to look at your Guitar Lesson of Beaumont Rag.
In Beaumont Rag you explain some Rolls, looking further I came across your Roll Studies.
I’ve watched the Banjo Roll Studies several times now, you make them so interesting
and sound amazing too !!
Although in the Series you explain them on a 5 String Banjo could all of them be played on a 6 String Acoustic Guitar, or is it really a Banjo technique. If they can, how do you include the Guitar 6th string in the Rolls ?
Great question, and thanks for the kind words! The right hand mechanics would be the same, I reckon, but the tuning difference is gonna eventually be a problem, depending on how far you try to take it. But yes, lots of guitar players use those same roll fundamentals and techniques on guitar!
Hi BanjoBen
Thanks for pointing out the issues to consider with the rolls when going from banjo to guitar.
As obvious as it might sound, I hadn’t considered the tuning !
I suppose then if it’s practical, sounds good, it’s good to go.
HI,
any reference how to play Auld Lang Syne for banjo? What is the expected skill level to play this beautiful song?
Skill level required for any song is almost always based on the arrangent. For example, in Ben’s Build-a-Break lessons, there are three skill levels for one song (one for each solo). Picking out the basic melody for Auld Lang Syne is a great start to get a feel for the song- then, try mixing in your favorite rolls and some pinches.
Ben doesn’t have a lesson for Auld Lang Syne, but the song is in the public domain, so he could do one sometime.
Hi @santvill being a Scot and one that loves the banjo you would think it would be on my play list. Alas this is a tune I have never sat down to learn. The Late Bill Keith was probably the first to play Auld Lang Syne on the banjo and many others have followed his example.
In this recording Bill uses D tuners and he was an expert when it came to D tuners since he designed and patented his own and being Bill had four installed on his banjo.
Here is a fairly simple TAB by Jay Fleming no D Tuners required for this arrangement.
Auld Lang Syne 2020.tef (4.6 KB)
I like this video showing Bill in action with the tuners. Tuner action starts about 0:52.
Thanks for your answer. I need some kind of application to open the file ??. I cannot do it.
I get it. Many thanks. stage.
stage no; Stgo = my name; (this computer writes without permission…)
So I used the tef file and the tabledit for the first time and I must say my time was really off, here I thought I was getting the hang of things. Haha. But after some time I was eventually able to keep up on the lowest setting. But it’s a start and the tool really helped. Playing without the tef file playing it seemed like the pause was a lot less. Looking forward to speeding up. Thanks for putting that on the lesson.
Hi Richard, Glad you found the groove. If my memory serves me that TEF file won’t have any clicks to help you find the timing It would have been one of the first lessons @BanjoBen taught and back then he wasn’t using clicks. If that is the case set the TablEdit to REPEAT you will find this under the MIDI menu. Allow the TAB to play through a few times so you get a feel for the rhythm you should be able to find the groove much easier once you’ve listened to the TAB play several times through.
Below REPEAT you’ll find the Relative Speed control, adjust it up or down by 5 increment’s till you find a speed that’s comfortable to practice. Once you feel comfortable post a video and give Ben an opportunity to check your progress and offer some guidance moving forward Good Luck
What Archie said, but I’ll add, if you want a click: Under the MIDI menu, select Metronome.
You’ve got me beat by a year!
You’ve got me puzzled
Hi , There long time ago I know just a personal thing I did have to take about 3 weeks out completely from the guitar or left hand to be precise as I had irritated but it felt a whole lot worse than irritated my ulnar Nerve through RSI of holding my elbow in the same position for hours on end. With the guitar just used different open Tunings and practised Right Hand Techniques for a while! But admit I worried !
Take care now!