This such a great lesson. Things I was missing now make sense. You did a great
job explaining and the tabs and tefs are great too. Thanks. Sharie
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Waypoints- Learning the Banjo Neck- G Chord
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if we get these waypoints memerized will we really be able to play like Russ ? Did he learn this from banjo Ben? Thats some awesome playing Russ
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No. No. Yes. 
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I wish it were that easy, What Ben teaches in the Waypoints lesson is just one small aspect of learning to play banjo. None the less a very Important lesson. It’s highly unlikely that you will play like Russ after working through this lesson. To the best of my knowledge Russ is not one of Ben’s students but they are friends and I guess they trade licks and ideas from time to time. Hope this goes some way to answer your questions.
Thanks Archie, appreciate the reply. Been playing for 5 years and reaching the disgusted stage phase. Have quit going to jams because i always failed and left mad. If it aint no fun why go. Not giving up on banjo, just jams. I average 20 to 30 hours per week practicing , but cant seem to get nowhere. Thanks Archie
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20-30 hours / week?! Holy cow! If you’re not getting anywhere with that kind of practice time, have you considered one on one lessons with a professional? I’d have to think that if you’re not improving with that much practice, you may be practicing something incorrectly.
You know what they say. It’s not “Practice makes perfect.” It’s “Perfect practice makes perfect.”
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May be getting ahead, but how is a good way to not loose your place with these waypoints when using a capo? For example, if you capo at 2nd fret, do you just have to know it all moves down two frets?
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I think biggest hurdle is self confidence. choking at jams!!! And maybe trying to learn to much at once. Have a professional teacher and Banjo Ben, Scruggs songs in book, Tom Adams,Scruggs licks and trying to learn breaks for different songs. Trying to learn it all. Not for sure what my problem is. Just getting at my whits end.
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Applying a capo makes no difference. The chord locations remain the same.
Yep, you get used to where these positions lie with the capo, and it takes practice playing there. Capo at 2nd, move down 2 is the right way to think about it.
I bet I can help you. I have had that choking problem, too. Perhaps you can start a new thread in the banjo category and I’ll elaborate there.
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I suppose if your working from multiple learning sources things can get a little overwhelming at times. Personally I work from multiple self teaching resources and have done so since day one. But I tend to work from between one and three projects at any given time. I work through the projects over the course of a week switching between each one to help me stay focused spending too much time on any one project can become frustrating. It’s also important to take rest days.
I think that would make an excellent topic @BanjoBen. I read so many thread over on the BHO where folks experienced this
Started a new thread. THANKS BEN
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I have been playing banjo for 7 years now and have had the same ups and downs you describe. I believe this “Waypoints” lesson has changed the way I play tremendously. I think a person should pay alot of attention to this lesson and the upcoming ones as I believe it will open up “freestyle” playing and get you to where your not just hoping for a clean break at jam sessions.
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Right there with you. I think what amazes me the most about this lesson is it’s simplicity. The waypoints are just the 1st and 2nd strings of the G chord in various positions up the neck. I didn’t even have my banjo in my lap the first time I watched the 1st video of this lesson, but I instantly knew what Ben was doing. For some reason, though, this lesson opened up those chord positions in a way that my brain wasn’t putting together. I play several songs that use the waypoints exactly as Ben teaches them, but they were never connected with their respective chords in my mind. Watching this lesson, I was like “DOH! How did I NOT know that?!”
One of my favorite experiences in life is the “AHA!” moment, that moment that takes all of the puzzle pieces scattered about and puts them together for you. Those moments are extremely rare, and this lesson is definitely one of them.
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Hi Ben. I have been tinkering with the scales and licks for some time. Allways got tired and started playing songs vs. Sticking with it. After a hard day at work i just wanted to play…now that you have spoon fed us this exercise it will help tremendously. Please keep feeding off of this lesson into deeper avenues and other keys!!!
Thanks
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That’s the plan, thanks!
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I’m working through the Practicing the G positions up the neck. I notice that when I get to the two highest G’s it sounds better if I fret the drone string. With the G position at fret 17 I can use middle finger to fret at 17 which as you all know is a G. Then at G position at fret 21 I can reach over with my thumb and fret the 17. Raising that G note seems to help the sound IMHO. I’ve known you can fret the drone string for a long time. Do it in little maggie.
What your thoughts? Seems easily legit but don’t want the head master to hit my hand with the ruler.
The traditional licks up there have an open 5th string. Yes, you can fret the 5th, and I do at times especially when playing backup licks. It does somewhat concern me that it sounds better to you, because that makes me wonder if something is up with your banjo’s intonation.