Man that’s some fine picking Russ does there. What’s blowing me away, though, is that for the first time in my life, I can watch what he’s doing on the neck and it makes sense! I can’t even begin to tell you how exciting that is for me. Before I watched this lesson, I would have thought “Man, it would take me forever to pick out all of those licks Russ is busting out” and that would have isolated my using them to this one song. Now, not only do I see the method to the madness, I see how I could use those in ANY song. I just have to figure out the extra notes he’s playing around the waypoints… and if I know @BanjoBen, I’m betting that’s going to be covered in a lesson in the very near future. 
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Waypoints- Learning the Banjo Neck- G Chord
3 Likes
Praise God almighty, this is what I was hoping to hear from y’all.
3 Likes
Ben,
This is a great lesson. I agree with the earlier posts, it helps tie in what you’ve taught us in earlier theory lessons. Please keep more coming!
2 Likes
Should we be memorizing the names of each note or does that matter?
2 Likes
Yes, there are only 3: G, B, and D. Be sure to download the diagram I have for you with the tabs. It has the note names.
3 Likes
Got it! Thanks Boss!
2 Likes
This is great stuff and provided a system to work out the fingering for all four fretted strings. I was able to use it to also develop positions for C and D up the neck. Now, comes the hard part–locking in the fingering and fret placement (the chords themselves bear an amazing resemblence to the key of G fingering in the first position!).
1 Like
You’re getting close!
1 Like
I too have only been playing six months. This lesson and the practice are like several songs I have been trying for the new year including “Country Road Take Me Home”. The song is this same movement capoed up. Thanks Ben. Now this is fun! 
1 Like
Wow, I wish I would have had this lesson about 6 years ago! Every time I ask some hotshot banjo player what he’s doing up the neck while playing backing up all I would ever get is “I dunno just G noise I guess”. Hopefully, I can learn to make some “G noise” myself now! ;>
1 Like
Really, like the old maps of the world when they thought it was flat, I always figured beyond the 12th fret there be dragons!
4 Likes
Ha! Yeah I used to just fall off the edge! @BanjoBen I can see what Russ is doing now as well. This isn’t truly a lesson that unlocks the fretboard to a whole bunch of stuff. I am so glad learning this early on.
2 Likes
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
3 Likes
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
1 Like
No. No. Yes. 
2 Likes
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
1 Like
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.”
1 Like
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?
1 Like