Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

I did an experiment tonight

#1

I’ve been thinking that one of the things you have to know to learn a song is what notes are coming up next. I usually familiarize myself with a song before learning it, but this time, I wanted to see what would happen if I really burned the song into my brain before sitting down to it. I listened to John Henry over and over while driving yesterday and today. Probably 2 hours total on repeat.

Tonight I sat down to the lesson at 9:30pm. By 10:15pm I was playing the entire first verse at 100% speed. Now, this could just be the ease of that part of the song. I’m going to tackle the second verse in the morning and see what happens. I’ll report back then.

Gonna let my brain simmer on what I just learned. Good night!

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#2

I think it is a good plan. I have to get the song in my head before I can do much with one. I also find that if I don’t, I am more inclined to “learn” something wrong and then have to unlearn it if I want to make it right.

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#3

I do this at about 50-70% speed…then the same again a statement at a time for learning it.
speeds things up for me.

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#4

I think that helps a lot, as if you get lost or make a mistake on learning a new tune, you can hear how it should be in your head and correct it faster. Otherwise you have to go back to the song, listen to it again and then correct.

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#5

Hi @Mark_Rocka I think John Henry is one of those tunes that come easy. When I started working on Ben’s arrangement everything just seemed to fall into place and building speed seemed to be so much easier on that lesson than it had on others I had worked on previously. For me it was a great confidence booster a turning point, I started listening more and it seemed my fingers just knew where and when to fret the strings. So I think there is a lot of merit in what your saying about submerging yourself in the tune…

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#6

Yes, I definitely don’t discount the possibility that it’s the song and not the method. This song does seem pretty student friendly.

I’m looking forward to trying out this listening method on more songs in the very near future. My goal is to learn 10 intermediate songs before camp.

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#7

Hi @Mark_Rocka that’s an ambitious goal. Good luck.

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#8

Thanks Archie! It’s roughly 1 song per week. Definitely a learning pace far beyond anything I’ve ever attempted, but then I’ve never felt the drive the camp is instilling in me, either. I figure I may as well use that energy. :slight_smile:

#9

Burning the song into your brain is so helpful, it makes it way easier to learn, and to play. Also listening to a song is what makes me want to learn it; I often decide to learn a song that’s been stuck in my head

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#10

Yeah, I agree guys. There are some songs that just come easy, perhaps because of their structure, lot’s of rolls, great beats, and real catchy tunes and they’re good solid bluegrass tunes that most players know.

I’ve just gone back recently and picked up these that I believe are in this category; Nine Pound Hammer, Fireball Mail, John Henry, John Hardy, Buffalo Gals, and Keep on the Sunny Side. I had these down at or near 100% speed within a day.

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#11

Great list, Maggie! Thanks!

#12

I like warming up on Fireball mail to get my fingers going. :wink:

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#13

Wow sounds like your getting ready to post that video @Maggie

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#14

You’re funny Archie, funny guy :slight_smile:

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#15

But does your fireball mail reach the fifteenth fret?

#16

Yep… Its not exactly how others play it up the neck, but to quote Frank Sinatra 'I did it (or do it) my way :grin:

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#17

Mark_Rocka is at a different plane now! Soon he will start to just play it, when you hand him the notes! I usually listen to the music a few times to get it into my head before I try it but then after seeing Mark’s suggestion on using TEF files, I started to go by the notes from practicing at a slow tempo. TEF seems to work good for me except for what finger to use then I will check Ben’s lessons.

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#18

LOL! I can’t wait for that day! :smiley:

Yeah, my new method is now going to be:

1 - listen to the song until it’s thoroughly burned into my brain
2 - Download the TEF file and learn 2 to 3 measures at a time
3 - slowly increase speed using the TEF
4 - Reference the videos for any questions
5 - Use the jam tracks once I can play the tune from memory

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#19

This is pretty much what I aim for, not necessarily in that order :thinking:

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#20

Great, I’m going to (try to) follow this too!

Hi Archie, how is it going?

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