I thought that (for once!) I’d be a good student and work methodically through the curriculum. I’ve gotten to Worried Man Blues, where I can go say 85 bpm with 90% accuracy. But I feel like I could spend weeks more to get it 100% at 100 bpm. On one hand, I feel like the roll fundamentals in learning the banjo are super important. On the other, there’s only so much Worried Man Blues I can take! Thoughts?
Moving through the banjo learning tracks -- when to move forward?
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Move on to another lesson, and come back to Worried Man Blues when you feel the need to revisit. There comes a time when the brain needs to process what you have learned you have reached that point now. Time to work on something new.
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Yes, like @Archie says, once you understand the concept and can physically perform it (even if slow), feel free to push ahead. When you have questions, ask!
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As a Beginner, here’s my 'expert advice."
First, do what Ben & Archie say.
Second, try a “rolling practice.” Start with any finger warm-up you like. Once they are loose, try this -
a) 5-10 minutes of review. Here’s where you might pick “Worried Man Blues.” It’s enough time to refresh your memory of how to play it, gives you a chance to work on a measure that’s been giving you trouble and shows that you’ve made some progress!
b) 5-10 minutes for the “New” stuff. This is where you move forward. You might simply watch Ben’s next video & get familiar with the lesson. Or you might jump right in, stretch your fingers & swear you’ll never be able to make this chord shape. Then do something else.
c) 5-10 minutes of an old favorite, like “Boil Them Cabbage.” It should be something very comfortable for you to play. Remember when you could not play it? Now you can, so don’t be discouraged by the “New” stuff.
d) 5-10 minutes of “Worried Man Blues.” This is called “practice.” Chances are you will be able to play it a tiny bit better than last time.
e) Repeat part b.
f) 5-10 minutes - Noodle around, play it loud & play it proud! It’s time to have some fun!
So there’s a practice routine that runs from 30 to 60 minutes, minimizes frustration and ends on a happy note.
And that’s my 2 cents worth of expert advice from a Beginner.
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