My Banjo Obstacle

[BanJoe]

Like many, I was drawn to the banjo by “that sound.” As I started with the banjo, the only sound I knew was Scruggs-style bluegrass. I had heard some of that weird stuff from the Flecktones, but they didn’t have “that sound.”

Here we are, three years down the road. In that time I have discovered so many more ways in which my banjo can make “that sound.” And I’ve started making that sound in the melodic style, and the clawhammer style, in different tunings, at different places on the neck.

Jack of all trades, master of none.
I haven’t learned a song in 8 months. Instead of being like a rifle zeroed in on the target, I’m using the scattergun method of taking a shot at everything.

And I’m having a ball. I may not be making forward progress, but I am getting a wide education. And my technique is very gradually becoming cleaner & more precise.

I may not be learning new songs, but I am learning how to better fake them.

[JohnM]

My approach and progress in guitar is also somewhat similar.

[Shad]

I hear ya! Every time I sit down to practice banjo, I feel like there’s a million different things I could be working on. There’s a tension between playing what sounds fun at the moment vs trying to learn something new which can feel like work! Should I work on back up? Should I watch a new lesson? Should I try to learn a break to that new song I heard?

For me, I’ve decided my goal is to be able to play the material that comes up at the local jams. I took all the stuff I’ve worked on and categorized it by how ready I am to play it at a jam. I have a bunch of songs in my head where if I would just iron out one or two little sticking points, I would be able to play it from memory and move it from the “Almost” column to the “Know Em” column. That’s what I’m trying to focus on, but sometimes it feels too much like work!

[Grinnin]

Great list!!! I would like to see “Little Maggie” and “Sally Goodin” on there.