For the past 5 weeks I’ve been driving 215 miles every Thursday night to participate in a Pete Wernick Jam Class. Folks tell me the best way to get better is to play with other people. Well, here’s what I’ve learned so far:
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You can’t hear the music. It’s weird, but I really cannot hear all that is being played. It’s not like listening to the radio or a CD. You can hear a bit of yourself and a bit of the person next to you, but hearing everything is hard! However, it is very easy to hear when something is not right. A wrong chord, a missed chord change, a bit out of time. These things are very apparent.
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Timing is everything. When you screw up, keeping time allows the others to cover up your mistakes, but if you get out of time, everybody knows it’s you.
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It’s hard to sing & play at the same time. For me, it’s hard to sing, period. But you gotta push your ego aside and give it your best shot. It helps if you stop playing. And it helps if you can memorize the words.
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It’s extraordinarily fun, but only if you participate. Don’t be the guy who goes to the high school dance and hangs out by the wall, complaining that the band sucks. Ask a girl to dance and you’ll have a wonderful time. Chances are she dances just as well as you.
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Playing music with others is a whole lot different than noodling at home.
I haven’t gotten any better at playing the songs in the Beginners learning track, but I have gotten better at figuring out how the banjo works. And how a couple of those simple little backup licks can make a world of difference in a song!
No doubt I have a lot more to learn, and I kind of miss not focusing more on Ben’s lessons. I guess what I’m saying is the banjo is a lot of fun, and there are so many different ways you can enjoy playing it. Explore every one, every chance you get!