I was just wondering if there will be a place or someone at the camp where I could get my banjo set since I will be coming from Oregon to Texas?
Texas Banjo Cabin Camp: October 2026!
“Set” as in a set up? Or did you mean sent? @Ben can correct me if I’m wrong, but I think there has been a camper or two send their banjos to his farm ahead of time.
If you fly Southwest, they’re really good about letting you take instruments as carry ons. I’ve never had them make me check my banjo.
I meant set up and I’m going to be flying on Alaska but I think I can take my banjo on as a carry on.
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We can do some basic things like bridge placement and head tension, sure. If you haven’t already, make sure and watch this course: https://banjobenclark.com/courses/banjo-setup-with-steve-huber
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I just got myself a smith bridge and man my banjo sounds a lot better with a premium bridge😊
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I’m getting discouraged with my banjo playing and I try scales and fingering you name it and I don’t feel like I’m improving much. What do you all do at times like this when you feel like your stuck and what motivates you.
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This is why it’s important to start a video log (a vlog) of your playing. Most of the time, if you’re practicing regularly, you won’t feel like you’re progressing, but if you watch older videos, you’ll realize just how far you’ve come.
It needs to be fun, though. Not to toot my own horn, but if you haven’t already, go play with JamTrainer.com/app and see if it makes playing enjoyable for you. There’s something about playing with a track, or even better, other players, that makes it way more fun.
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Thanks Mark I will try that I know I’m progressing I just don’t get a lot of time to practice since I work from 2:15 pm to 12:45 am and I don’t want to wake those who are sleeping when I get home. I will try that jam trainer app though and thanks for your advise.
When I first started playing banjo years ago, I worked a swing shift. I would get home around 1:00 am, and the family were all asleep. I would pop a beer and practice my banjo with a mute and no finger picks for a few to unwind.
It can be tough to get past the many plateaus you encounter playing banjo or any instrument. I agree with Mark. Video yourself a lot. It helps you to spot mistakes you didn’t know you were making. Post videos to get feedback. Mark recently helped me with a hand placement problem I didn’t even know I had until I posted a video. Try learning something new, just for fun. No stress, like a pop song, blues or ragtime tune to keep it interesting. Don’t beat yourself up and keep pushing forward. I also think it’s good sometimes to just noodle on the banjo and come up with your own ideas. Finally, sometimes, you need to just put it down for a few days and clear your head. You might be surprised when you come back after a few days off and everything clicks a little better.
Anyway these are things that help me when I get frustrated.
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You know I will do both video myself playing and get jam tracker since I have only been playing the banjo for 3 months those are some good tips and it encourages me to do better. I hope to meet you at the banjo camp in October I most definitely will be there. Have a great evening.
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I agree with Chuck that a mute is the way to go.
Ben sells a couple of mutes that do a pretty good job.
If you’re needing the absolute quietest you can get, a Mike’s Mute is the way to go. I use one of these when the house is asleep. No one hears a thing.
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Are there any other beginner banjo players that are excited/terrified of cabin camp?! I have been playing for about a year now and practicing religiously, but there seems to be a completely separate world that I am living in from what I see on these videos. Even the pickalong videos seem far beyond where I am. 200BPM is in the same category of unicorns and bigfoot for me. My working theory is to jump into the deep end of the pool and hope I can learn to swim. Here’s hoping there will be a couple very patient musical lifeguards to throw me a line when my face slips beneath the waters. Yeehaw and gig /em.
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Approximately 93% of all first time Cabin Campers feel exactly this way. At the end of the weekend, approximately 0% leave camp feeling the same way. You’re gonna love it. Will feel like home and you’ll be thanking yourself for taking the plunge. Mark my words.
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