Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

The Spiral Discussion. STATUS: Attention Homeschooled - A poll/survey for you!

I feel like in bluegrass you kinda hit a point where you’re really good, but to take that next level you gotta really work for years. I think we’re all kinda at that point.

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That literally is an aspect of playing skill :joy:

Mason: I mean just how well you can drive, not how well you can drive in traffic… same thing…

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That is totally different and you know it.

So Earl Scruggs was stuck at the same level? None of us have caught up to Earl in the few years we’ve been playing. Definitely not as experienced as him at least

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Tell me a song or a technique Earl used that you couldn’t use or learn. I can’t think of any.

I’m not always right. I have so much to learn. It’s ridiculous how much I have yet to attain to… yet that’s the fun of it. And that’s why I take lessons with a good teacher who knows more than me. Because I want my opinions to be formed by someone who truly has knowledge. I wouldn’t take lessons if I thought I was so good. I sincerely don’t. I recommend that others take a similar path, because I know how helpful it is to have a truly great player to keep me inspired, challenged, and humble about who I really am!

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I never play near as clean with so little mistakes. All the classic up the neck licks for backup and soloing are way harder than they sound.

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Earl was the pioneer of bluegrass banjo which makes him the greatest, but as far as the technical skill it takes to play his stuff it’s really not THAT hard.

I’m not one to say Earl is the best because I think some modern players are just as good and some are better. But I also don’t think that because we can play some of the songs Earl wrote, we are as good as him.

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Get out the Earl Scruggs and the five string banjo book and try to play one of those songs note for note correctly from the TAB. It is THAT hard. Believe me!

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As far as his backup choices and stuff like that, I’m nowhere near that level. So in that sense, he was way better than I am. I’m just talking about the technical skill of playing the notes.

Oh yeah, Bela Fleck and Noam Pikelny are at least 10x better, as far as technical skill goes.

You’re very, very good. I’ve heard you play banjo and dobro. I don’t see any way that you couldn’t do it, or would find it super hard😂

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I’m not very good :joy: but thanks. I’m still learning, as we all are. I can play a bunch of Scruggs tunes by ear too- and it’s fun. But to do it correctly is different. And I’d never say I can play everything he could. He did a lot of creative stuff that I haven’t even noticed yet. And he invented the style!

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Well yeah, everyone is still learning. Doesn’t mean you aren’t good though.

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And I’ll just say that if Blue Chips make a difference to you, it’s not my place to say they don’t. It’s your money, your instrument, your life, and if you like them that’s your choice haha. My main problem is that everyone tells me what a difference it’ll make for me when I know, based on all my life experiences up to this point, it’s not gonna be worth it for me. But if it’s worth it to you, that’s fine. Sorry if I sounded rude or like a know it all (which I’m sure I did😂) I just know that for me, just me personally, it wouldn’t be worth it.

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Jesse Brock doesn’t use a Bluechip and neither does Alan Bibey and none of us are that good!

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And I’m not just trying to argue when we’re supposed to be learning. This forum is literally for discussion, so I see nothing wrong with discussing opinions on picks. Everyone gives opinions. Mine just tend to be different than most other people with stuff like that so it bothers everyone. But having discussions/debates is literally what this forum is for. I just know Luke said that everyone is tired of me starting arguments when we’re supposed to be learning. A lot of times I don’t start the argument and this place is for discussion. Just wanted to throw that out there.

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To a certain extent. But since Banjo Ben sells and endorses BlueChips and everyone here is a loyal follower/student of his, I don’t know that I’d personally post a video on his website saying why they aren’t worth the price; and then state that everyone who likes them is just mindlessly agreeing with the crowd.

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