Adult Beginner Banjo Student 1 Year Progress - Cripple Creek

My name is Mark. I am an adult beginner banjo player with no prior experience with music. I'd like to thank my instructor, Mike Leatherman, by making this promotional video for his website.
My instructor:
Mike Leatherman
www.morganhill...
Thanks for all the progress you helped me achieve this past year, Mike. I can't wait to see what you will help me achieve in the years to come.

[@summerwindcharters1326]

Good job! Practice does make perfect. 👍

[@BanjoAddict]

Excellent! Great job! keep on picking!

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

Thanks! At this point, I don't think I can stop picking.

[@CouchAlien]

Nice !! Keep it up. This is grest inspiration!!

[@PhotographyCol]

I am at the ten minute stage of learning cripple creek. Looking forward to my future self playing it well. It may take a year or two, but I’ll get there. Thanks for posting 😊

[@stvnnmnn]

Sounding great, starting to get that bounce a bit!

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

Thanks, what is this "bounce"? I've heard Eddie Collins mention the "banjo bounce" on one of his videos. What is it?

[@davidcoleman6211]

Thanks for the update. Your picking and confidence are improving fast.

[@cujo5858]

Good job to both of you's 👏

[@notjustanybeth]

I knew that smile was coming. 😊

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

I couldn't help it.

[@jamesdodding4513]

Great Job.

[@sidequestsally]

It is my humble opinion, banjo sounds best performed on the porch

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

Agreed!

[@hujhass]

Great work!

[@timmillikan1155]

Awesome work Mark

[@EricBarloewen]

Tox Legend!

[@BidenSays-sx9ng]

Even your one month playin is freaking crazy good for the amount of time you spent, apparently you have a really great teacher! Great video! Keep on picking! EDIT: also, you're so lucky to be able to jam with such a beautiful view! I bet it's easy to spend too much time out on that deck!

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

Thanks! Mike is a great instructor.

[@magnusbruce4051]

That's really great to see the progress. I'm impressed that you're doing so well having had no prior musical experience. I think as an adult, I would lack the patience to push through the basics of something totally new like you have. When I first picked up an instrument seriously (acoustic guitar, slightly less than 25 years ago, although I'm not sure exactly), I had boundless enthusiasm at this new "thing" and I worked at it all the way through my teenage years. Now in my thirties, I don't think I would have the temperament or the time to relearn everything all over again. I've sometimes tries to learn tin whistle but I can't quite get over the idea that 'adding fingers' makes the pitch go down, rather than up like it does on stringed instruments, or the right hand of a piano/keyboard.

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

That's really interesting. I hold the opposite opinion. I don't think I would have had the patience as a younger kid. I'm close to 50, no kids in the house, and work a 9 to 5. All I'm doing is replacing about an hour of TV-watching or videogaming each evening with banjo practice (and a lesson from my instructor once a week). I didn't have any grand aspirations when I started, I didn't even know how to tune the damn thing...in fact, I'd never listened to bluegrass music or any music with banjo in it before my wife got me the banjo for Christmas at the end of 2023. I always thought people who knew how to play an instrument were gifted in some way. After editing the video together, I was just as shocked as you are at my progress, like I can't believe that's me! BTW, I am now listening to bluegrassy-type music, and I kinda love it.

[@magnusbruce4051]

@@2000HoursofBanjo I have the time (also work a 9-5 and no kids), but it's the temperament for me. I think I've got too used to being "good" at everything that I do that it's frustrating to not be any good at something new. I'm finally learning to drive at the moment and I'm still struggling with getting into the correct gear without wobbling all over the road and lifting the clutch while dropping the handbrake and stuff like that which most drivers can do in their sleep. It's frustrating that I can't just get into a car and instantly be able to drive, even though I know it's completely normal to not be any good at it for a while!

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

@@magnusbruce4051 I have mentally embraced my newb-ness to music. Doing so allows me to make mistakes without disappointment or frustration...because newbs make mistakes, and I'm a newb, so I can get away with it. If I had 20 years of banjo experience and was making the same mistakes as I make today, I would be less forgiving on myself. Good for you for learning how to drive, on a manual transmission no less! People who can drive a stick shift are a dying breed. Keep at it!

[@magnusbruce4051]

@@2000HoursofBanjo That's definitely the right attitude to have, and yeah, in twenty years time if you're making the same mistakes then you can be hard on yourself! Here in the UK, most cars are manual, although automatics and electrics are getting a lot more popular. I could learn to drive automatic but then my licence would only allow me to drive automatics once I pass, but passing in a manual means I can drive either. I bought a car to learn in, which is manual and I don't see why I wouldn't continue to use it after I pass! I'm going out most days with my dad in the passenger seat. Where I live is sort of semi-rural so there are narrow country lanes, and small villages, but also main roads, so there is at least a lot of different types of roads to practice in.

[@PhotographyCol]

At 58, I am as keen to learn the banjo as much as 15 year old me was to learn guitar 😊

[@jaylindly2329]

Nice work! I would cut it down and remake it as a reel.

[@tripslaughter5101]

I am at less than one month, how many hours a week or day do you practice?

[@2000HoursofBanjo]

I started out with 1 hour a day. I’m a few months into year number two and have increased practice to 1.5 hours a day.