Earl's Secret? -Play the Words- Bluegrass Banjo

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[@chrisktcpt1252]

“Makes you sound like a fantastic banjo player….because you are” The Bob Ross of banjo strikes again 😊

[@JimPankey]

Maybe Bob and I had the same thing for breakfast 🙂🤷🏻‍♂️

[@thefamily2707]

Jim you are my escape for whats going on in this crazy world, thank you for your time and kindness in teaching your craft. God bless you and yours 🙏🏻

[@JimPankey]

You are very welcome

[@jordanhughett9182]

Hey Jim, fellow banjo player here. I primarily play clawhammer but have used your videos to expand my repertoire into bluegrass style. I just wanted to say that Earl basically had the same interaction with his mom that you had with your dad. When he was developing the three-finger style as a youngster, he as throwing in fancy licks and "jazzing it up." His mom was listening, and she suggested "if you're going to pick, pick it where you can tell what the tune is." Thereafter he said that anytime he played somewhere, he tried to play it so that his mom would recognize it if she were in the audience. John Rice Irwin recorded that story from Earl in his book "A People and Their Music: The Story Behind the Story of Country Music."

[@rennyschweiger]

Great idea Jim. To often we forget about the listeners as we get wrapped up in our techniques. Please keep this up--the kind of content that makes us better musicians instead of just better banjo players.

[@JimPankey]

Glad I can help. Playing a song simply, but cleanly and cleverly is always fun for me.

[@conradbennett3251]

Jim, You've been teaching me for a year now, and ever video like this makes everything more clear. Kinda like saying the same thing several different ways until it clicks. I really appreciate what you do. Thankyou!

[@JimPankey]

Glad to help

[@Majorbanjo]

I heard Earl say that he played the words (melody)......he said that he was inspired by Pete Fountain on his clarinet and how he seemed to "play the words".....singing the words in my head was key to me being able to learn Sally Goodin with the right syncopation....

[@JimPankey]

Yup! For me, finding the most simple melody is key!

[@mitzioden4926]

Jim - this is how I've always played- by ear. I'm glad to hear you teaching this. Too many pickers play a flurry of notes to fill in the time without thought to the melody. Thank you!

[@JimPankey]

Glad you’re doing it!

[@sunshinejammer3547]

Omgoodness Jim! Makes perfect sense!

[@JimPankey]

Glad I could help!

[@ourmusicexperiment8678]

The title was all I needed for the reminder. Entirely relevant to what I'm working on atm. Watched the whole video anyway. Algorithmic ticklage worthy. 👍

[@JimPankey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stephaniesanders4768]

It's so encouraging when you say, You can do this. I know you mean it.

[@JimPankey]

You can! :)

[@Guitar8thg-man.kam_]

Love it Jim keep makin videos like this

[@JimPankey]

Thanks!

[@jeffwillis2760]

Thanks again Jim! Something so simple and makes so sense, but I never thought of.

[@JimPankey]

Glad to help

[@happycats685]

Awesome stuff! Thank you.

[@JimPankey]

My pleasure!

[@rebekkahzanotti277]

Awesome stuff Jim! Thank you for the reminder that it’s okay to try stuff and make mistakes because it’s part of learning and getting better :)

[@JimPankey]

I've always tried to explore all the possible mistakes. It's amazing what you can learn. :)

[@adamzocchi]

Fantastic advice, some of the best

[@JimPankey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jonmajarucon51]

Wow! Best advice I have ever heard!!!!😮

[@JimPankey]

Thanks

[@cal_laz]

Thanks for some new thoughts to apply to playing along to songs!! Good stuff right here.

[@JimPankey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@zz435089]

This idea works well and if you throw the words syllables in (words and syllables) then hang "instrumental signature licks" to the idea as a sentence it works for everything. Want to work out fiddle tunes in Scruggs style this concept works well. The melody should be recognizable but don't be a slave to every melody note.

[@scottluck2516]

I can't love this video enough! These are all the things I've been focusing on lately and second guessing myself in some of it (stopping the roll). Thanks for this Jim!

[@JimPankey]

You're so welcome!

[@rough_spirits]

Thanks for another helpful video!

[@JimPankey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@patrickar1491]

Pretty much the way i love to play. When i was growing up this is how I remember all the old guys at the flea market playing. That's why when people ask me what style Banjo do I play. Claw hammer or Scruggs. I reply "Flea market " 😆 🤣 😂

[@JimPankey]

A lot of good advice can be found at a flea market jam. :)

[@Blackhorseveteran]

New sub...was just watching one of your clawhammer beginner videos from 5 yrs ago, and I might just want to try banjo again...thanks

[@JimPankey]

You can do it! 😊

[@blocky27]

Thanks Jim, you know what I was a bit stuck and this was just what I needed to get moving. Thanks

[@JimPankey]

Glad I could help!

[@dennisestes1698]

Jim help me out a little! I know you done Life's Railway to Heaven please send me the link! This is the only song my mother ever requested and she is about to pass away and I want to give it to her one last time!

[@53sheep]

ay up jim love the content, you are an inspiration! cheers and hope you are getting better from your ops :)

[@JimPankey]

Thanks! Yup, doing fine and living life. 😃

[@tommaxwell429]

The concept of melody over chords or melody over arpeggios is not new. Typical piano scores are melody right hand and chord or arpeggiated chord in the left. But this video is a great reminder and serves as a perfect lesson into playing by ear, or at least listening to the the music for chords and intervals. Great encouragement and inspiration. Many of us are more technician than musician. We reduce music to tabs translated to mechanical movements and need to remember to feel the groove and flow of the music. Great video! Thanks!

[@JimPankey]

Glad it was helpful! Music is music... art, if you will, and it needs to be felt.

[@user-bh4vs8sg6t]

Love the way you teach god bless

[@JimPankey]

Thanks so much

[@BanjoDesert]

Thanks Jim. Getting the melody into the arrangement, along with other hook elements of a song is what Ive done on instinct, but never seen a ‘expert’ explain it as a valid strategy to before. I’ve found this can work really well on songs where there was no banjo. I was working out a way to play a Strokes song last night. Pretty sure it wasn’t written with banjo in mind, but it seems to work surprisingly well, and incorporates the vocal lines. (conveniently recorded by the Strokes in the key of G!). Thanks again Jim. Love your work.

[@JimPankey]

Earl utilized the idea quite often. His American Made World Played album is a great example.

[@chrisktcpt1252]

Which Strokes tune?

[@BanjoDesert]

Barely Legal

[@thomasmarwedel3427]

Thank you dear Jim for your encouraging words 🙏. I bought me a Banjo a few weeks ago. I am an absolute beginner 🙈. I play the guitar, but it's completely different with a banjo. Greetings 🙏.

[@JimPankey]

You can do it!

[@Trapper4265]

I studied with Gilbert Nelson down in Boiling Springs, SC, for three months, and we were just getting to this step in my banjo journey. I've since moved to Boston, and I haven't found a banjo teacher to continue with. I was really making progress. It's nice to hear that Gilbert had me on the right path.

[@JimPankey]

It’s something you can figure out with a little effort. You’ve got this!

[@JosephMonkofsky]

I found this video very helpful. I put my new learnings into action tonight, and feel like I made a new breakthrough in my banjo journey. (For context- I'm only about a month into learning banjo, but with 30+ years guitar experience- it's like learning a new language!)

[@JimPankey]

Glad it helped!

[@jojoberrypie6580]

Good stuff.

[@JimPankey]

Thanks!

[@davidlee-vm9ub]

LOL! Your story about your dad sounds about like the story Earl told about his mom when he was a kid!

[@JimPankey]

Yup! Good to have that sorta influence!

[@thefarmer013]

Your right… I can do this 😊thanks Jim

[@JimPankey]

Excellent!

[@CultureCrusader]

Reminds me of a tv show I saw long ago, where this guy on piano was being assesed by Quincy Jones. The guy shredded the piano, I mean shock and awe virtuoso playing, but it wasn't really a song. But the guy thought he really did something, and the audience loved it. Z Then the master, Quincy Jones asked what the melody was. He said if you can't whistle or hum it's melody in the car driving home, then what do you have? The piano player looked deject ed, but he also looked like he understood the point. No matter what the genre, if you can sing, Hum, or whistle the melody line, you have noise.

[@JimPankey]

Totally. Gotta be able to hear the melody!

[@nathancrowe6522]

I got a banjo earlier this year after watching some videos im working on the beginner lesson all taught from your videos working on cripple creek i have days where im feeling i have it some others feel like step back the pull off is giving me some trouble. Im trying to learn Amazing Grace while doing your beginner lesson My goal is to one day learn your Just over in the Glory land and a version of Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. Most of all I would like to say thank you for staring my journey and well honestly so far teaching me all i know so far

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for letting me be a part of your banjo journey!

[@JCLunda]

I think you're on to something. I often wondered how that could be done mostly wish Gospel music. I don't play, I merely enjoy the talent of others. Thank you.

[@JimPankey]

It’s how I approach everything - gospel included.

[@n2banjos]

My start without a lot of bluegrass musician support, I'd play variations of chords, which did not follow much melody. Following the melody definitely helps. The other hurdle I had, as I suspect others have, early on I was not a singer, so finding the melody was tough.

[@JimPankey]

Singing is yet another skill we learn. ☺️

[@angelak634]

This is exactly what we are working on here in our beginner jams. I’m struggling with when a song is called in different keys

[@JimPankey]

I've covered a little bit of key changes in my live streams. I probably need to revisit that...

[@angelak634]

@@JimPankey Yes converted from G to A on the capo is obviously really easy to do. I just lack him information lol

[@rickc6726]

Hi Jim, how important is it to know the individual string notes on the banjo? Love your vlogs, keep up the great wirk! 👍 🪕😁

[@JimPankey]

There’s some importance, but you’ll learn as you go and that’ll help you retain the info. If you start out trying to memorize it all it can get mighty confusing.

[@user-bh4vs8sg6t]

Jim will you do some back up lessons your a fantastic teacher

[@JimPankey]

You mean like my backup series? Beginning Backup Bluegrass Banjo kzbin.info/aero/PLimF2H1ED8fWwVKBbuKhbvEd0IlQ3Z3G7

[@modelcitizen1155]

"It's never wrong to play the melody." That's going to stick with me. Thanks.

[@JimPankey]

Thanks ☺️

[@wizard5201]

Thank you, it does make sense, but curious to see the shirt your wearing.

[@JimPankey]

www.theacousticshoppe.com/shop/Accessories/Shoppe-Merchandise--Apparel/Shoppe-Apparel/p/The-Acoustic-Shoppe-Banjo-Shred-Design-T-Shirt-x65389943.htm

[@wizard5201]

Thankyou, Jim

[@familyonamissiongo4790]

A couple months ago I was practicing rolls and heard the opening to star spangled banner I have about 8 more cords to memorize Each cord is a syllable in the version I’m learning It is all Jim’s fault

[@JimPankey]

I’ll take the blame… lol 😂

[@timkrebs2148]

What is a black flat thing on the head of your banjo

[@JimPankey]

It’s where I’ve worn the coating off the head.

[@tinamoore338]

I need help my banjo is resonating to much and i dont know how to fix it.its hard to tune i cant play it.

[@JimPankey]

Without actually hearing it I can’t really diagnose the problem. I do have some basic setup videos that might help you track down your issue. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqKuf5hjfsqNg6Msi=KdpIeikyRljDKF1j

[@Guitar8thg-man.kam_]

Do you have a guitar that is like good but you don’t want

[@Guitar8thg-man.kam_]

Because I need a new accoustic guitar mine got broke on accident

[@JimPankey]

Can it be repaired?

[@Guitar8thg-man.kam_]

No sir I’m it is pretty much In half right now

[@Guitar8thg-man.kam_]

It was a cheap one that I got off of Amazon for 50$ so it won’t be good to repair sir

[@budmoore8144]

this is what i need to understand better

[@JimPankey]

You can do it!

[@skyperoni4530]

I've been watching your videos for a while now and today I just upgraded and bought a banjo with a resonator! Super excited to keep learning

[@JimPankey]

New banjo day! Woohoo!

[@susanmiller9596]

I love how u 'splane the lessons. ❤️🪕

[@JimPankey]

Thanks 😊

[@donaldfair4259]

This method makes lots of common sense ! As always Thanks a lot for everything that you do . 👏🪕

[@JimPankey]

My pleasure!