Frailing Banjo: My Beginner's Rut

[@fredprause8222]

Hi Steve, I am much more of a beginner but I agree. I have found it to be much more fun to check out all the different styles. You can learn something from all of them.Then develop your own style. What's easy one person can be really hard for another. I'm 72 so it's all about fun. Keep up the good work. Love your videos.

[@CharlotteRyerson]

Thank you so much for these videos! You break it down and teach so well. Much appreciated!

[@spiritwoodlive5597]

Thanks for sharing your experience!!! Much appreciated Steve!

[@leighcecil3322]

I think your right... everyone has different hands..... you find your own style... using basics.. long as you keep the beat.& Make it interesting.. for yourself & others.. have fun..😁.

[@christopherveevers5564]

your view was very helpful,gust started learning frailing, understanding what ruts are like

[@stephenphillips2630]

I don’t own a banjo at the moment but saw your videos and liked what I saw. Excellent tuitions. Just got to persuade my wife to part with the cash. !!

[@don4279]

Plateaus become comfortable, thereby stunting Progress. It takes discipline and motivation to know when to move off the Plateaus and grow. Love your teaching style and your banjo talent!

[@clivehaytack1025]

Came by this searching for something else.....am already hooked !!!

[@rogerbeaird3320]

Great insights i just inherited my dads fender Banjo its intimidating😮

[@mikeclarke9281]

Another great post, please keep them coming. Thanks

[@riteshshukla2583]

Excellent summary! Thank you for treating your audience as grown ups and going over a wide range of content

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

Ritesh Shukla thanks for watching while I ramble on and think out loud. These videos help me get better, too! 😊

[@nathanstack5158]

Really appreciate your posts/videos! This one is great and speaks to where my banjo playing is now. Thanks, keep 'em coming! Always curious about Roundpeak and the pull-off is a wonderful beginning. I'd really like to get a handle on alternate tunings someday but it really confuses me. Thanks for all you are doing!

[@johnnybx3254]

Great lesson! I’m still beginner! So much fun! Thanks

[@waynedyer2768]

Wow Steve, one of the best banjo lessons ever!

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful

[@PHIL-ts8si]

Hey steve, been playing for about a month. This was inspiring.

[@debwoller8899]

Thanks for the great discussion! What's nice is you are answering my questions that I didn't have anyone to ask!

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

Deb Koenig glad to help!

[@lindawilding5516]

Great thoughtful video, I’m a beginner and your videos are helping me grow I’m just at the dynamics stage and still working on the frailing strum to solidify my technique. Just an observation as a guitar player i question whats different between both instruments rythmn wise and i think although Banjo is melodic the actual strum/frailing technique isn’t quite as melodic on its own as guitar and thats why adding dynamics is important. However, when it comes to singing with Banjo adding in drop thumb etc becomes, you use the expression disruptive and you can only slip it in at a appropriate time, end of line or break in a song. Im more interested in singing with it than learning fiddle tunes which can all begin to sound the same, although learning a few gives you technique. Question! when you sing do you in the main just frail with the occasional drop thumb/dynamics as and when. The great thing about the Banjo for me is ive learnt to noodle and explore, your videos have helped no end thank you. I hope you continue to progress with your convalescence and that you are well. Linda

[@boredwarlock5216]

THIS VIDEO BLEW MY FUCKING MIND

[@AcidTechnoMan5000]

What are the dots on the head? Pickup?

[@charliedurham1954]

Very interesting and informative. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!

[@bici154]

THANKS

[@19stoney64]

I'm at a plateau after 5 songs. Ha! I know we all need to find our own style. I need body. I feel like I play melody notes and it doesn't sound as full. I can pick your style out of 100 with my eyes closed. This was informative, thanks! I've been practicing the drop thumb also. I can see benefit of tab because you can't remember every song you learn but also have heard players say you can get stuck in tab and not explore.

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

I tend to learn in waves. It seems I hit my banjo peak towards the end of each summer. Probably explains why I haven't made as much progress in the last 8 years as I should have. It's great to learn along with this great online community though

[@democracydignityhumanrights]

19stoney64 use songs for learning and improvisation for exploring.

[@robertjohnson5795]

Hey Steve. I don't even own a banjo but I feel like a kind of know how to play one now after watching some of your great videos. I need a banjo and the Pisgah is pretty expensive. Was wondering what banjo you have there. It sounds good enough for me and probably a lot cheaper. Thanks.

[@nathanstack5158]

Try a Madison by Recording King. an excellent open back beginner with a low action, bright sound, geared tuners and all the essentials. I have a couple of more expensive banjos but still turn to my Madison to learn new stuff Steve exposes me to.

[@prestonlloyd4520]

I would not consider you a beginner. Good job.

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

You're too kind, but thanks!

[@deshonteteenywon5051]

Actually there is an up stroke in Clawhammer. I learned what they call up picking as opposed to down picking. The melody notes were plucked up with the index finger, followed by the down strum and the thumb pluck. :-)

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

De'shonte Teenywon I’ve seen that upstroke with what folks call a “California roll” for some cool triplets. And Pete Seeger had his own style of playing that used the upstroke. So there are definitely exceptions. For basic clawhammer, not so much as it can really disrupt a player’s rhythm. But if you can make it work, that’s awesome. No wrong way to play the banjo. 👍

[@jeancaunce21]

Thanks for this vid Steve. It’s excellent. When it comes down to it, I reckon it’s my banjo and if I end up playing in a way that’s not strictly downstroke clawhammer, then that’s up to me. I’ve been learning for three years now, but not consistently enough. I’ve decided I’m really going for it this year. I’ve decided to give up on tab….I understand it, but can’t follow it quickly enough. I’m sticking to playing chords in G tuning and double C. I just want to play and sing the songs I love at home, and maybe in folk club type settings. Not many banjo players round here, so no one is studying what I’m doing ‘wrong’. The banjo is such a great instrument! I love it!

[@hellseeker-inc9756]

Beginner😦 U are A-MA-ZING😀😀 I can Not get the basic strum to save my life. I look And sound like im just beating the banjo after my second pass😂 It sounds so simple but my right hand strongly disagrees😊

[@nathanstack5158]

Stick with it and it will come. Been there, thought that. now I don't!

[@mikeswinehart7928]

I hear some Patrick Costello in your playing.That's a good thing!

[@Rachels123]

so, a pull off, is a string is plucked after striking, and a pluck is, plucking a string that has not been struck... right?

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

That sounds right. I suppose it could be called a "phantom" pull-off. Heh

[@rjbarnett1116]

Hey Steve. Do you still play banjo?

[@StevePlaysBanjo]

I do! Just not as much as I’d like. But I did put new strings on the old Pisgah the other day