Rolling Backup Ideas and Strategies for Bluegrass Banjo

[@fjbchef]

I'm a plateauing amateur scared to stand out in a jam. This is EXACTLY the kind of video I need. THANK YOU!!

[@JimPankey]

You're gonna do great!

[@pameladahl8274]

Do what you feel because that's what musicians do best!!!! And there's going to be other people wanting to hear what you have And enjoy what you add!! 😊

[@judwatkins9478]

Jim can teach anyone to plaay banjo. He's gifted to do this.

[@JimPankey]

thank you ☺️

[@comefindme13gaming32]

Hoping 1 day in my life, I’ll be able to play good enough to play for my Church. Thank you Jim for your Content.

[@JimPankey]

You can! I played a lot at church when I was just learning.

[@maxbo6427]

This is the first video of yours I’ve watched Jim, absolutely love your energy. As a new banjo player (coming from guitar) you’ve got me motivated to head out to jams with my banjo!

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for watching! Glad I can inspire you to carry your banjo out!

[@lindsayalcock5593]

I’m 58 and learning banjo for a fam-jam at a family reunion. Your lessons are a huge help and I’m having a blast. Thank you!

[@JimPankey]

Awesome! Thanks for letting me help you learn.

[@colinsarah120]

Much appreciated Jim. I played my first time I'm a last minute jam and managed to use what ide learned from you which helped me survive. This is a brilliantly timed video.

[@JimPankey]

Glad it will be helpful!

[@Chubby-chinZamboni]

I like this sort of thing, jim. Thanks for sharing!

[@JimPankey]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@road__kill4201]

This quite literally couldn’t have come at a better time! I have my first jam tomorrow and this was super helpful, thanks Jim!

[@JimPankey]

You got this!

[@dondert8741]

Hi Jim, I went to my first jam the other day, I could handle the vamping, but rolling backup is seriously the one thing I need some more practice for. Great timing for the lesson!

[@JimPankey]

Hope it's helpful!

[@johnschreiner2047]

Another great real-world lesson! Kudos. Keep them coming, Jim. Thanks.

[@JimPankey]

Thanks :)

[@TunCowle]

Hey Jim Thanks for all your knowledge and insight with what we are all striving to achieve If you ever want to do a banjo SOS program 😂 Your more than welcome in the middle of England Thanks for your support on my journey 👍💪🪕🪕🪕🪕🪕🪕

[@JimPankey]

I'd sure love to make a midlands trip!!

[@fivestring4653]

Thank you for sharing Jim . Backup is my biggest struggle !! 👍

[@JimPankey]

Gotta stick with it, but you can do it!

[@darklight4978]

Man I love these video’s you make! Keep them rolling as they are always such a great help!

[@JimPankey]

Glad you like them!

[@rm8281]

My go-to banjo instructor. Thanks, Jim.

[@JimPankey]

Thanks. ☺️

[@ThisBurningGhost]

LOVE YOU JIM!

[@angelak634]

This is exactly what I’m working on right now!

[@JimPankey]

I hope this is helpful!

[@jeffevans4663]

Another really helpful video Jim thanks for all your tips

[@JimPankey]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bodurango]

Excellent. You read my mind. Thanks for posting. I'm a rolling backup kind of guy.

[@JimPankey]

Glad to help

[@darinwatson8097]

Thank you so much for this (and all your other videos!), Mr. Pankey. I first picked up a banjo just over a year ago and have learned much from you. While it's fun learning to play songs, playing backup is definitely something I want to improve in case I'm ever brave enough to try joining in at a jam or playing with anyone besides my very patient guitar-playing friend.

[@JimPankey]

You’ve got this!

[@susanhummel2179]

You are right, this is exactly what I need at this point!

[@JimPankey]

I'm glad it is helpful!

[@garyblair1853]

Thanks Jim great information. Must to learn when jamming

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for watching!

[@garyblair1853]

@@JimPankey , I watch every post if possible.

[@chargert9]

Awesome! I Get to practice this! 🙂 I'd be happy to fit in and get comfortable to expand. Thank you

[@JimPankey]

You can do it!

[@Watcher-op9pi]

I just subscribed yesterday, so excited; thank you for what you do!

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for subbing!

[@paulfoytack5267]

Good stuff Jim.

[@JimPankey]

Thanks!

[@kydragon42]

Thank you Jim!

[@JimPankey]

Very welcome

[@midwesternoutdoorsandnatur8272]

I love this stuff!! I’m hoping to get better on this wonderful instrument!!

[@JimPankey]

You can do it!

[@senorsenior9546]

Good backup is an art that requires thought and practice. Since you're playing backup 85 to 90% of the time, it's worth practicing a fair amount.

[@JimPankey]

It's a huge part of what we do.

[@VladimirPutin-kl1ps]

Jim could teach birds to fly...or something🤯. Well he could definitely teach them to play banjo.

[@JimPankey]

🤣

[@RussJAlan]

On C chord I hold my pinky on 1 string 2nd fret instead of my ring finger. That way if a song has a Am chord or a C7, before or after a C, I use my ring finger on 3S/2F or 2S/2F. Like on Jed Clampett

[@yindaifu]

Jim, I have an idea for a new series of vids you could make. How about focusing on all of the individual skills that are needed to play BG banjo? For example one video could be rolls and timing drills with a metronome. The next could be various left hand skills on the fretboard.. scales etc. The next could be about slides, hammer ons, and pull offs. Anyways you get the idea.

[@JimPankey]

That's a good way to create a bunch of confusion. That's not the way to learn - at all. We learn best when we take little bits of information at a time and apply them. For what it's worth I have no less than two beginner banjo series here with all of those things covered through application. A list of drills, charts, scales and such really don't teach people to play. Is it a reference? Maybe. I'd never had a child a dictionary and a copy of Strunk and White and suggest they start memorizing words and learning to write before they could really talk. However, if you think it's a good idea, I'd encourage you to take that project. It would probably be wildly popular among the folks looking for a shortcut.

[@yindaifu]

@@JimPankey I apologize..didnt make myself clear. As you said "We learn best when we take little bits of information at a time and apply them" is exactly what I was talking about. Take the 1st video and teach the rolls for example, THEN show the different ways they are applied. Same thing with the other two suggestions I made. As far as music theory..little bits and pieces as you go along building to a more complete understanding. Please dont misunderstand..I LOVE you and your videos..as well as your posts on BHO...you have helped hundreds if not thousands of people learn to play the banjo. You just mentioned in this video you were looking for ways to create more content/videos..thats what I was responding to. Not a criticism..just trying to help.

[@JimPankey]

While that might sound good from an academic standpoint that's not how we learn. We learn by application. Learning a bunch of rolls, then a bunch of right hand stuff, then a bunch of chords, and then scales isn't gonna do anything but discourage beginners. I appreciate the input, truly, but I've seen more students give up when teachers try to reverse engineer how the banjo is played. It would be better to know one roll and able to apply it than 6 with no application. Knowing 6 won't make you play 6 times faster. What it will do is make you give up 6 times quicker. Learn one (like I teach in my lessons) and play it until it's assimilated with a couple of songs. That way you've truly learned how it works. Once that's done move to a new pattern and repeat. I see people post charts, lists, diagrams, exercises, drills all the time on different forums. People just love it, few of them ever get past having a piece of paper in front of them. They want to believe that having all of that information in front of them is going to be the key to being able to play, but the reality is playing simply and slowly adding ideas over time is the most natural way to learn. Toddlers communicate with a few words, grunts, and pointing. They get their message across. Then, they learn a new word. Now, instead of having a vocabulary of 5 words, they've got 6. Slowly they master the language. I'm learning Spanish and have a vocabulary of about 1,000 words after about two years. Having a dictionary full of words might be helpful in a few years, but right now, my job is to be able to speak very simply (like a small child). A catalog of information sounds like a good idea, but experience and application are essential to learning. And again: I cover rolls in my lesson series. I cover right hand techniques in my lessons series. The difference is, I show the application in a tune. See, I'm not teaching songs here. I'm using songs to teach the techniques. Yes, I'm always open to suggestions, but they have to make sense with the way I teach.

[@yindaifu]

@@JimPankey ok.. I hear you... you busted me.. I was an academic a long time ago in a galaxy far far away..no offense was intended.. I'm only a beginner anyways and probably shouldn't have chimed in

[@barbzeman9771]

Hi Jim! I'm lovin' your tutorials! If you're ever looking for something new to teach us, could you please go over how to use the capo? I get putting it on the 2nd fret to play in key of A using the G scale, but how about the key of ex; B, D, E? Where do you put the capo, and what key do you play in? Thanks in advance.

[@DaniotheManio5]

Capo the 4th for B and 5th for C. Beyond that things get shakey and usually you don't use a capo. (Honestly even the 5th isn't super common and you have to use one of those alligator mouth like capos)

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@sambanjoman]

Jim, Unrelated to the video topic, but I recently acquired a Gold Tone BG-150 and love it. However, I recently got the bug for the OB 250 and am curious if you think the jump would be worthwhile or if I am chasing the dragon. Love your content and hope you have a good one!

[@JimPankey]

I'd save up for a professional instrument. Moving from the 150 to the 250 isn't a big jump and I'd rather see you tuck that money back for something special.

[@sambanjoman]

@@JimPankey I thought you might say that. Thank you sir!

[@devandale6134]

Hey jim could you play bosun bill? I saw someone play it but i cant find the tabs anywhere, a tutorial would be awesome for younger viewers like me who love video games!

[@ozarkbanjerman5329]

Do you think it might be a fun idea to make some videos to help us practice backup and solo by playing a song that we have learned, expecting us at home to play backup while you solo, then playing backup to give us an opportunity to solo? Or do you think that is outside the purview of your channel?

[@JimPankey]

That pretty much exists already in a lot better format than I can provide with a banjo and a phone.

[@ozarkbanjerman5329]

@@JimPankey That makes sense. Either way, your lessons and teaching style remain top notch. I appreciate you.

[@Mando287Banjo]

could you do one on some more advanced up the neck backup stuff that doesnt follow roll patters like JD Crowe and Jim mills did? im having trouble getting my head around how to make them work

[@JimPankey]

Beginning Backup Bluegrass Banjo kzbin.info/aero/PLimF2H1ED8fWwVKBbuKhbvEd0IlQ3Z3G7

[@Mando287Banjo]

@@JimPankey thanks!

[@glennmeyer4539]

Thanks Jim love this video if you are watching these videos hit the subscribe button

[@JimPankey]

Thanks

[@garthjones4932]

Jim I like the banjo very well and have tried learning but gave up but one of my main problems when other players know I don't know when people change chords I just can't tell I can't seem to be able to tell the difference and that's when I get frustrated and give up any ideas for me

[@johnschreiner2047]

Listen to backing tracks for chord changes. youtube.com/@bbtbluegrassbackingtracks?feature=shared

[@JimPankey]

If you'll look at my original backup series I talk a bit about that. Learning to hear changes takes practice. It's not something anyone can "just do".

[@garthjones4932]

@@JimPankey ok thank you

[@blakejackson4483]

I need a lesson on how to make more than $10 playing the banjo 😂 WOOOOOO it’s hard 😂

[@JimPankey]

Wait. You made $10?

[@blakejackson4483]

@@JimPankey 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@josephkerkau2520]

I have subscribe. I am watching and learning? I am a beginner banjo. Teach me well...

[@JimPankey]

Thanks for subscribing. This video is more advanced, but the beginner series is here on the channel.

[@johnboyette4710]

How about up the. Neck back up

[@JimPankey]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3qZoWmCYs-Gqbc

[@donaldfair4259]

Jim I take it that your lesson for today is “ Steal It “ ! 😂👏❤️🪕

[@JimPankey]

That's ALWAYS the lesson. :)