Ron's Blog (9)

we need prayer. we're in the middle of a two day tornado outbreak

Ron

I am learning the tune "Cotton Pod Walk Around" in Tim's Early Banjo Book

I am carefully listening to it and trying to play along.

It seems to me that the last two notes in the first full measure

do not match what I hear on the cd. Assuming the cd is correct

then the last two notes of that measure appear to be reversed.

I have carefully checked this using my slow down software and it

confirms what I feel when I attempt to play it.

Would…

I'm trying to get the right hand movements to work on

one of the triplets on the STRIKES from the Rice Book

The area i'm needing help with is labeled FIFTH EXAMPLE: A TRIPLE

the one I need an explanation on is the last one. (102 021 sequence)

starting on an inside string is... I believe its called an "alternate string pull off)

I'd appreciate someone telling me which fingers are the best choice to use 

for the first two notes so that the…

Happy to announce that I have located Camptown Hornpipe Tab

all ya gotta do is google "Camptown Hornpipe Tablature"

and it comes up on a site belonging to a Mr. Andy Chase

I'm going to try making my own tab using the Rosetta Staff from the Early Banjo Book

and use this one I found to check my work.

I'm really glad to be learning these tunes.

I just discovered a tool others already know about, but it is new to me and WOW

what a powerful combination!  I am speaking about the audio management

programs that are available which allow you to slow down an audio file and keep

its tonality intact. I am really making headway now.

I play the CD which comes with the "Early Banjo" book by Tim. and I can slow the

playing down to where I can learn to keep up with him, then I speed it up bit by…

In one of his videos Tim emphasized seeing the "strike" in the triplets.

That goes way beond the triplets into most other complex patterns in

the music. I'm learning to see the "Strikes" in other complex patterns of this music.

Ex: Cotton Pod Walkaround looks baffling until you look at the book while listening to the CD

and identifying the strikes within the complex music

This is probably well known to most everyone here but it is very new and…

I have up until recently had Monofilament fishing line strings on my "sono-tube banjo. I just wanted to see if there would be an improvement in sound quality if I used the NylGut strings. I ordered some Nylguts and installed them and after they settled in I was very favorably impressed with the improvement in the sound.

They are Louder (a lot) which is a good thing in this case. And I'd call it Mellower (is that a real word?)

I realize that describing a sound with…

I  got out of the hospital and am now back to studying the new book

Early Banjo by Tim. It's going very well , I'm using the first pages as a practice and warm up

before working on the songs "Juba , and Jim Along Josey".

which brings up questions. How does one "Jim Along" , and exactly what

are they wanting Mr. Boker to "Do Mr. Boker Do!" ?

Well that's it for now

Ron

I just completed a banjo made from a large diameter cardboard tube section.

It cost me very little and sounds good to me. I have it tuned Low to dADF#A

lots of fun to play. I'm posting Pictures if ya want to see.

Ron