Learning Black Banjo Syncopation Using Minstrel Banjo Material

[Bob Winans]

I wrote the following attachment for the Black Banjo Then & Now
list (and it also appears on my website), but thought it would be of
interest to members of this group as well. A lot of what I cover will already be known to members here, including sending readers to the lecture I gave at the 2006 Early Banjo Gathering (audio at the Banjo Clubhouse, but I advise you to access it through my website, WinansBanjo, to get the visual aids).

BANJO SYNCOPATION AS AN ELEMENT OF BLACK BANJO PLAYING 2.htm

[Rob MacKillop]

Looks great, Bob, although none of the jpegs worked for me. Fascinating stuff though, and I'd love to find that clarinet tutor. Is it online anywhere?

[Bob Winans]

Rob---Sorry about the missing jpegs. I tried several times to get them to stick and thought I had succeeded. I probably should have just posted a link to my website, where you will find the document (with jpegs) and a quicker way to access the audio for the Cold Frosty Morning examples. The notation for the syncopated version is especially important because, while it is not tablature, it shows what to do with the thumb.

The clarinet tutor that Nathan uses is Kendall's Clarinet Instruction Book(Boston: O. Ditson, 1845). It does not seem to be available for viewing/downloading online, but print-on-demand copies can be ordered. Just Google "Kendall's Clarinet Instruction Book" (with the quotation marks).