The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. But without the Good.

[Anthony G Spangler]

After 38 takes (OK, 7.  And most of those were trying to find a place without loud background noises), I finally got more or less through enough "Juba" to hopefully show whether or not I'm starting out with any bad habits.  I swear, some of the time I'm almost not this bad.  Honestly.

Seriously, though, there are days where I can't keep my fingers out from between the strings, and other days that it just plays itself.  I guess that's the nature of practice.  I've also been working on "Camptown Hornpipe", but that is not ready to show.

Don't pull any punches, I want to stamp anything wrong out now, before it gets rooted.

Thanks!

Tony

http://youtu.be/TSta7eM1Svk

[Bart McNeil]

Without reading the previous posts commenting on your playing I will offer my  observations... You are certainly new to clawhammer, as am I and your playing mirrors mine in that you have to learn to train your hands to do act reflexively,,, without any thought at all. And in my opinion you are simply not there yet... That only means that your reflexes have not been conditioned to play automatically. I am probably close to your age and have been working off and on to come to grips with clawhammer banjo and I too am simply not there yet... Perhaps at our age this sort of learning comes slower.... I have been playing mandolin  and banjo for several years but find claw hammer counter intuitive in the extreme. That doesn't mean I won't get it but it is coming slowly, very slowly. I might suggest that you practice without looking at your hands. I am very close to blind and find that attempting to look at my hands detracts from my concentration ao I make a determined effort not to look at either hand whils playing anything on banjo or mandolin (or guitar for that matter) .... This works for me.... But I have to say that clawhammer is the most difficult and counter-intuitive technique I have ever attempted. Maybe it is my age but my development is slow in the extreme... But I have played instruments enough to be confident that with effort I will eventually succeed.

[Anthony G Spangler]

Hi Bart!

All music is counter intuitive to me, heheh!  But I know what you're saying.  Not looking at the hands sounds like good advice, you are right, when I do it I do tend to lose track of what the other hand is doing.

We'll just keep plugging, right?

Much appreciated!

Tony

[Strumelia]

I suggest you just go ahead and make a second video of Juba, but this time trying to play a whole section or two without stopping after 5 seconds.   Don't worry about any note mistakes- better to play just a few simple Juba phrases strung together cohesively, and keep an even rhythm.    :)

[Anthony G Spangler]

Will do!

Strumelia said:

I suggest you just go ahead and make a second video of Juba, but this time trying to play a whole section or two without stopping after 5 seconds.   Don't worry about any note mistakes- better to play just a few simple Juba phrases strung together cohesively, and keep an even rhythm.    :)