(Admin. note: this is part 4 of a 4 part series in which I chronicle my journey toward learning a new song. To start at part 1, click here. You’ll learn all about the recommended tools and techniques for getting a new song learned.)
How did you do?
The bulk of the ideas that I wanted to get across to you have been written. I am hoping that some of you got out your banjos and gave the song Knee Deep In Bluegrass a try right along with me. Please reply to this post and let me know how you did.
I keep my banjo out on a stand right here in my den/office, and every chance I get…at least 5 times a day…I grab the banjo off the stand and roll through Knee Deep In Bluegrass. Believe me, even a quick 5 minutes here and there is very beneficial when you are learning a new piece.
I find that after having gone through this process, as described starting in the first post, I have the song pretty well sunk in. I even showed it to the guys in the band tonight. As usually happens, no matter how hard I’ve practiced something, it’s a completely different dynamic when it comes to performing or jamming a song, and I stumbled through the piece. It isn’t at all stage ready yet. I was disappointed to “freak out” a bit when it came to showing them, and I flubbed a couple of different measures, even thought I’ve picked them smoothly, over and over, here at home along. Just as I had to go through all that I described in the first 3 parts of this series, now I have to get used to the dynamic of other live bodies picking with me. Their scrutinizing eyes cause me to miss notes and generally stumble a little bit. The last phase of getting this stage ready, for me, is to play a couple of times with the guys and “get used to it”. Once I have it playable with them, I’m ready for the stage!
I’d love to hear from you on this.
Would you mind leaving comments below regarding your reaction to this series, or your experience on your own instrument? The comments you leave can enhance what I’ve written, and you might provide that extra little bit of help or encouragement to my blog readers. Thanks and good luck with Knee Deep In Bluegrass!
[...] Part 4 of this series is now available: http://banjosrule.com/blog/learn-a-new-song-part-4-final-thoughts/ [...]
That’s exactly what happens to me at every lesson. This guy who plays a hundred times better than me keeps paying attention to what I’m trying to play and my brain short-circuits even though I could go out into the parking lot and play the piece without a hitch. I have to get to the point where my hands play the piece and my brain has nothing to do with the process, and this takes time and repetition. Lots of both. It helps to hear that this phenomenon happens to other people who have played longer than I have.
How about a few tips on what to look for when you’re considering buying a better banjo? What makes a banjo “stage quality”?