http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-4-beginner-banjo-series-chords/ Banjo Blog Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:34:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-4-beginner-banjo-series-chords/comment-page-1/#comment-527 admin Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:04:59 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=750#comment-527 These are fantastic tips. I've often passed along the advice to leave your banjo out of the case, as well as to play during television time. Any time spent with banjo in hand is invaluable. These are fantastic tips. I’ve often passed along the advice to leave your banjo out of the case, as well as to play during television time. Any time spent with banjo in hand is invaluable.

]]> http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-4-beginner-banjo-series-chords/comment-page-1/#comment-520 Jesse Taylor II Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:33:31 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=750#comment-520 But seriously...this is a really useful Chord Position (sometimes called the 2nd Position). Not ony does it make a "Full Major D-Chord", but it is used to make all the other Major Chords, too. Stick with it. It will become comfortable and entirely natural. Having said that, I'm going to put a little scare into you. I have known folks who have spent years and years and years with a banjo, but still can't make their Chords, either quickly or properly. You may well wonder how such a thing can be. Well, near as I can tell, it's all in how they practice. I've got a couple secrets about the best way to practice. Want to know what they are? Well, OK...if you insist. First, never put your banjo in the case. Never..ever..unless you're traveling with it, do you want to put your banjo in the case. I don't care if enough dust settles on it to give it a fuzzy appearance from a few feet away, never put it in the case. Why? Because of convenience, that's why. How many times have you had five or ten minutes before having to get up and run off to do whatever? Have you ever thought of using those few minutes for a little banjo practice? Sure you have! Problem is, by the time you get the banjo out of the closet, or out from under the bed, get it out of the case, fumble around for your picks and go through the tuning, all you have time left to do is to put it back in it's case and put it away. You've just spent five or ten minutes practicing "banjo case". Now, if that banjo had been left out where you could've just grabbed it up, think of how much time would add up in a month of little five and ten minute sessions, now and then. And, really, these can be some of your best sessions! You've not set any particular goal for yourself. You're not expecting to delve into any intense concentration on any one thing in particular. You're mind is relaxed and your muscles are at ease. You may be surprised at how, at so many times like these, you'll be doing so well...and not really expecting to...that you wish you could just "blow off" whatever it is that you have to do and just keep on picking. But, I can hear you saying, "Jesse, you just don't know how much of a dangerous place my house is!" I'm sure it is. None the less, there has to be someplace you can stash a banjo. One of my pals kept his under the couch. Another kept his behind the couch. Another bought a special hanger and kept his hung up on the wall. I even knew one guy who kept his in his gun cabinet. What ever you have to do, keep that banjo out of the case and handy, just in case. (Sorry 'bout that.) My other secret? Practice while you watch TV. You don't need your picks. Just touch the strings, lightly. You'll be training your hands and fingers. You'll be teaching them "reach" and "feel". They'll be learning how high they have to "step" to get from one string to the other and how firmly they have to react to those strings. You'll be building accuracy and strength. Professionals call it, "familiarizing yourself with your instrument" and there's no better way to do it. Here again, you're not concentrating intently on accomplishing any one thing in particuliar. You're relaxed. You're entertained. In short, you're "in the zone". If your mind is free, then you'll be surprised how freely your thoughts and actions will flow. Plus, there's no better way to tune out those annoying commercials than with a little banjo interlude. You're going to want to. Oh yes, you're going to want to. It's practice time. What have you got to lose. But seriously…this is a really useful Chord Position (sometimes called the 2nd Position). Not ony does it make a “Full Major D-Chord”, but it is used to make all the other Major Chords, too. Stick with it. It will become comfortable and entirely natural.
Having said that, I’m going to put a little scare into you. I have known folks who have spent years and years and years with a banjo, but still can’t make their Chords, either quickly or properly. You may well wonder how such a thing can be. Well, near as I can tell, it’s all in how they practice. I’ve got a couple secrets about the best way to practice. Want to know what they are? Well, OK…if you insist.
First, never put your banjo in the case. Never..ever..unless you’re traveling with it, do you want to put your banjo in the case. I don’t care if enough dust settles on it to give it a fuzzy appearance from a few feet away, never put it in the case.
Why? Because of convenience, that’s why. How many times have you had five or ten minutes before having to get up and run off to do whatever? Have you ever thought of using those few minutes for a little banjo practice? Sure you have! Problem is, by the time you get the banjo out of the closet, or out from under the bed, get it out of the case, fumble around for your picks and go through the tuning, all you have time left to do is to put it back in it’s case and put it away. You’ve just spent five or ten minutes practicing “banjo case”.
Now, if that banjo had been left out where you could’ve just grabbed it up, think of how much time would add up in a month of little five and ten minute sessions, now and then.
And, really, these can be some of your best sessions! You’ve not set any particular goal for yourself. You’re not expecting to delve into any intense concentration on any one thing in particular. You’re mind is relaxed and your muscles are at ease. You may be surprised at how, at so many times like these, you’ll be doing so well…and not really expecting to…that you wish you could just “blow off” whatever it is that you have to do and just keep on picking.
But, I can hear you saying, “Jesse, you just don’t know how much of a dangerous place my house is!” I’m sure it is. None the less, there has to be someplace you can stash a banjo. One of my pals kept his under the couch. Another kept his behind the couch. Another bought a special hanger and kept his hung up on the wall. I even knew one guy who kept his in his gun cabinet. What ever you have to do, keep that banjo out of the case and handy, just in case. (Sorry ’bout that.)
My other secret? Practice while you watch TV. You don’t need your picks. Just touch the strings, lightly. You’ll be training your hands and fingers. You’ll be teaching them “reach” and “feel”. They’ll be learning how high they have to “step” to get from one string to the other and how firmly they have to react to those strings. You’ll be building accuracy and strength. Professionals call it, “familiarizing yourself with your instrument” and there’s no better way to do it.
Here again, you’re not concentrating intently on accomplishing any one thing in particuliar. You’re relaxed. You’re entertained. In short, you’re “in the zone”. If your mind is free, then you’ll be surprised how freely your thoughts and actions will flow. Plus, there’s no better way to tune out those annoying commercials than with a little banjo interlude. You’re going to want to. Oh yes, you’re going to want to.
It’s practice time. What have you got to lose.

]]> http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-4-beginner-banjo-series-chords/comment-page-1/#comment-519 Jesse Taylor II Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:04:11 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=750#comment-519 Cudos!! Neat-o!!! Cudos!! Neat-o!!!

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