It was a worthwhile experience

I am attending the Advanced Banjo Camp taught by Dr. Banjo, Peter Wernick, in Boulder Colorado from Jan. 18 through Jan. 23, 2009. I thought it might be fun to report from the camp nightly to give you my thoughts on the event. To start at the beginning of the series, click this link: beginning of the series

Banjo factories & jamming & world-class teaching by Dr. Banjo

Finished banjos at the OME banjo factory showroom

The week is finally over and I’m glad to get back home. I fell short of my attempted goal of writing a blog post every night from camp, but I did manage to blog on three of the nights, so that was pretty good I guess. The OME banjo factory tour was pretty amazing, and they turn out some world-class, absolutely beautiful banjos. A real treat.

I learned so many things while at banjo camp that I’ll be digesting everything for many weeks to come. Peter Wernick is so full of good playing tips, knowledge of the instrument, advice, stories, history, and experience that I sat in fairly rapt attention all week long. It’s interesting to note that there wasn’t as much hands-on banjo instruction as you might think there would be; we played our banjos plenty, but at the level of playing that most of us in the camp are at, there was as much to gain from talking about the esoteric details of picking at an advanced level as there was from actually picking the banjo.

I’ve had my eye on banjo clinics and banjo camps for many years but somehow could never arrange the time or the finances to make it to one. And, I’m sad to say, for many years I just didn’t take my banjo playing seriously enough. Involvement with my instrument has come in hot and cold streaks over the years, and it’s not always easy to stay motivated or productive when you just play for fun at a local level. Being in bands sure helps out with motivating you to wanting to do more, but most of us can “play at it” without having to take the instrument to any extreme levels. I’m afraid that’s what I’ve been doing for far longer than I should have: just playing at it without really playing it.

Click me! Click me!

I can chart growth spurts and “peaks” in my development, but I wince a bit when I think about the valleys where I was lazy and just didn’t take it seriously enough. Somehow over the years I’ve managed to rise to a fairly high level of picking ability, but at the same time I’ve sensed that while I definitely have some abilities, I still have miles and miles to go. I can hold my own at any Michigan jam session and yet in comparison to any prominent banjo player like a Peter Wernick or a Jimmy Mills or a *fill in the blank with any national pro picker* I am way out-classed and know relatively little.

Dr. Banjo, Peter Wernick, as he Pontificates

Through the passage of time and the trip down the long and winding road of life, it’s turned out that the banjo has been a major factor in my life. Since I was 16 years old, I’ve been known as that guy who plays the banjo…in a very non-banjo part of the world. Had I been born or raised in one of the southern states, I would have been one of hundreds of banjo pickers. In cosmopolitan Grand Rapids Michigan I’ve been somewhat of a novelty, yet the banjo has been my constant friend and companion, and I’ve been able to help instill love of the instrument in others through my teaching. But my personal playing style and ability have been at a developmental standstill for far too long now, and I’ve often found myself pondering what it means to go to that elusive “next level”. Thanks to Peter Wernick’s efforts, I’ve glimpsed the next level and I think I can see how to get there.


I’m looking forward to being a better player and a better banjo teacher, and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you here on my blog. I’ll do that through stories and jokes, and I’ll also do it through techniques, licks, and picking advice, so stay tuned to my blog for all of the excitement to come in 2010 and beyond! Thanks for reading; I’m glad you are here with me. And as I always say: pick ‘em if ya got ‘em!

Banjo Paul
“Wunse, I coodn’t even spel bango pikker…now I are one!”
www.banjosrule.com (main site)
www.mybanjolife.com (blog)
Click here: Ultimate Metronome

Tagged as: 12 kinds of awesome, Banjo, Bluegrass, Instructional series, Learning, Miscellaneous, Peter Wernick, tons 'o fun