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Category Archives: Beginning Banjo
Quitting While You're Behind
Imagine you are going to a regional bluegrass festival (That would the the Tennessee Valley Old-Time Fiddlers Convention in Athens, Alabama for me). You hear some young banjo player picking out an incredible set of licks and you think to … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo, Music in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged Attitude, Better than, Deflate, Inspired, Persevere
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The Fence We All Straddle
When it comes to ways to learn the banjo or mandolin, there are a couple of different paths we can follow. Each path uses the same set of tools and so can look very similar to the other, but the … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo, Music in General
Tagged Banjo, Duplication, Improvisation, Learning, Mandolin, Tablature
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Back to Basics – 3 Essential Chords
We started this series of basic lessons last time with the 4 essential rolls. Today, we’ll look at the 3 most common beginning chords. What is a chord, anyway? Without going into a good deal of music theory, you can … Continue reading
Back to Basics – Intro and 4 Essential Rolls
Here’s another series of blogs I’ve started! This one is on beginning 5-string banjo techniques. Sometimes, it is hard to sort out all the required details from the extras when you’re just getting started in something complex; learning to play … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo
Tagged Alternating Thumb, Backward, Banjo, Basic Rolls, Beginning, Forward, Reverse
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When can you say that you're a banjo player?
That question surely pops up in every beginning banjo player’s mind. It’s very natural to want to see progress happening as we practice and improve. I think I started thinking of myself as a banjo player on two different levels. … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo
Tagged Banjo, Beginning, Cripple Creek, Freed-Hardeman College, Improve, Mandolin, progress, Tim Alexander
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The Practice Banjo & Bluegrass Jam Session at The Coffee Tree Books & Brew
As usual, this is on the third Saturday of each month; Septembers jam will be on the 19th. It’s from 4:00 – 5:00 pm at The Coffee Tree Books & Brew across Bailey Cove Road from Grissom High School in Huntsville, … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo, Venues
Tagged Banjo, Coffee Tree, Huntsville, Jam Session, Mandolin, Practice
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Like Riding a Bike
A while back I had a student say to me: “I wish playing the banjo was like riding a bike where you never forget it!” While that’s mostly true – we have to continue to practice, or we’ll get way … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo
Tagged Chords, Dynamic, Guitar, Practice, Riding a Bike, Static
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The Banjo & Bluegrass Jam Session is Tomorrow!
The Practice Banjo & Bluegrass Jam Session at The Coffee Tree Books & Brew As usual, this is on the third Saturday of each month; Augusts jam will be on the 15th. Kind of early for the third Saturday, but … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo, Venues
Tagged Banjo, Bluegrass, Coffee Tree, Experience, Folk, Guitar, Jam, Jazz, Mandolin, Practice
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Introducing New Songs to Students
New songs are good for your perspective – they can keep you feeling inspired and eager to learn more. Often, you can chop up a new song and reuse new licks you’ve learned elsewhere. They can also help you refine … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo
Tagged Back Up, Chord Structure, Learning New Songs, Tab, Titles
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Phill Gibson 