Category Archives: Music

The Road in Song

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Phill Gibson

What is it about the open road that is so appealing in song? It pops up so often – in rock, blues, bluegrass, country, you name it. For as long as people have wanted to get away from something, surely … Continue reading →

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How I Measure Banjo Speed

Posted on August 1, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Most musicians measure speed in beats per minute (BMP), which is pretty intuitive for most folks. It’s also part of our standard system of musical notation, so we should all get to know it; so many beats per measure, depending … Continue reading →

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Getting Away From It All!

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Sometimes, it’s so good to take a break and get away from it all; especially away from technology! Have you ever received an email to this effect: “Hi, Sorry to be so late getting back with you; my email client … Continue reading →

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When New Skills are Like a Magnet

Posted on July 26, 2009 by Phill Gibson

When you learn repetitious musical techniques, it can also be human nature to resist things that are very close to what you already know. Continue reading →

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They Ought to Have a Name for it – Stuck in a (Fret) Rut

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Phill Gibson

This happens with your fretting hand when you are playing a lick and you don’t get your fingers positioned exactly right before it is time to pick the notes. You’d like to lift one or more of your fingers and … Continue reading →

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Talent versus Persistence

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Phill Gibson

We should value persistence, even more so than talent, in students. Continue reading →

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A Great Time at the Banjo Jam

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Phill Gibson

We had a great time at our Banjo Jam Session at The Coffee Tree on July 18th! We usually start these practice sessions off by working through a chord sheet with several standard songs we’re familiar with (more or less) … Continue reading →

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Technique Control, Part III – Left Hand Techniques

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Last time, we looked at several aspects of control with respect to right hand techniques (or the picking hand, to make it independent of whether you’re left or right-handed). Today, let’s look at how we need to control what happens … Continue reading →

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Technique Control, Part II – Right Hand Techniques

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Last time, we looked at an overview of techniques and why we need to keep control of both hands on the banjo. Today, we’ll look at what to control with respect to the right hand; next time, we’ll look at … Continue reading →

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Technique Control, Part I – Introduction

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Phill Gibson

I’m not a control freak when it comes to people, but I do see the very important role that control plays when it comes to a musical instrument. Hours upon hours of practice drill into our heads the fact that … Continue reading →

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