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Category Archives: Music
Complexity in Songs
The more full-featured something is (car, computer application, banjo, song, etc.), the more complex it is and so the more difficult to construct. (Also more expensive to fix and less apt to be fixable by yourself!) This seems intuitive as … Continue reading
Posted in Music in General, Philosophical Ramblings
Tagged Complexity, Dave Grusin, Greensleeves, Mountain Dance, Music, Simple, Songs, songwriting, Twinkle Little Star
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Some Freeware All Banjo Players Need
Here’s a couple of software applications that I have found to be pretty essential; one is useful for anyone working with sound on a computer, and the other is great for anyone working with tablature (not just banjos) Audacity Audacity … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos & Technology, Reviews, Tips & Techniques
Tagged Audacity, MIDI, Music Software, Recording, Tablature, TablEdit
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7 Things a Musician Should Never Do
I’ve heard that kids should never ride a dog backwards, downstairs. I’ve never tried this, so I have no first hand experience. But as one of my college professors was fond of saying “You don’t have to stick your head … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos in General, Music in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged Banjo, Don't Do This, Drumhead, Flame, Guitar, Mandolin, Picks, Strings
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The Most Unusual Place I've Ever Played Banjo
I’ve not played that much for large gatherings; mostly less than 20 or so folks. On occasion, I’ve played for one or two hundred folks. But the most unusual place I’ve ever played took place years ago heading into downtown … Continue reading
Posted in Banjoists and Others, Banjos and Society
Tagged Banjo, Birmingham, Bus, Dueling Banjos, Elvis Presley
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They Ought to Have a Name for It – The Speed Limit
This is closely related to JIT Failure, mentioned last time in this thread, but only happens when you are learning a new song and, naturally, are playing it a good deal slower than full speed. What seems like a perfectly … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged Banjo, Increase, Limit, Relearn, speed
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They Ought to Have a Name for It – JIT Failure
You’re playing along with an improvised break and you just used that right finger or thumb when you realize that you need it for the very next note – a JIT Failure. JIT stands for ‘Just In Time” and is … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged Banjo, break, JIT, Just in Tine, Spontaneity
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They Ought to Have a Name for It – Thumb Pick Purgatory
This is so annoying when it happens to me. It tells me that it’s time to practice some more of the basics for a while. It’s when your pick gets caught on a string on the upswing. It brings your … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged catch, pulled off, stop, Thumb Pick
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They Ought to Have a Name for It – The Song Race
Here’s a small series of blogs on various things that happen to banjo players. See if you can identify with any (all?) of them! The first one is… The Song Race As a new banjo picker, you’re still struggling with … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos in General, Tips & Techniques
Tagged break, Faster, Song Race, Struggle
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Wil Huckabay's 'Cut n Paste' Method
I recently obtained a copy of “Building Blocks for Bluegrass Jamming, Volume 1” by Wil Huckabay of Hardin, Texas. As Wil explains in his introduction, this is a book not so much about learning to create a melody for a song … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged Banjo, Cut n Paste, Improvising, Instruction, Jam, Review, Wil Huckabay
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Phill Gibson 