Category Archives: Music

My Daughter is Learning to Fiddle!

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Michiko has been taking violin lessons for several years now. Lately, she has switched over to learning fiddle tunes – bluegrass, as well as Irish and Celtic tunes!  We played Cripple Creek together for the first time a few weeks … Continue reading →

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Hazards of Teaching Banjo

Posted on April 20, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Admittedly there aren’t many hazards here. No need for sunscreen, padding, helmets, or protective eyewear. But I have found one of the hazards of teaching banjo is that if you don’t watch it, you can easily get out of practice … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Leave a comment

A Tried and True Technique for Easy Backup

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Here’s an easy technique for the very common situation in which you are playing a song you don’t know the chords to. Assuming it is a fairly simple song with only I, IV and V chords, this works very well. … Continue reading →

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Do What You Love

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Do what you love. Positive thinking. Winning friends and influencing people…  If you’re like me, I know you’ve heard this all a hundred times before elsewhere, starting with Dale Carnegie, then Norman Vincent Peale, then perhaps Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar, … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Ramblings | 1 Comment

A Little-known Technique to Improve Your Playing Quality

Posted on April 11, 2009 by Phill Gibson

I am not ashamed to admit that I love easy things. So if I find something that is not easy, the first thing I do is try to see if I can make it easier (but not if making it … Continue reading →

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Connecting to Your Roots

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Where do you come from? I don’t mean literally where do you reside, as in your city, state or country. I mean that more nebulous quality that includes how you were raised, what ideals you value and how you relate … Continue reading →

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Who's the Best?

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Phill Gibson

When I was a Boy Scout years ago, we used to sing marching songs while out hiking. That was a lot of fun. One particular thing we did was this shout: the Scoutmaster would shout “Who’s the Best!?” And we … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Ramblings | Leave a comment

What I'm Currently Listening To

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Phill Gibson

A brief look at what I’m currently listening too.  Count Basie – Taxi War Dance. The Count was popular in Jazz back in the 30s through the 50s and his swing-style music continues to inspire enthusiasts today. I love the … Continue reading →

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Bringing Out the Best

Posted on April 1, 2009 by Phill Gibson

One of my banjo pickin’ buddies and I were talking a while back and the discussion turned to musical goals. I mentioned some of mine: things like wanting to explore more jazz, record a CD and the like. In turn, … Continue reading →

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Slide-out, Switch-in

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Phill Gibson

As I’ve taught students the basics of chords and their positions on the banjo fret board, I’ve continued to marvel at the various symmetries and relationships that pop up. For instance, Let’s look at the D and F chord positions … Continue reading →

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