Recent Comments
Pgibson on D Tuning for a Cripple Creek M… Bruce Woodmansee on D Tuning for a Cripple Creek M… Tommy on I’m Doing Online Banjo L… Pgibson on A Tribute to Jimmy Arnold Roger Neal on A Tribute to Jimmy Arnold RSS
Category Archives: Music
Melodics and Soul
If you are a banjoist, you’re probably aware of the melodic style of 5-string banjo playing, whereby you are playing primarily melody notes, as opposed to fewer melody notes surrounded by ‘filler’ notes, as in Scruggs style. This style of … Continue reading
Posted in Melodic Style, Philosophical Ramblings
Tagged Bill Keith, Bobby Thompson, chromatics, electric guitar, melodic, skill, soul, technical
Leave a comment
Protools for Dummies – a review
Yes, I love the Dummies series! (BTW, Bill Evans, who along with Sonny Osborne and Cindy Sinclair runs NashCamp, is the author of ‘Banjo for Dummies’; another excellent Dummies book). Just as with book editing software that I blogged on … Continue reading
Adobe InDesign CS4 – a review
What does this have to do with music, you ask? In and of itself, not a lot. However, I am writing a book or two on the banjo, and this has proven to be a significant choice – that of … Continue reading
Posted in Music in General, Reviews
Tagged Adobe, Banjo Book, Book Writing, Desktop Publishing, InDesign
Leave a comment
What to Listen for in Music – a review
What to Listen for in Music, by Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland was one of the first, and still one of the greatest, American composers of what we usually call classical music. For us bluegrass, old-time and folk musicians, it’s worth … Continue reading
Posted in Music in General, Reviews
Tagged Aaron Copland, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Tone Color, What to Listen for in Music
Leave a comment
Heilmeier's Catechism
Here’s something I read in the Huntsville Times recently that I’d like to share with you. It starts with Lisa Porter, the director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA – sounds a little like DARPA; the name of the … Continue reading
The Bluegrass Ensemble
The bluegrass ensemble isn’t a term you’ll find being used much, if any. But I think it well describes what it is when you are talking about the various instruments used in a typical bluegrass band. If you’ve been playing … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos & Bluegrass, Beginning Banjo
Tagged Banjo, Bull Fiddle, Chopping Chords, Dobro, Fiddle, Guitar, Mandolin, Off beat, On beat, Upright Bass, Violin
Leave a comment
Being the Best in Your Zip Code
The last blog I wrote just now mentioned the fact that there will always be someone better than you at whatever you are doing. That’s indeed a bit humbling for some of us, I’ll agree. But still, we have to … Continue reading
Posted in Beginning Banjo
Tagged Banjo, Best, Humbling, Nashville, North Carolina, Realistic Goals, Virginia, Zipcode
2 Comments
Why Play the Banjo?
Why indeed! I can think of several reasons… You get to meet some of the craz… er, nicest people around! OK, if crazy is what you’re looking for then, yes you can find that, too! As with anything in life, … Continue reading
Posted in Banjos and Society, Beginning Banjo
Tagged Americas Instrument, Banjo, Creativity, fun, Hot Rod, Relaxing, Roots, Satisfaction, Style, Why Play Banjo
2 Comments
Introducing Two-Finger Style Banjo
I love exploring different styles of playing the banjo. Although I’m mostly a modern three-finger style player, I do know a smattering of other styles. I realize I’ve not blogged on another style I’ve recently started playing: two-finger style. I … Continue reading
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
2 Comments
Phill Gibson 