Category Archives: Philosophical Ramblings

Does Musical Ability Decrease With Age?

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Phill Gibson

This is a topic that’s been nagging at me for a while now. I’m 52, you see, and I’m starting to think about what it’s like to get old.  The last thing I want to happen is to not be … Continue reading →

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Thinking Like a Banjo

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Phill Gibson

You can lean the basics of your style of banjo playing, be it Scruggs, clawhammer, tenor, etc. and know how to play it, but your knowledge is still at a rather superficial level until you learn that intangible quality of … Continue reading →

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Name – Skill Correlation

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Phill Gibson

I’ve often wondered; is there any relationship between people that have names easily identified with a certain skill and their propensity to take up that skill, or at least to have a greater than usual interest in that skill? You see … Continue reading →

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They Ought to Have a Name For It – Whack-a-Mole

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Another practice / performance anomaly. This is the thing that happens when you identify a rough spot in one of your breaks. You start practicing it and isolate the offending habit to clear it up. All goes well, and you … Continue reading →

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What I Would Do Over

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Phill Gibson

I went to visit my folks out in the country this past Sunday afternoon, just as I often do. While there, I took the opportunity to go visit my old bedroom. The furniture has changed in there since the days … Continue reading →

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Knowledge and Wisdom

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Phill Gibson

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.  Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. So we must also remember: Knowledge is knowing how to execute a full-fretboard G major scale. Wisdom is knowing not … Continue reading →

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Binaries and Triads

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Phill Gibson

We’ve all seen some common binary concepts in life from time to time. Things like digital vs. analog, good vs. bad and even something so commonplace as night vs. day. But do you know any concepts that involve triads? How … Continue reading →

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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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Complexity in Songs

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Phill Gibson

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 →

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Technique, Style and Significance

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Phill Gibson

I get a lot of material for these blogs while driving down the road. Seems nothing frees your mind quite like traveling down a road, even if it is a busy one. Before I know it, I’ve a new idea … Continue reading →

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