leastbest - but still one of the best
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Cheese Whiz, Fiddle Tunes and a box of Triscuits
posted Saturday, 18 February 2006
My wife went on one of her marathon shopping sprees today. I knew it was coming from the faraway look that can only come before a full day of shopping. I knew she would come home and tell me how much money she saved, all the while forgetting to give me any receipts.
Once I knew she would be gone all day I decided to do something I haven't done in years. When I was a kid I would spend hour upon hour studying chess. I was so focused that I was oblivious to everything else. I loved it. Today I decided to do that with old time banjo.
When I first started with banjo I only knew of the kind of banjo playing that opened The Beverly Hillbillies. I got a set of fingerpicks and started learning Scruggs style banjo using The Murphy Method. Murphy is a great teacher and I was picking it up a lot faster than I expected. It was funny though, something wasn't right. The rolls and the music was coming along and I was getting better but I knew something was missing.
It was then that I came across websites like The Banjo Hangout and learned about Clawhammer (Frailing). This is a style played without picks. You basicly play with the thumb and the middle finger. I got some cds, one from Grandpa Jones and I knew what I wanted. This was the sound I craved and I started reading everything I could about it.
A while back I stumbled across Mike Iverson's website where he has a bunch of songs written in tablature with audio. The tabs are well written and having the audio makes it easy to figure out. Plus I have a program that slows down songs without changing the pitch, very handy.
I've never met Mike but his website is just the way I'd do it if I had talent and a burning desire to share. To show my appreciation I ordered his cd Blue Sage - Live at the Junction Theatre. The samples of his music sound fine and I'm looking forward to hearing the whole cd. Plus I sent a few bucks to help support his website. I do that a lot more nowadays.
Once the wife was gone I got out the banjo and decided on a course of action. I'd been wanting to learn some fiddle tunes and now was a good time to start. I started on Salt Creek, moved on to Soldier's Joy and spent some serious time on Drowsy Maggie. It's amazing what you can accomplish with a box of triscuits, a can of cheese whiz ,a few pots of coffee, a banjo and a minor obsession.
Once it warms up I'm going to carry the banjo I bought at a garage sale with me to work and play on my lunch break. If you see a chubby guy in an brown uniform sitting by Lake Erie playing a banjo it's probably me. Grab a chair and prepare to sing some harmony.
Once I knew she would be gone all day I decided to do something I haven't done in years. When I was a kid I would spend hour upon hour studying chess. I was so focused that I was oblivious to everything else. I loved it. Today I decided to do that with old time banjo.
When I first started with banjo I only knew of the kind of banjo playing that opened The Beverly Hillbillies. I got a set of fingerpicks and started learning Scruggs style banjo using The Murphy Method. Murphy is a great teacher and I was picking it up a lot faster than I expected. It was funny though, something wasn't right. The rolls and the music was coming along and I was getting better but I knew something was missing.
It was then that I came across websites like The Banjo Hangout and learned about Clawhammer (Frailing). This is a style played without picks. You basicly play with the thumb and the middle finger. I got some cds, one from Grandpa Jones and I knew what I wanted. This was the sound I craved and I started reading everything I could about it.
A while back I stumbled across Mike Iverson's website where he has a bunch of songs written in tablature with audio. The tabs are well written and having the audio makes it easy to figure out. Plus I have a program that slows down songs without changing the pitch, very handy.
I've never met Mike but his website is just the way I'd do it if I had talent and a burning desire to share. To show my appreciation I ordered his cd Blue Sage - Live at the Junction Theatre. The samples of his music sound fine and I'm looking forward to hearing the whole cd. Plus I sent a few bucks to help support his website. I do that a lot more nowadays.
Once the wife was gone I got out the banjo and decided on a course of action. I'd been wanting to learn some fiddle tunes and now was a good time to start. I started on Salt Creek, moved on to Soldier's Joy and spent some serious time on Drowsy Maggie. It's amazing what you can accomplish with a box of triscuits, a can of cheese whiz ,a few pots of coffee, a banjo and a minor obsession.
Once it warms up I'm going to carry the banjo I bought at a garage sale with me to work and play on my lunch break. If you see a chubby guy in an brown uniform sitting by Lake Erie playing a banjo it's probably me. Grab a chair and prepare to sing some harmony.
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