Casey has already talked about Practice Tip #1 (Come To Your Lesson!) and Practice Tip #2 (PRACTICE!).
Today I’ll briefly mention Practice Tip #3 and #4.
Practice Tip #3: Always play the song or tune as it is “written”. That is, if the form of the song (as Jim Wood calls it) is AABB (first part played twice, second part played twice) then practice it that way! Do not under any circumstances practice it as one first part and one second part. Why would you do that? To save time?
Several of my students (unnamed to protect the guilty!) have been doing this lately and I’ve had to rap them on the knuckles. (Metaphorically speaking, of course.) I can always tell if they’ve practiced it the “short way” because when they play it for me they have a tendency to leave out one of the parts—without even thinking about it. What has happened is that the short cut has become a bad habit—a habit that has to be unlearned! So, might as well learn it right the first time.
Practice Tip #4: Be sure to practice your old tunes! Yes, every week! (And you know who I’m talking to!) It’s great to spend large amounts of time on your new tune, but when you neglect your old tunes you are eroding your foundation. And, as my students have found out, I have a gift for asking them to play the very tunes they’ve not practiced. And it’s not that I am trying to trip them up—I promise. It’s just that I think everyone should always be able to play “Banjo in the Hollow,” “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” and “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” once they have learned them. I mean, these are Basic Banjo Tunes. So as Emma Smith wrote and Larry Sparks and Lynn Morris both sing so eloquently, “Don’t neglect the rose in your garden!” Banjo translation: Don’t neglect “Banjo in the Hollow” while working on “Cumberland Gap”! Don’t neglect “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” while working on “Blue Ridge Cabin Home”! And don’t neglect “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” for anything!
I’ll post more practice tips as they come to mind! We also welcome your own personal tips!
Murphy, I could not help but notice that no one is leaving any comments. I felt that it was time someone did. I am currently working thru “Banjo in the Hollow”. Not quite there yet, but working on it. Having your family blog to read daily is inspirational and post like today are dead on for us new learners. Thank you and keep it coming.Tiburon
Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying our efforts here. We hope to also work in some of our other TMM instructors at some point. Stay tuned!
…and good luck with “Banjo In The Hollow”!
Casey
Hey Murphy,
After reading your last few entries about practicing and improvising, I jotted down a list of things that have helped me during the 2 years I’ve been a MM banjo student. The list was long, but here are a few. Many of these tips (which aren’t in any particular order) have been directly or directly derived from your coaching and hopefully can be useful to others.
1. Practice every day that you eat! (Believe me, I like to eat).
2. Read Murphy’s book!
3. Take private lessons with Murphy if you can (she didn’t pay me to say this!). Her depth of knowledge and experience as a TEACHER and PLAYER is astounding.
4. Believe in muscle memory.
5. Listen to as many BG recordings as you can and as often as you can. Listen to what the banjo player is doing. Listen for the chord changes and what the chord is changing to. Slow songs down if possible.
6. Go see live performers. Watch the banjo player’s hands (I particularly like watching the left hand!). Notice how the band members interact with each other, as that can be useful for jamming.
7. Pay attention to how Murphy teaches in her videos/DVDs. You’re not only learning how to play the banjo, you’re also learning how to learn!
8. Learn how to vamp and how to hear chord changes. Learn to read the guitar player’s hand, but don’t get dependant on it!
9. Learn the chord shapes and patterns up and down the neck.
10. Learn and practice jam etiquette.
11. Go to jams! Don’t be afraid or worry about what other people think! Everyone was a beginner once, and people are usually very friendly and helpful.
12. Take breaks in jams even if you don’t think you can. You’ve got to get over that hurdle if you want to improvise.
13. Find someone you can talk to – another musician and/or a teacher. You don’t have to go it alone!
14. Give back – help someone else succeed, as others have helped you.
Other tips:
Have confidence in yourself. Come up with reasons why you CAN, not reasons why you CAN’T. Pay attention. Enjoy the journey.
Thanks for your efforts Murphy, Red and Casey!
- Patty from Portland, OR
I’m sure that coming up with something meaningful to say every day isn’t easy, but rest assured that it is very much appreciated. Especially by us MM beginners. Thanks again.
[...] really liked Patty S.’s comments in response to my Practice Tips #3 and #4. In particular, I loved her #4: Believe in muscle [...]