Hi Shawn , I thank the Lord for you being my Brother . I can see through your words the great Love of God and that touches my heart when you say to win other souls along the way .. that is the main purpose of our Lord .. I’ll will talk with our Lord about you and your situation... plus tomorrow morning at work I’ll place a prayer for you with my coworkers as we have a prayer meeting before we start to work. God bless you my friend 👍God had everything under control.
Hi Danilo, that means everything, that brothers in Christ, like you, are praying for me. Also getting other brothers to pray, along with you, is awesome. But I would also like to request prayer for my wife that God keeps giving her good health and strength to get us through. But we are both doing really well because of brothers and sisters like you lifting us up in prayer. I'm, continually, getting better all because of our brothers and sisters in Christ, like you, praying for us. My left hand is about 70% and doing well but my right hand is probably 40%. But once I get it back to about 70%, I think I'll be able to start bringing God glory with the banjo again. My legs are getting stronger but they have a little way to go too. I have to use a powered wheelchair, temporarily, for right now. Thanks again for all your prayers. Blessings in Christ, you brother in Christ Shawn.
I been playing Scruggs three finger banjo for years. This was a real work out for me to get this down. My middle finger kept wanting to get involved. Lol. Like he says it all muscle memory.
I bet that is a trick to keep that middle finger out of way, especially when you have been playing like that all those years. I also love Scruggs style. 2 finger is my favorite style but Scruggs style is great too. I started off 2 finger and then went to Scruggs for a while but decided I liked 2 finger style better. I didn't play that long but I did find my middle finger trying to take over, on that first string especially, it was kind of comical too. Blessings in Christ.
Many years ago when I was beginning guitar, I'd go with my uncle and other musicians into the surrounding counties to play at what amounted to jam sessions that often times were still going on when the sun came up. It was at these places I learned I love the sound of a banjo, but this being the late 80s, I was fully aware that banjo didn't get the girls so I stayed with guitar. I learned from talking to, listening to, and watching the banjo players and taught myself the 2 finger technique on the guitar without picks. That was 30+ years ago and still use it today and still love the sound of it.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It is such an encouragement to me to want to keep teaching the banjo. It is something I love to do. But I'm recovering from my second stroke. I hope. Lord willing, to be teaching banjo again in a few or a couple of months. So please be patient with my recovery and I hope I can still be a blessing to you as you have been to me with your kind words. Blessings in Christ. Shawn
Enjoy your videos. Want to play the Banjo for Me. Not to be in a band or play in groups. I'm a 77 year old young guy. Want to sit on my back porch with my Wife and Dogs and just Enjoy what I can do. Or through the Spring and Summer early mornings sit in my Honey Bee Yard, 4 hives with a coffee and pick out a tune. Your Videos are just what I've been searching for. Thanks , Mike from Courtright Ontario Canada ✝️🙏
Mich, I thought I was the oldest guy trying to learn this style, but you've got me beat by 1 year. I'll be thinking of you this summer sitting on my deck working at pickin' and grinning in Lansing, Mich.
Never played before. 54 years old. Took me one week ten minutes a day to get the first sequence down. Muscle memory it is. Thank’s for an excellent tutorial.
Hi Marcus, thank you for your kind words. I'm so excited to hear my lessons are helping you learn how to play the banjo. Just keep following through with the lessons and I guarantee you'll be playing the banjo in this wonderful and diverse way to play the banjo and play anything you want. Just be sure your banjo is in tune every time you pick it up and you'll be able to play melodies of songs by ear along with adding your 2 finger rolls. (such as the bum-ditty) You will get a knack for it if you keep practicing. It won't take as long as you think. Blessings in Jesus Christ. Shawn
Came across your page yesterday. Been sputtering on learning the Banjo (my favorite sounding instrument) for the past two years. I keep wanting to give up, but your video gives me hope I'll be able to create a tune that's fun to listen to. Thank you so much for your approach and sharing of your faith.
Thank you for your kind words. Yes, that is how it started with me, I love the banjo and it is my favorite instrument. It started as passion in me to learn how to play it. You WILL be able to play the banjo too if you will just take in my lessons and remember go slow and you'll learn fast. I haven't done much with the channel lately. I've been down due to a stroke but Jesus Christ is taking care of me and hopefully I'll be back to playing and teaching the banjo real soon. It is a privilege and pleasure for me to share my faith in Jesus Christ with others. That is what BanjoLogic channel is all about and hopefully we will get it rolling again real soon. God bless you, my friend and thank you so much for your kind words again. They are so encouraging to me to get back to playing and teaching the banjo again.
@@banjologic Hi Shawn!! I hadn't seen you post anything in a while, so I was a little worried, and came to check. I'm glad to see you're healing up. Hope to see some videos soon! Take it easy my friend - Ken
Thank you, Big Al. That is encouraging. As soon as I get better I hope to get back to teaching some more. Yes, the Bible verse, Jesus Christ did it all, brother. Blessings in Christ.
Thank you so much, Charles, for your comment. Sorry it is so long getting back to you. I'm still just trying to get better. I do seem to be getting better by the week. This second stroke has definitely been a tough one. Along with teaching the banjo, Banjologic is all about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. (first and foremost). Thank you for your prayers, they are very much needed and so much appreciated. I'm glad to hear you are from Canada. We love Canada. We have met some nice folks from there. I love the cold but maybe not that cold. I hope to be back to Banjologic but it still may be a few more months, Lord willing. God bless you, my brother, keep praying and picking. Shawn
I'm sorry to read about your second stroke. I'll keep you in my prayers, God Bless and keep you safe. BDW I'm from the Great White North called Canada.
hiya im 75 yrs of age and just got my first banjo and been looking for a first lesson .yours fits the bill easy to understand nice and slow just the job for an old duffer thanks
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate that so much. You got that right, nice and slow is the secret to learning. The banjo has been really good to me, just sitting on the front porch and picking with our little hound with us. Especially picking those good old gospel hymns. Just stick with it and I'm sure you will be playing better than you thought you would in a short amount of time, if you just stick with the go slow plan. Blessings in Christ. Shawn
Yes, Bonnie, please remember go slow, learn fast. If you go fast you will learn slow. Remember, Bonnie, that learning rolls is not talent, it is muscle memory that God has given to all of us. It is just like riding a bike, typing, etc. It feels really awkward at first but then, as every day passes that you practice, it will get easier and easier to the point that, just like riding a bike, you won't have to think about it. Thank again, Shawn.
Hi , don’t know your name, I just found your videos and I’m willing to follow you.. I like learn banjo. Most of all I’m glad I met a brother in Jesus And may be an occasion to share our faith in Jesus before anything else.. play banjo is a very joyful thing and as you said to use to give glory to God .. God bless you 🙏
Hi Danilo, my name is Shawn, thank you so much for your kind words and yes, I love talking about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and anytime you want to correspond I love meeting and talking to new brothers in Christ. Oh and what can we say about the banjo, one awesome instrument. I hope to be back to teaching banjo in a couple of months due to health problems I have not been well enough to teach that well right now. I suffered 2 strokes but I'm doing very well now. I'm still lacking function in my right hand but my left had has come back from the 1st stroke pretty good. But everything in God's time. I've been so blessed. My walk with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has never been better. Hopefully I'll be back soon. BanjoLogic is all about bringing glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and maybe getting some souls saved along the way and being a blessing to fellow believers. God bless you, brother, in Christ.
Hi … I am unsure who you are as I do not see a name. Thank you for your excellent instruction. God be with you and you share Him with all. I am newer to banjo but I do appreciate the two finger style banjo. Take care friend and brother SteveE
Hi Steve, my name is Shawn and I really thank you for your comment. And meeting another brother in Christ. That is what BanjoLogic is all about. Sharing the gospel and the joy of playing the banjo and meeting new brothers and sisters in Christ. Shawn
Brilliant lesson, well done, as I finger pick guitar it wasn't too difficult, but your lesson was seriously good. A quick question sometimes I also use Seeger style bum ditty, I up pick on a string brush and hit the 5th drone string. My question is can I mix these 2 styles?
Thank you very much. Thank you for your very kind words. As far as between the 2 methods, I don't see why you can't do that. Between the 2 styles, with a little bit of trial and error, I believe they could definitely be blended. You just have to pay attention to what your ear likes and what sounds good to you and maybe by combining the 2 styles, you come up with your own unique blend. Well thanks again and feel free to write anytime. Blessings in Christ.
Dave, you are more than welcome and I'm glad you enjoy the lesson videos. I hope to be doing a whole lot more lesson videos after I recover from my 2nd stroke. Regarding the metal thumb pick, it is made by Propik. They make them in small, medium and large. I choose to use a medium because the picking blade is a little shorter and fits my thumb better. The last ones I bought were around 14.00. They used to be around 7.00 but it's worth it to me because I like the sound and the feel and they really stay on your thumb. I'm sure you can get online and shop around to find the cheapest ones but if you can't find them, get back with me and I can tell you where I've ordered them before. They are very long lasting and made out of nickel silver. But I also would like to mention that different kinds of banjo strings can also make a huge difference in the sound of your banjo also. I like to use D'Addario Phosphor bronze light banjo strings because I like the sound of them. So if the thumb pick doesn't make the difference, you may want to try different strings. Not meaning to write a book but that being said, there are so many different things that can alter the sound of a banjo and you might already know such as the kind of wood it is made from, the thickness of the neck, the type of head you have, type of tailpiece, etc. Well hope this was helpful. Happy picking and blessings in Jesus Christ.
I was watching another video on two finger style and the pattern was that the thumb picks the melody and plays the 5th as a drone. The 1st finger picks the 1st string as a drone also. Am I maybe just getting ahead of myself on this?
That would be correct but as you progress you will find that the first finger will play the melody note on the 1st and 2nd string but always plays drone on 1st string. But for now go ahead and do it the way you are doing it but use the index finger to play the melody note when it is on the first string and as you progress, try moving your index finger to the 2nd string when the melody note is on the 2nd string. That being said, play it the most comfortable way it is for you. Happy picking and blessings in Jesus Christ.
I do have a question? I have played the 2 finger guitar for a longtime where I rotate thumb and finger back and forth. Is it important that I use thumb twice on the banjo or can I rotate 1 thumb, i finger back and forth. ? I am practicing thumb twice but kind of stuck in rotating 1 to 1 pattern. To better explain I use the John Prine pattern. Sample song "" I remember Everything. "" I will follow your advice. God bless
I would focus my index finger on the first string and the second string and then emphasize my thumb on the third, fourth and fifth string. When doing the bum ditty, start one strike with your thumb then one strike with your index and then another strike with your thumb. In other words thumb, index, thumb. Now you can reverse and have a reverse bum ditty. that would be index, thumb, index. But to be honest with you I don't think there is a right or wrong way to do it as long as you like the sound you are getting and doing what is more comfortable for you. It's all about porch pickin', making your banjo sound the way you want it to sound. But if I was politically correct, and I not, that would be the standard pattern you would go by. I would stick with you enjoy doing the most and getting the sound you want. Also I'd like to thank you for the nice comments you made. I apologize it took me a little while to get back with you. Blessings in Jesus Christ. Shawn P,S. I would take your index and stick with the first string and let your thumb do the rest until you get used to that. Once you get used to that, then you can start incorporating the 2nd string with your index.
I'm so sorry, I'm recovering from 2 strokes so I'm a little out of practice myself. I was looking at my comment and I told you completely wrong. It is thumb, thumb, index. Like the bum ditty, the bum is thumb, the dit is thumb and the ty is index. A reverse bum ditty would be index, thumb, index. However, on any instrument whether guitar or banjo, do what blends better with the song you are playing. It takes practice but it will come natural. I hope to be doing new videos soon but everything in God's time. Blessings in Jesus Christ. P.S. Sorry for the misinformation.
does anyone know any resources to learn this for guitar, i realize at this point its pretty adaptable to guitar cause it just the rhythm but i mean like this style
If I was you, I believe I would look up how to thumb pick the guitar. I believe that style is a lot the same by using your thumb and index finger. I believe that is the way Chet Atkins liked to play the guitar. I hope this helps, I'm sorry, that's about all the advice I know to give you.
This might be a silly question, but is there any particular reason to use the index finger rather than the middle finger? The middle finger feels more natural to me, so I'm just wondering. I've practiced to this video with both fingers just in case haha. Thank you so much, this is super helpful!
If the middle finger feels more natural for you, by all means use it. There are many 2 finger banjo players that use the middle finger. Whatever works best for you. Blessings in Christ.
Chris, this is Shawn's wife writing for him. He is coming slowly but he is doing better. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. God our Father and Jesus Christ does exist and you are the Lord's favored if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. All we can do after that is try. We will pray for you too!! ❤Blessings in Christ.
