Never in my life did I ever think I could read music and now at 72 I am learning to read tablature thanks to good folks like Jim Pankey. Jim thank you and a big kudos to your guest for sharing their time and talking with us. If I may add a bit of advice and that is, do not learn alone. Support from good people like Jim and his guest is crucial in the learning process. Now hit that subscribe and thumbs up and let's give Jim our support.
Thanks for doing this, Jim - tickled pink to be on my favorite RU-vid channel with The Man Himself. It's great fun to see everyone and "meet" Dan and Matthew. And wow, GO Matthew!
Carpletunnel sergury on my picking arm so it will be slow going but hell, it took60 years to get the banjo so a couple more months a’int no big deal 17:37 Keep on pickin, Ed
Great video Jim..... Wonderful to see 'us regular folks' out there doing this.... I first picked up the banjo in NOV 2019, watched your beginner videos.....Hit the 'brick wall' of progress, and then got committed to this and bought a Nechville and started weekly Zoom lessons with an instructor and have been at that now for about 16 months..... I have learned patience and perseverance most of all through this journey. My attitude is 'I'm in it for the long haul'... there is NO finish line.... Thank you for all that you do for the banjo world! YOU are invaluable to us ALL !!
Im 26 from Arizona, ive owned my banjo for a few years now. Im not great at it, but it brings me a lot of joy. Thanks for creating your channel and passing down an art.
I've just borrowed a banjo from my brother as I have been wanting to learn for years. I am 75 and will be stating tomorrow, so now I am flicking through all these clips on tube and wondering how long it will take me to be reasonably good, as the standard is unbelievably high. I have been very impressed with the teaching style of Jim and, along with my other new hobby of bee keeping, I'm going to be quite busy for the next couple of years.
These interviews are great! Very inspirational and relatable. I’ve been playing for one year, and enjoy hearing from others. This is helpful. Thanks, Jim, and thanks to these banjo players!
I must say I was feeling really upbeat hearing about how the other Banjo learners were progressing and I identified with them in so many ways, then I listened to Matthew - after only 11 months - wow! Brought me back down to earth quickly. Ha ha. Well done Matthew. Well done Jim. Now where did I put my bangee?
This is great! Thanks for getting other semi new players involved in these interviews. Helps with motivation and the understanding that this is a journey and a marathon and not a sprint! Biggest takeaway is play slow and clean first and then speed will come later
That was a great video. I’m 48 been playing since this Christmas. Actually found your 1 beginner video before I picked my banjo up. Just with that I already had the confidence that I was going to go get it and be dammed if I wasn’t going to learn it.. I practice daily in the beginning 10-15 min at a time. Until I would get frustrated then I’d put it down. Now I am finding it easier to spend 45 min to an hour. I to like Anne practice at the end of the night when all my stuff is done. Well that’s a lie if I’m busy at night I’ll plinky plink before going back out to work I just love it. It’s simple very low tech and I simply enjoy it. Thank you all for the video. I wish I was young and had Matt’s time holy cow that kid. I tried drums and guitar but never put the time in to get it. Maybe after
Jim, one of your best videos. Everyone has tabs and videos (you're the best), but your insight with this video is truly priceless! Your three guests were an inspiration to us "beginners". I appreciated their perspective and advice. Many thanks to you Jim!
This was a GREAT video on the levels of learning everyone is at, to each of you who participated in this video, Thank You ! Jim, thank you for putting it together for us, and opening our eyes.
That was interesting and inspiring!! Thanks for sharing !😊 They gave amazing tips. As a beginner, I practice everyday at least 1h. I sometimes practice 2 to 3 hours on weekends.
Jim, the young guy on there reminds of what I read about Earl Scruggs. When Earl was growing up , he would often practice up to 8 hours a day. I see this young man really moving up with it. I rather see young kids playing an instrument than sitting around playing video games. You are truly a very good teacher and inspiration to all of us. I enjoy your videos very much. Thanks again for doing a great job.
Glad to hear that you’re doing well. I am a new subscriber, and banjo player. Your videos are so helpful to me. You do such a good job at explaining and teaching how to play the banjo. Thanks for doing what you do.
Hey Jim - I really like this video format, its encouraging to hear about other people's learning experiences. I've been hitting a plateau recently, and this is a good reminder to have some fun, and that putting in the hours will pay off. Thanks for putting this content up (and answering all my questions about capos and playing in different keys on your tiktok Livestream!)
I got my banjo seven weeks ago and I can play foggy mountain breakdown fairly well. I practice about an hour a day most days. I started with no experience and went through the basic lessons with Jim.
Very inspirational, as is Jim and his lessons. The common denominator seems to be a love for the banjo no matter what. They also displayed a heartfelt gratitude to Jim Pankey as we all do. I 've placed mine in a great stand in front of the fireplace as an interactive decoration that I can't resist picking up and playing throughout the day and evenings with a music stand nearby for material.
Thanks Jim, great to see other people practicing 👍 I've recently had a break, as Anne said, "thinking I'm not good enough"! But when I think how far I've come along it would be a shame to let it go! Thanks for the motivation, you are a great inspiration to us all! 👍🙂
My first ever banjo arrived today! Your videos have already been so helpful and got me started on day 1! This set of inspirational People makes me hopeful and excited to get some more fun time learning :) thank you Jim and community!
I really enjoyed hearing from some fellow students about their experience and advice. I am a very beginning beginner (about 1 week) and I’m working with your beginner videos. Somehow your teaching style is so clear and relatable that I just enjoy my playing time each day and have confidence that I can do this. Thank you so much for posting both the lessons and this interesting set of interviews!
Been at this for 3 weeks now and starting to get somewhere. Every little bit of information helps in the big scheme of things. Biggest problem I have is when my ' social ' finger is on a fret it interferes with the string below it. Hopefully it'll come good with practice. Thanks Jim from Northland NZ.
I have played the trombone since 1969 in the 4th grade. I have played in many big bands while in high school, college and post college. It has been a joy being with people who have the same passion. Will be going to the Bela Fleck/Punch Brothers concert in December. My brother really wants to get a beginners Banjo. I will surprise him at Christmas.
this is great man thank you and everyone in the video! I played banjo for 34 years most of that time practicing 8-12 hours every single day! I only have a few videos up of me playing banjo but have a library of them on old VHS tapes. something went wrong with my hands back then focal dystonia was not known of but I KNEW something was bad wrong, and more recently diagnosed with RA, all that aside I got hungry for banjo a year ago this month (dec 2021) and been practicing everyday since. people kept telling me try gloves with fingertips cut out, a year ago I did and presto! (no I don't mean tail piece LOL!) after 30 years not playing even with the gloves I quickly found out I'm not going to make up for 30 years off in one year! but hey it's fun trying again! cheers!
Great video Jim! I got my first banjo last Christmas, I’ve since found another 1932 banjo I got off Kijiji. Great to see where other players are at. I just bought a house, and I’m moving out of my apartment (I got a noise complaint two weeks after the first banjo…). I’m really excited to pick up on my practicing schedule!
Jim, thank you so much for having me on. Your channel, and lessons have been truly a gift. I don't think I would have made as much progress otherwise. I look forward to many years of awesome fun with the banjo. Thanks again, Danny
Thanks for the video. I liked all of their advice, but the one that stuck with me the most was. Stop the voices in your head saying you can't do this and slow down and enjoy. Wow, good advice. As always Jim thank you and thanks for all you do for us wanna be's. God Bless
it's never too late to learn an instrument. I felt that myself. there are a lot of banjo teachers here on youtube but you are really one of a kind. I don't know if I'm doing everything right when practicing, but I always can't stop. I spend 3-4 hours sitting at the banjo almost every day. either i follow a tutorial of yours or i just jam and look for some tunes. thank you very much again jim, you have really helped me the last 2 years and beyond
Great Video Jim. This exactly what I needed, I hit a wall & stopped practicing, as Ann would say I listened to the committee in my head. Well sir I going back to the banjo to get where I want to be, this video has really inspired me!!! God bless you all!
like ann I tookup banjo during lockdown(62) I know a bit of everything but all of nothing now I'm working on individual songs - diff chord progressions - vamping till I know them with my eyes closed currently pike county breakdown my dream is being at ease in a jam session , taking a lead backup
Listening inspires me to practice, so today I looked you up and there be this new video. Quickly said, it inspired me to practice. Thank you Jim and those who shared their journey.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Jim!! It's now November, and this month mark one year of me playing the banjo! In fact, I just posted a video of my banjo progress over the past year on my channel! If I had to give advice, it would be to be patient, determined, and try not to go too fast to begin with....speed will come more and more easily over time. I still am not where I want to be in speed and a lot of other things! But if you stick with it, and practice you'd be surprised at how far you can go! God bless you Jim, and everyone who reads this comment! Happy Pickin Y'all! ~ Elisabeth Emory
What would us beginner banjo players do without you!! I am still horrible at it. But like anything new, I will not give up, it takes a lot of practice. Plus I probably need to get better finger picks. Now my husband is also interested. LOL
After 5 years of playing the banjo, I play 15 min to 30 min in the morning and the same in the evening 7 days a week. Play a lot of Rolls and use a Strum machine at different rate of BPM. Thanks for your free lesson.
I now have a banjo at home for about 2 weeks because a Christian American psychologist convinced me that I could play the banjo, but that turned out differently for me. I had a narcissistic mother who either I was born in a breech position and said hated me until she died, played my dad about beating me all my school years with a wooden bar and then a bat, got 3x the extra homework as the school had given and all those memories come flooding back when I try to play the banjo. Then I just put the banjo back in its bag.. even thought to take it back to the music store. Still held... maybe if I cut my head off my torso, maybe those memories that hold me back will stay away 😉🤪 PS = soon I will be 63. I have tried to play many instruments*, I sing best from Baritone to Soprano * Organ, Accordion, Saxophone, Jazz Banjo Allen I failed because of that wretched past of which I have not mentioned everything.
I play everyday ,to raise my bar I pick Three tunes fine tune them 7 days .I drop my previous. I play all styles Inc. Its managing your progress. I'm in U.K. not many know the instrument . No success with guitarist, s acc . Play the wrong Rhythm. I have settled on solo banjo I progress further. Looking back there is lot of misinformation on this subject. I could of progressed earlier. There should be a book of exercises to develop, I struggled finding the correct meter for rolls Janet Davis books have helped (up the neck)etc. I like Jim's delivery not over played still melodic.
Rhythm is so important. Especially in bluegrass. Playing in a band forces the perfection of time. Another extremely important tool is being able to read. You see something you really want to play. You look the chart over. Someone begins the proper count and off you go. Never played the song. You read your part and you just start playing like it was nothing; 2nd nature.
How long forsmt profuce wuality if your forcing yourself to a set time indtead of enjoying the time spent if its fifteen minutes or two hours. Thinking longer time kakes you better when and if your gorcing yourself to do so is as dumb as thinking a $5,000.00 banjo makes you a better player.
