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So, just bought my first banjo....and, at 65 years old, first instrument ever as a matter of fact. I ran across your video series "30 Days of Banjo." After watching the first three episodes, it seems like it something that is completely achievable! And so it begins!
Don't worry too much about having super skills, most of the funnest jams and songs we love don't have intensely complicated instrumentals, just keep learning one song at a time and you'll always have it with you
Thanks Eli, Just picked up a Banjo at 70 years old. Fingers are full of arthritis and old man working hands. So it has been a little hard trying to get my rolls down. Keep banging the 1st string trying to hit the 2nd so I get frustrated. I get what your saying. Slow down, ain't in any race so why rush it and screw up. So trying to slow down tomorrow during practice. I guess speed will come in its good old time. No need to rush it. Thanks again for the help... dave
Love your videos Eli!! Keep em coming brother!! Practicing on back up right now and keeping the drive going with licks between my back up playing...getting better everyday!!!
I really needed to hear all of this! The importance of the difference between practice and playing was great. Currently working on a piece by the Dead South- sometimes it works ....
Great way to say what is really important in becoming a good/great musician. It really takes work, thanks for the excellent information on practice versus playing.
Eli, I have just become aware of you, and I must say I am very impressed with not only your skill as a very fine banjo player, but also your teaching style . You not only provide great versions of popular bluegrass songs, but explain the nuances and difficulties. I currently am struggling with right hand anchoring and interference of ring finger with middle finger. I really got a lot out of your fixing your bad habits video. Great to have a banjo Maineiac out there to help us, I can say that because my family is from Maine, (Deer Isle). Love what you do and plan to keep in touch. I'm currently working on Roanoake and Sailors Hornpipes . Many thanks, Dave Heath 🙂
Your a confidence booster Eli! I had such trouble learning to do the pinch in day 2. I stayed patient and practiced it for days. After adjusting the way I was wearing the picks it just came to me. Thanks for your advice and lessons
Wow Eli great video! I’ve been playing the banjo for about 2 years now and feel like there have been several times when my progress has plateaued and I’ve broken through to get a lil better before the next plateau. But hopefully the mindset and focused practice talked about in this vid can help me keep improving
I learned to play solos on my banjo , but didn't realize i needed to play backup to enjoy playing with others . I found your videos on playing chords and have dug the banjo out again with a new approach for a new year . Thanks for helping me dust it off!
Your videos are a big help with inspiration for me. I am just learning the banjo and having real problems with getting my left hand to work with my right. But that's getting better with time but that's my biggest problem right now. But thank you for your videos they really do help me a lot.
I'm new and over excited but so glad I found you thanks for going slow and not over expecting . I'm at lesson 3 and loving what I can do. Had to trim nails more to get my left hand to sound better on frets and keep my hand planted or grounded. I find my picking hand floating while I play. Thanks for your videos and for not rushing 👍
I used to play a lot, but I haven't had my banjo out of the case in over a year. Now it's almost worse than starting from scratch, because the frustration is really there constantly. Thank you for your videos. I'm going to come back to playing well , but I want to come back the right way and that means don't worry about getting up to speed---just be sure the picking is clean and accurate. The speed will come if I follow your videos like a rank beginner and don't rush it. Your videos are the best I've ever seen. Thanks again.
Playing my first banjo at 55! A gift from my husband, using the left hand with fingers in frets is my current keep practicing mode, 5 lessons from your you tube videos and totally enjoying it! Lots of relative practising.
I've been working on cripple creek and have been using this advice to get better on the 3-2 pull off. It is one of my weakest points. Thanks a lot for the content. Being a Patreon supporter was never so rewarding!!
Hi Eli, trying to make the transition from clawhammer to 3 finger and your videos are the clearest path from here to there. Thanks for clear, articulate lessons.
Awe man,you are so right,this has got me in a better frame of mind for learning in the future.thanks a million.no time like the present to get started.Alan Scott
This has helped me so much!! I realize that I have been doing a couple of things that you pointed out. I do practice one piece at a time over and over until I've got it. But my mistake is like you said, trying to play faster when I'm obviously not ready for that yet!! I'm new to your channel, and I just turned on notifications. I've been playing banjo for about 2 months now, and I'm not taking lessons, so videos like yours help me SO much!! Jesus loves you Eli! Have a blessed weekend!
Thank you, I really enjoy your videos. In my experience playing is fun, practice is really, really hard! Eight years in (complety self taught) and I find that I often reach plateaus where my progress stalls. That's when I stop practicing so much and just do more playing for a little while. A couple of weeks goes by and I go back to fighting the hard parts and often what was really hard seems a whole lot easier. You can't be too rough on yourself, banjo is meant to be fun first.
Man, I'm glad watched this video when I was just first getting started on the banjo a few months ago. Some of principles here have, I think, really helped me to avoid bad practice habits. It's still tempting to try to play things as fast as I possibly can, even imperfectly - and I do, some - but I'm quick to then slow down and drill over the correct notes to make sure I'm not reinforcing bad habits. Anyway, great advice, thanks Eli.
At least you seam like you really care about your students on getting better with your videos! I’m just picking my banjo up again after 14 years hope to learn more about your style thank you, Bobby
I have been trying to play Banjo just for the fun for a number of years. I have made little progress and this video really tells me why in a number of ways. THANKS!
Thanks for making these videos Eli. I’m currently working on a melodic version of Red Haired Boy my banjo instructor Sam Guthridge put together for me. It’s similar to the first version you have on your video which I have been using to figure out a backup on my own. Thanks again for all you do.
Hey Eli, I play clawhammer and also now trying to learn Bluegrass, that is one of the most common sense and practical approaches to learning music (or anything) that I have heard. I think the key is learning each task one by one and getting it right but I never thought of it the way you explained. Thanks
I can only speak for myself, but I certainly appreciate what you do for us less talented players and taking the time to teach us. I have good days and I have days when I want to sling my banjo thru the wall, lol. But I truest want to get good on my banjo. And I have noticed a vast improvement in my picking since the 30 days of banjo teaching you put out. So I wish to thank you
I really enjoyed this video for the common sense approach to practice or playing. I have been using 30 days along with a banjo teacher who has endorsed this progression to learning banjo for the first time.
I appreciate your take on the difference between practice and playing for your own enjoyment. Your explanation demystifies some of the difficulties I am having in making progress. Thank you for the words of encouragement...they are helpful. Also an observation. I think that a large portion of your 30-Day students consists of us folks within 5 years either way of their 70's. Sure, learning is difficult, and we all experience running into brick walls, but at least we are running in a good herd. We ALL need to stay strong! Thanks for the guiding hand.
I do enjoy watching your videos, am currently learning Clinch mountain and am really battling with it, thanks for the tip in breaking it down... will try that
I’m just starting the banjo and have got into your 30 day lessons… I’ve been playing the guitar for about 30 years so I’ve got a bit of a start but, the banjo is new and exciting to me it’s even rekindled my guitar playing as it was getting a bit stale… So thanks for your videos and keep up the good work… Cheers from Scotland….🏴
Thank you Gilbert for this video! I could not agree more regarding practicing with intention and playing to fast when learning new material. I become impatient and lack focus. Now back to playing again after a thirty plus year break and now learning with intention and cleaning up my mistakes. I’m 2/3s the way through Ground Speed.
Hi Eli, I agree 100% with everything you say and it is a message I use myself. It is a surprisingly difficult message to get across, and even in the lesson I will ask a student to try something again and it is as if I had never mentioned about practising slowly. Also I find students do not always recognise the mistakes they are making, especially with timing so I really encourage the use of a metronome for that... Hreat channel by the way.
Your honest comments about practising to get better, playing for fun, and not wasting your time are so refreshing, Mr. Gilbert. You are an excellent teacher. I look forward to my banjo sessions and your tutorials every day. I am led by the dream of playing at a little log cabin I built in the woods near my home where I boil maple syrup in the spring with my friends. I have played piano for years, but the vision of playing the banjo well on the porch next to the woodshed motivates me to follow your method. At 57, I am enjoying this in a deep way that I have not experienced in quite a number of years. Thank you so much from Northern Ontario, Canada!
I just found this video and yes very helpful, I have played the saxophone for about 25 years and learning something new always helps so we I heard the banjo being played again about a week ago and always wanted to play it I bought one so now I’m trying to learn it but like most people we want to play it now, can’t be done leaning slower always works. Thank for the tip. Mark
Subscribed..been playing off and on but got a good enough (amazon) banjo and things not so crazy now and really wanting to focus. Using your videos. Thank you
Thank you for telling us honestly and directly what we need to hear to be successful. I will definitely practice slowly and intentionally because I am an absolute beginner. Lol. I also appreciate your wisdom in telling us not to move on to the next bar until mastering the first. I first “started” to learn banjo from my Dad and uncles when I was a small child. I did not have the patience or wisdom then to know what it takes. I’m 63 now and living proof an old dog can learn new tricks. My uncle passed away and I have his banjo (such an honor and treasure). He placed Earl Scruggs pegs on it. Anyway, I love your teaching style and THANK YOU for speaking and teaching slow enough that I’m not intimidated and I can keep up.
Thanks so much for your teaching. I bought my dad a banjo many many years ago. He took some lessons and loved to play. He died several years ago and I’ve always wanted to hear that banjo again. So 2 weeks ago, I picked up the banjo, tuned those old strings and went online and found you. I just bought new strings and plan to re-string it soon. (By the way, I’m a 68 year old grandma but am loving it.) Thanks so much for reaching me. -Roni Squire
I I am very grateful for you and your videos Eli. Right now I am still working on keeping time without a metronome hammer on and pull offs. This video was something I really needed to hear as I’ve been trying to go to fast myself. Thank you for this.😊
Excellent advice I keep trying to follow. Lots of helpful comments. My favorites are the ones about wanting so much to be able to play like the great music we hear and being frustrated that we can't yet. Most of us don't have the time to get to that level, so we need to find music that sounds good at our lower levels of proficiency. And the banjo isn't exactly a melodic instrument in the more straightforward way of many others. I appreciate all suggestions.
Oh man. This was older than I thought. I sure appreciate your teaching style. I just stumbled my way into this video looking for your day 6 video. I bought a banjo at the age of 42 and have decided to lean it. Great videos. Thanks
Great tips there thank you. Quite new to banjo so this actually helps quite a lot, I’m currently learning foggy mountain breakdown and was doing just as you said, ignored my mistakes and just carried on in hope that eventually with practice I would hit that note correct eventually. Finding the pull off a challenge but working on it. Thanks again 👍
Good video. Good reminders. I’m just getting started. I’m a decent, maybe intermediate-level, clawhammer player, but I’ve always wanted to play BG banjo, too. I’m so intimidated by the whole process... I feel like I’ll never get to the point where I can play songs at tempo. But this is a good reminder - it’s what I did in order to become a better flatpicker and mandolin player.
Your videos are very helpful. I've been working on getting my fingers closer to the strings and comfortable. I also have a tendency to watch my right hand and memorize the left hand position on the frets. I'm working on reversing that or just memorizing both
Great video. I always slow down what I'm playing to get it right. I started out making some bad mistakes, but with slowing down, I finally am getting rid of the bad mistakes I started with before I had a teacher.
I started trying to learn to play the banjo about ten years ago but didn't stick with it. i found everything you are saying to be true because thats exactly what I did, eventually I put it up and haven't picked it up again until now after seeing this video! I'm picking it up again because this all makes so much sense! Thank you Eli!!
Thank you for an incredible video, I have to admit that I'm guilty of every one of those faults. I think I learnt more good, practical tips in this 7 minute video than I have in the last 10 years of learning to play the banjo - all common sense of course, but someone once said that there's nothing common about common sense.... Thank you for renewed inspiration!
Currently practicing a few of the measures in the 1st break of Scruggs' "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." I love seeing all of the little nuisances in various phrases of the song. It seems like the variation was so thoughtful on each instance he played a lick. So much to learn.... Thanks for the insights Eli!
I appreciate this advice and I'm showing it to my daughters (they play piano and violin) because I've asked them to slow down when practicing SO MANY TIMES!! That being said, I'm on Day 3 of your 30 Days of Banjo and I'm guilty of practicing too fast as well!! Thanks for the reminder to slow down and get it right!
Hi Eli I'm at Day 15 of your 30 Days of Banjo, series. Its hard to go slow...we want to be "there" and play the rolls that we feel when listening to the banjo music. But then I listen to a recording of Cripple Creek and it brings me back to earth, my goodness 160 is fast!!! So you are right and its like a saying I heard when learning to ride a motorcycle....first you get good, then you get fast! Thanks for your work on these videos. I am enjoying them ALOT!!
I wish Eli lived in my neck of the woods. i have a feeling he could turn me into a banjo player with in a year. 8 years and not where i want to be. THANK YOU ELI !!!
Hi Eli. I've just bought a banjo, & I am on day 2 of your 30 days of Banjo. I am really enjoying the lessons . I have just watched this video, & found it most helpful, especially the part about practising slowly, & also about not trying to learn a whole song but rather breaking it down into small sections. I would like to thank you for your great lessons. Paul Lucas.
Mr. Gilbert, not only have I enjoyed your patient and honest approach to teaching the banjo, but I find that your emphasis on correcting mistakes with slow and focused practising has application outside playing the banjo. This approach to other, in fact most areas of one's life seems to be the surest way to build success. Thank you!
An excellent discourse on the why and how of practicing. This is great advice for anyone trying to learn any instrument, not just the banjo and should be passed on to other teachers to pass on to their students. I'm taking a third swing at learning the banjo as life keeps knocking me off track. I keep coming back to it though. Hopefully I will be able to stay the course this time.
I'm on day 4 of your 30 Days of Banjo and really digging it. This has been my first four days of banjo ever. I was especially pleased that the first lesson didn't feature the first string, as I snapped it setting the banjo up. I was, you guessed it, moving too fast and admittedly very excited. After taking my first steps on the 4 string banjo, I'm back to 5. Anyway, right now I'm struggling with keeping a finger (sometimes 2) on the head. They're moving around a lot and as we're learning new picking/pinching movements I don't think I've found my happy place for those fingers. I appreciate the playing and practicing distinction. Thank you for your videos with all the small encouragements and wisdoms throughout.
Thanks for the great video! I'm still new to banjo and learning through your lessons and Jim Pankey's. Right now, just transitioning from simple chords to others with my left hand is pretty challenging. The rolls seem easier to get at the moment. But it just takes time and practice. Found your bad habits and why you're not getting better videos and thought I'd check them out before I start making big errors. Very helpful thanks!
Hi banjo players and friends. The video lessons from ELI Gilbert, are absolutely the best lesson about your position right hand and advanced technique left hand, and more, with songs and instrumentals. Regards Pavel
Thanks for these videos. I'm definitely going to take your advice as I'm about to return to the banjo for the 5th time in 20 years. The reason I kept giving up is frustration. All the things you say are true and for me, it's always trying to play too fast; because that's what I think the song is supposed to sound like. Foggy Mountain Breakdown doesn't sound right at 100 bpm, so I play it fast, over and over with a lot of mistakes and tension. One thing that gave me encouragement was to record myself playing a song at a speed where I could play the song perfectly; which was typically about 1/2 speed. Then, I play the recording back and speed up the recording. It would sound like a professional! That was great reinforcement that my timing was good, and all notes were played with the proper spacing. But, I could never stick it out and play within my ability. I want to play Sled Ridin' like Jim. I want to play Petty Coat Junction like Earl. But, I'm not that good. I would also try and play songs beyond my ability. Why am I trying to play Are You From Dixie by Butch? Or Bobby's Hee Haw Theme Song? Up to speed no less?!! That's not realistic. This time, I'm going to learn songs measure by measure (great advice!) at a speed that I can manage (with metronome). Thanks again for the great videos!
I tried to learn banjo 50 years ago. Took lessens at a local music shop for 6 months. Bought several beginner books and learned to play a lot of the beginner tunes, but found it difficult to improve. Put the banjo down, joined the military, went to school, got married, had several kids and so on... Last year my kids bought me a nice student banjo in the hopes I would pick it up again, I still didn't (insert any excuse, or all the excuses you hear). Last month I finally dug out my old banjo (it was my grandfathers, a 1930 Kay). I have started anew and I am practicing smarter now, and am playing better than I ever had. I have been taking several of your videos very seriously and have backed up to true beginner steps (Stop Wasting Time, 7 Mistakes, etc.). I am solely focusing on practicing slow and with a purpose to fix my mistakes before I move ahead...tedious, yes, noticeable improvement in ability, absolutely. I can see your method working to push me past the wall I have hit every time i have cracked open my banjo case over the years. I'm 65 next month. I don't have the time to become a master at this, but I do feel I can build a library of great songs that I could play around family and friends and stop hiding my banjo in the basement. Thanks for your on point instruction, Gary C.
Good points there - I practice a new song in small sections, but good advice to focus on the harder bits. Sounds obvious but easy to get carried away with the easier stuff. I’m currently learning blackberry blossom, it’s going alright, just taking me a while to get it clean.
