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I just bought a Banjo.


DanYmaL X

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Just thought I'd share...

never played one, always wanted to, the opportunity just presented itself and I thought, why not???

And maybe those reverse rolls can help with my right hand dexterity...

plink-plink plank plink plink plank

plank plink pluunk....

 

sweet.

 

DX

Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe

Pod X3 Live

Roland Bolt-60 (modified)

Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10

Acoustic 2x12 cab

 

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DX, Good Luck with the Banjo ! I gave it a go a few years back ( a friend let me borrow his for a few months), My experience was eye opening and interesting ! for one thing this instrument almost seems to me to be the polar opposite of

a bass, the normal tuning is an open G or D ?

with the top string tuned highest,

(talking 5 string banjo right?)and a few frets shorter than the other strings! Plus I guess after

years of playing bass with my fingers I could never get used to using the finger picks, it felt to me like walking on stilts if that makes any sense?. I did however learn some cool banjo picking patterns that I sometimes still use .... Of course you'll have to learn "dueling banjo's" LOL ! also these instruments are LOUD - piercingly LOUD ! Again - Good luck and have fun.

 

:wave:

I'm Todbass62 on MySpace
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Danymal...

Did you feel your IQ drop when you picked up the banjo?

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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Originally posted by CMDN:

Danymal...

Did you feel your IQ drop when you picked up the banjo?

Hyuk! Yee-ep! An' muh ferunt teeth done fell aout an muh clothin' turned inta them thar bib-overalls... An' I Ah done found thisn' heeyar straw hat an' corn-cob pipe an done set mahself down on muh ferunt porch an' done started jest a-pickin an a-grinnin' away!

Yeee - Haw!!! Maw, git muh shotgun, I sees a possum in the ol' pine tree!

 

DX

Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe

Pod X3 Live

Roland Bolt-60 (modified)

Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10

Acoustic 2x12 cab

 

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Originally posted by danymal_x:

Originally posted by CMDN:

Danymal...

Did you feel your IQ drop when you picked up the banjo?

Hyuk! Yee-ep! An' muh ferunt teeth done fell aout an muh clothin' turned inta them thar bib-overalls... An' I Ah done found thisn' heeyar straw hat an' corn-cob pipe an done set mahself down on muh ferunt porch an' done started jest a-pickin an a-grinnin' away!

Yeee - Haw!!! Maw, git muh shotgun, I sees a possum in the ol' pine tree!

 

DX

:freak: LOL :D
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I've played in two Catholic church groups that had banjos. Definitely adds flavor to the mix. One of the players is a guitarist first, bassist second, banjo third - he's really talented. He also has a PhD in library science and teaches at a local college.

 

That said, you'd better warn your sister you intend to marry her... :eek::D

 

Tom

www.stoneflyrocks.com

Acoustic Color

 

Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt

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Originally posted by danymal_x:

Just thought I'd share...

never played one, always wanted to, the opportunity just presented itself and I thought, why not???

And maybe those reverse rolls can help with my right hand dexterity...

plink-plink plank plink plink plank

plank plink pluunk....

 

sweet.

 

DX

How cool! I've also always wanted to learn banjo... Let me know how you progress with it. If you find it pretty simple, I may just go out and get one.

"Bass isn't just for breakfast anymore..."

 

http://www.mp3.com/Addix_Metzatricity

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Originally posted by Tom Capasso:

That said, you'd better warn your sister you intend to marry her... :eek::D

 

Tom

:D I'm glad I wasn't taking a drink of coffee when I read this! As it was, everybody in the office was staring at me...

 

Originally posted by Addix M.:

How cool! I've also always wanted to learn banjo... Let me know how you progress with it. If you find it pretty simple, I may just go out and get one.

Addix... it's not that hard really... the tuning is a bit different but not so much as to make it a hard transition from bass or guitar.

You should give it a shot.

 

DX

Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe

Pod X3 Live

Roland Bolt-60 (modified)

Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10

Acoustic 2x12 cab

 

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Well, i must say...living in the same town as

Bill Monroe(the father of Bluegrass) while growing up, the Banjo was my instument of choice for many years, i love the unique sound and the playability...Although i grew up and my musical interests eventually led me to Bass, I love the Banjo and find it a very classy vintage instrument!! Have fun with it DX!!

Set the pace.......add more Bass!!
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Hey Bouncer- me too dude. I'm the proud owner of a Earl Scruggs standard model with hearts and flowers inlay. my handle is also banjo related- I thought it would be a good name for one of those crossover bands that use a banjo, like banjovi. I just added a couple of banjo jokes because my teacher said to never let the unannointed catch you with a banjo joke that you don't already know. I've also noticed that banjo players seem to have a lot of the qualities ascribed to bass players in other genres, supportive, low maintenance etc. As an aside let me mention that I have yet to meet a bluegrass guitar player that has that certain je ne sais quoi, how you say in eenglish, asshole guitar wanker attitude. In bluegrass that position goes to the fiddler. must be why the wanks head for rock.
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There was a cool Rock band in the 80's called "Mama's Boys". Anybody remember them? Anyway, they use to incorporate a fiddle into thier act, it was truly awesome!! Why not a banjo?? Just crank it up and go for it!!
Set the pace.......add more Bass!!
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Originally posted by 57pbass:

Learn the Lick from DELIVERENCE.

 

1 4 5 in G Maj

 

You will an instant hit at any event.

Isn't that kinda like a G*&!tar player learning Smoke on the Water or Satirway to Heaven??

 

:P

DX

Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe

Pod X3 Live

Roland Bolt-60 (modified)

Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10

Acoustic 2x12 cab

 

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Danymal- Never play that lick. The kid in Deliverance set the instrument back 100 years with that lick.

 

Bouncer- I'm not familiar with Mommas Boys but in the 70's there was another rock band called Hot Tuna that used a fiddle played by an elderly gentleman named Papa John (S)Creach. The band was an offshoot of Jefferson Airplane and was the first one that I can remember that used a wah wah pedal that sounded good.

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Banjo talk, eh?

 

Saturday the Christian Country/Bluegrass band I play in ( www.doubleportion.com ) played at an antique tractor show and tractor pull. We normally do sets that are only mildly bluegrass, but our lead singer is pregnant, so band leader wanted to lighten the load on her (his wife!)

 

So he decided to go heavy on the banjo licks. Sure enough, at the end of the show, when the unwashed public left, we did a private party and barbecue for all exhibitors. And, sure enough, someone called "Dueling Banjos" from the audience, and so...

 

Both guitarists are grinners and strummers, can't play "licks" so I wound up playing the guitar part on bass, dueling with the banjo player. I don't know that song, 'xactly.

 

But, using my mutant powers, I was able to hear what he was doing, and ape him (just like the guitar did on the original)

 

It was a hit.

 

Here's the downside...he's gonna add that to our permanent setlist. "Dueling Banjos" with banjo and bass.

 

Harummph. For this I went to college? :D:D

"Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread.

 

Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate.

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Davebrownbass- Now you've done it. your punishment will be to play that lick...FOREVER! BWAHAHAHAHA! But seriously, they are a crowd pleaser, especially to older folks. You can just see them being transported back to some event in their youth, it really is beautiful.
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Uhh...

 

Isn't anyone from down south gonna post a reply to all those jokes. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed that bit by danymal_x (hadn't laughed that hard in a long time), I'm just kinda surprised this thread hasn't ruffled any feathers.

 

Don't you think it's kinda ironic how that my "rig is bigger than yours" thread were some arrogant jackass dissed jeremyc got so combative. It's kinda like, you can say all you want about my heritage, but don't you dare talk shit about my rig.

 

Anyway, I'm all for jokes even if they're about my ethnic group or geographical area as long as they're funny. So feel free to dis latin music and latin people in future threads, just make me laugh. :thu:

Does it hurt?

 

Only when I'm awake.

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conguiño,

 

I hear you. I suspect that musicians (and people in general) have certain stereotypes that they joke about because it's a "typical" joke. Many of us have probably heard bad banjo bands, as well as killer bands with a banjo. As musicians, we would all respect a great player of any instrument, but joke about certain instruments just the same. For people that aren't into American Country music, it can be a joke. Rock, jazz, and other forms are a joke to outsiders. We try to laugh at all of it here as much as we appreciate it.

 

The "big rig" thing points to something that's close to home. We resent others of our craft that abuse being a musician by going for the hype and glory without the substance. It goes back to being in a music store and having an inexperienced person wail away with loud and awful playing. It's not that we don't wish them to learn, just have enough respect to turn it down a bit. Know your place amongst other musicians.

 

Like this board. Ask reasonable questions, and you'll get help. We don't accept those who use posts to criticize others, behave badly, or do "spam-only" posts.

 

Tom

www.stoneflyrocks.com

Acoustic Color

 

Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt

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It just occured to me... While on the topic of bass and banjo, Bela Fleck and VW :thu: .

 

"Zenergy" off of Vic's "Yin-Yang" really impressed me the first time I heard it, and the 2nd, 3rd, etc..... It hadn't occured to me that that jazz-bluegrass thing could sound so fucking awesome. It's kind of like when you have trouble solving a math problem, and when you finally find the solution, you're like duh!

 

I didn't exactly grow up on southern music, so what bluegrass artists do you guys like?

Does it hurt?

 

Only when I'm awake.

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If I could only pick one it would be Flatt and Scruggs, Foggy Mtn. Banjo. If you would like to explore this amazing genre try Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, The Carter Family, The Dillards, The Johnson Mtn Boys (yeah). Better yet get ahold of "Will The circle be Unbroken?" cd for a great sample. In spite of the brilliant playing bluegrass is vocal music so pay attention to the harmonies, remember that most of the greats were pretty much self-taught, and then think again about the hillbilly stereotype.
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