Banjo Heaven: April 2024

Friday, April 26, 2024

Hundreds Of Folk Songs For Band-in-a-Box

Here is a helpful collection of hundreds of Band-in-a-Box files of jigs, reels, hornpipes, airs, marches, waltzes and fiddle tunes. Band-in-a-Box just keeps getting better and better! With the real instrument plugins now available with BB, these files are worth gold for home musicians. They are all Zip files, each containing an assortment of invaluable songs to play your banjo along with...

airs (9 songs)
fiddle (161 songs)
folkirish (54 songs)
folkmisc (4 songs)
folkNA (20 songs)
folkScottish (49 songs)
hornpipes (39 songs)
jigs (180 songs)
marches (25 songs)
misc (41 songs)
mystyles (20 songs)
reels (211 songs)
Scottish (22 songs)
Slides (3 songs)
waltz (107 songs)

Enjoy!

Saturday, April 20, 2024

New Backing Track For “Peeler's Jacket” (Dave Hum Style)

I just made a new backing track for the Irish reel, Peeler's Jacket, in Dave Hum style. Here is the TablEdit tablature that I made, which I think is pretty close.

I also made a backing track the best I could. I am still learning how to make backing tracks like Dave Hum did. His musical and technical skills were nothing short of amazing. I love that man! I followed Dave's YouTube video to make the track as close as I could. I will explain later how I made the track, in case you'd like to make some of your own. Believe it or not, it is 100% MIDI. I didn't play any musical instruments to make the backing tracks. Here they are at various speeds:

My bass playing is okay, but not the greatest. Sadly, MIDI bass sounds better than my own bass playing, so I used it instead...lol. Hey, whatever works! I think you'll like what I made. And as always, I encourage you to freely share anything I make with others. I do this because I love music! So enjoy.

This is a tricky song to master, but well worth the effort. I really like playing it.

How I Made This Backing Track

I discovered something this week about Dave Hum's backing tracks, that he sets the tambourine and piano padding about 1/64th beat after of the kick drum (at least that is what it seems to me). I'd appreciate any comments if someone has any. You can also email me. I kept wondering why my tracks don't sound as good as his. Well, one reason (I humbly think) is that my timing was wrong. I made a couple examples for you to hear what I am talking about. The difference is subtle, but you can hear it.

First, here is a track with plain timing (the tambourine is set equally between the kick drum beats).

Now, here is the same piece, but with the tambourine and piano padding set slightly after the kick drum beats.

And here is the second track with some added effects.

I used MixCraft Studio Pro 10, which I enjoy using. I added a preset for the drums called called, Punchy. For the piano I added a preset called, Saloon. For the Peeler's Jacket backing tracks I used Punchy for the percussion, Bright Grand for the piano and Smooth & Warm for the bass. I really like the built-in effect presets that come with MixCraft, that with the click of a button you can add to enhance your recordings.

I entered all of the bass and keyboard notes with the MIDI editing window. You can also use a MIDI controller if you have one. I find it easier to just use a mouse to enter the notes.

I honestly think that MixCraft is highly underrated as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). God willing, I hope to make many more tracks. I apologize that it has been so long since I worked on my Banjo Heaven blog. I have an old neck injury from 1992, and I fell down at work in 2004, which accidents misaligned my neck. I was diagnosed in 2004 with Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease. I cannot express in words the suffering that I endure on a daily basis. I have burning nerves throughout my upper body (neuropathy). The neck pain is close to my head, which stifles my ambition to do much of anything.

One Day At A Time

I am a Christian but at most only get to church about half the time because I simply don't feel like going. I don't want to be around people when I am suffering in pain, burning nerves and related bodily afflictions. So, I live a lonely life. Thankfully music is a friend that brings some happiness into my life. I love the steel guitar and the banjo. Right now I am focused on learning the banjo. It is a wonderful instrument and the music is happy.

I admire Dave Hum so much for recording hundreds of banjo videos despite suffering in horrible pain. I read his biography online. Dave was put into a life support machine around 2009, when he learned that he had Myeloma cancer. My heart goes out to Dave and his beloved family. I pray for them all the time, whenever I think about Dave. His music is a cherished blessing to the world. By God's grace I intend to promote Dave's music and legacy for the rest of my life. Music makes the world a better place!

I am about the same age as Dave. I was born on March 5th in 1967, a few months after Dave was born in 1966. Like Dave, I suffer with numerous health issues, but none as severe as what Dave contended with. Life is not fair! Why do the best people sometimes pass off the scene so young? Anyway, as my health allows I want to do a lot more with the banjo, and make more backing tracks to freely share.

My first backing tracks in 2021 weren't too great. They didn't have piano padding, which I've noticed that Dave uses a lot. Now that his family has gratefully made some of his backing tracks available for anyone to purchase (which you should definitely go get), I can better hear how he made them. I've noticed that he uses piano padding in almost all of his backing tracks, so I will start doing the same. It helps you follow along with the song better on the banjo. $10 a piece is very standard price for backing tracks, which is what they charge for Dave's tracks. I'd gladly pay double that price! Good backing tracks are worth more than gold for a home musician like me.

I hope you will join me in making more backing tracks. I couldn't find a backing track for Alan Munde's beautiful Peaches & Cream song, which surprised me. I only want to be a blessing and share my music with others. I am a member of the Banjo Hangout (my account name is: BanjoFret12). I haven't done much of anything since 2021, but am excited about getting back into the banjo. It's been a difficult time for me moving from the island of Guam to Pensacola in 2021. I'm finally feeling like I am getting adjusted. I cope with neck pain continually. My maple neck 12.5 pound Recording King Elite-85 banjo aggravates my neck, so I ordered a lighter 7.5 pounds Goodtime Special from Amazon. This will be my banjo for learning. I also have horrible pain radiating down my right arm, which hurts so bad that I just cannot go on working at my computer, or picking the banjo, so I have to stop sometimes and go rest. Still, I am excited about learning more banjo songs. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

I recently told Dave Hum's family in an email how much he inspires me in so many ways. I keep thinking that if Dave can play his banjo and record videos while knowing he's dying of cancer, I can keep going and not allow my disability to discourage me from playing.

I was delighted this week to discover another big Dave Hum fan in the Netherlands named Anurakt Scheepers. He's a fabulous musician and a great guy. Anurakt is a member of the Banjo Hangout. He has backing tracks that he made for all his YouTube songs, and they are excellent. He was gracious to freely share them all with me, which I cherish. I am now working on his song, Fun On The Wabash (tabs by Parka Hunter). If you contact Anurakt through the Banjo Hangout forum, you can ask him about his backing tracks. They are well made.

I am surprised that many more banjo players don't make their own backing tracks. Everything I needed to make Peeler's Jacket came with MixCraft. If anyone has any suggestions, ideas or questions, I'll do what I can to be helpful. I struggle to get through each day, so please don't be offended if you post a message, or I somehow miss your contact, I promise you I didn't do it on purpose. You can email me here. God bless and have a good evening.

World's Greatest Banjo Player - Dave Hum

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The "Double C Tuning" is so happy and pretty to learn and play. I enjoy this tuning a lot. It has a natural feel to it. Here are some basic chord positions to familiarize yourself with it. Dave Hum loves this tuning and I see why. You simply raise your 2nd string from a B to a C, and lower your 4th string from a D note to a C (hence, "Double C Tuning"). Below is a list of Dave Hum's songs in this wonderful tuning. I encourage you to try it!

“When you practice slow, you learn fast.” —Barry Hunn, Deering Banjo Company

Dave Hum's Banjo Tunings

Standard - gDGBD
Double C - gCGCD
G Modal - gDGCD
G Minor - gDG(Bb)D
Open D - aDF#AD
D Minor - aDFAD
Other D - aDGBD
Reuben's Tuning - f#DF#AD

Dave Hum shines on whatever tuning he plays, but I really enjoy his work on the "Double C tuning" (e.g., Maid Behind The Bar, Gaspe' Reel and Coleman's March.)

Dave says: “I like to set up my three main banjos so I can get a compromise between a dry snapping tight head sound associated with the Bluegrass sound and a mellower warmer tone for the Celtic, old-time and ragtime tunes. I have found that some condensed foam inside the pot helps and a combination of medium strings and a not too tight head with the tailpiece parallel to the head helps me to achieve the tone I like. Each banjo has its own character and tone and I am forever tinkering with them to see what gives - which is half the fun!” (quoted from his website)

My banjo is a Recording King Elite 85 with a maple neck. It has a longer than standard neck, at 27 3/8" verses the standard 26 1/4" neck, which I really like. It is built to exact Prewar Gibson specifications. It has a great tone, but I'd say about 80% of a Gibson. I've learned that much of the tone comes from the player's hands, and not the particular banjo brand that is being played (to an extent). Dave Hum's awesome sound comes from his skilled hands. Dave controls the banjo, masterfully, he doesn't allow the banjo to control him.

I did try the things which Dave mentioned above, like loosening my banjo head, putting a block of foam inside my banjo, setting my tailpiece parallel to the head, and putting on some heavier gauge strings (12,12,16,24,12). The result, after 3 months of playing it that way is that I very much like the foam inside, because without it I get overtones that throw off my ears while playing. The foam trick is brilliant, I think.

I prefer my head tight, so I went back up to between an F# and a G# (when you tap on the head you'll get a pitch to tune the rightness by). On my Recording King, it seems that F# is as high as I can safely get without risking over tightening the head. I kept the tailpiece parallel. My string action is as close as I can get without an annoying buzz. I actually have a very slight buzz (at times), that I don't mind, having the strings nice and close to the neck.

I am learning to pick the strings more firmly, like Dave Hum does, which makes a BIG difference in my tone overall while playing! It is important not to try to play just like Dave Hum; but rather, learn TECHNIQUES from him, and apply those skills to your own playing, and you will become more like Dave that way, than merely trying to copy him.

One thing that I have notice is that Dave KNOWS the songs he is trying to play. It is easy to wing through a song without really buckling down and getting into the nitty-gritty of the tablature, which is a mistake. Learn slow, and then work up your speed playing accurately. YouTube is an awesome tool, which allows you to slow down the speed of any video, so you can see what is going on. For many of Dave's songs, like Mason's Apron, I am still playing it at 3/4 speed, because I cannot keep up with him...lol. That is perfectly okay. Music is not a competition, which Dave Him himself once said. Enjoy!

Dave Hum's Banjos

Dave Hum's main banjo is a Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs's Standard) banjo, a reissue of the original Gibson classic.

Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs Standard) 1992

SET UP:

Head - Remo
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D (strings 2 and 3) and Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 12,12,16,24,12
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Nashville, USA
All other parts standard Gibson.

Baldwin Ode Model D '70's

SET UP:

Head - Renaissance
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D/Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Moon Lightweight 1/2
Origin - Arkansas, USA
All other parts standard Ode.

Epiphone MB250 '90's

SET UP:

Head - Five Star
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Made in China
All other parts standard Epiphone.

Dave uses a Compact 60 AER rechargeable acoustic amplifier, which runs roughly $1,000. The amp plugs into the wall to recharge (no replaceable battery). I just run my MP3 player through my JBL Xtreme speaker using Bluetooth, and don't mic the banjo. There's really no right or wrong equipment set up, whatever is available and works is fine with me.

Dave mics his banjo using a Shure Beta 98D mic with A98D bracket clamp. What NOT to buy...

NOTE: I bought a “Feather” Goose pickup for $199 and hate it. It whines continually from feedback, and has wires all over, ripping off when I forget they're attached by clip to my waist. The item comes with umpteen parts that you have to assemble, and it is not easy. Please don't waste your money on it!

Music truly does make the world a better place.

Banjo Has A Steep Learning Curve

Like pedal steel guitar (my favorite instrument), the banjo has a steep learning curve. That simply means the hardest part is getting started. If you can stick with it long enough to learn a couple dozen songs fluently, you'll be off to a fantastic start. I learned 5-string banjo fairly quickly, finding out that there are common picking patterns that once learned, overlap into nearly every other song. I encourage you to learn Blackberry Blossom right away, which will teach you melodic runs.

At first my picking fingers stumbled, because my brain wasn't familiar with the tabs. Friend, if you can play even one thing fast, you can play anything fast once you learn it. Also, I learned 30 years ago while learning to play pedal steel guitar, that my brain processed what I learned at night while I am sleeping. You read right! So when you are plowing away, and it seems hopeless like you'll never get it, during the night your brain will process what you've learned. It's similar to workout out in a gym. You don't build muscles at the gym. You lift heavy weights at the gym. But then during the night is when your body builds new muscle.

I also recommend learning the song, Sailor's Hornpipe, which is another great song to learn your melodic runs. After a month I was playing subconsciously, which is called "muscle memory." I didn't stumble anymore when playing melodic runs, because my fingers already knew what to do. Trust me, if you practice for at least a solid hour every day, you'll quickly advance on the banjo, but you must apply yourself to learn the tabs.

What I am about to say is IMPORTANT. Start out going very slow, to accurately pick every note in the tabs. Your speed will increase in time, as you become familiar with the song, and don't have to think what comes next. Dave Hum is a master of chords, progressions and single note scale runs. What makes Dave Hum so different than all the other banjo artists is that he simply follows the chords and does his own thing musically.

I love Dave Hum and could relate to him the first time I heard him play the banjo. The song was "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett." I cried when he started playing those triplets in the second half of the song. I had never heard anything so pretty. It took me awhile to figure out how he is doing those triplets, but it is super easy once you get it. I slowed it down using MixCraft software so I could hear exactly what he's doing. It reminds me of being on a river boat on the Mississippi River.

Friend, when you're as good as you want to be, you're as good as you're going to get! Hawaiian steel guitar legend, Jerry Byrd (1920-2005), taught me that. Anyone can play the banjo if they are willing to work at it. Talent is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration! Intellect also plays a big part, which I learned about the pedal steel guitar from my musical hero, Lloyd Green.

The best way to learn the banjo, once you have the tabs in front of you, is to study Dave Hum's YouTube videos. I downloaded all of them and converted them into mp3 files for my own use. Play along with his songs. I so much wish Dave's backing tracks were available. His backing tracks are superior to anything available on the internet that I have found. Those wonderful driving tracks are a wonderful canvas for Dave's awesome banjo artistry. I wish Dave was still with us. He sadly died of cancer at age 46 in 2012. It is quite amazing to me that he had the physical and mental strength to record so many of his greatest banjo videos—with cancer, an eye removed and part of his picking fingers amputated. I thank God for Dave Hum and his cheerful music!

I wrote these words to encourage you dear banjo enthusiast. I used to think I would sound like Dave Hum if I bought a 1995 ESS Banjo like he used. Not so! Dave had an aggressive picking style, taking charge of the banjo, and used amazing advanced techniques. TECHNIQUE is the key word (how he majestically manipulated the strings to get the sounds he wanted). You need to watch his subtleties while he's playing. If your playing doesn't sound like him, then you're not doing something the way he's doing it, and that is technique!

One thing that Dave does is he applies quite a bit of picking pressure on the strings, driving the banjo. That is why he needs to wear metal thumb picks and use Velcro to keep the picks from flying off his fingers!

Make Your Own Backing Tracks

I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of backing tracks available online, AND MOST ARE WOEFULLY LACKING ANY REAL INSPIRATION. Some tracks I've found are superb (like Jay Buckey), but there's just something about the simplicity of Dave Hum's tracks, with just a bass guitar!

If the backing track doesn't move the player, you're not going to “feel” the music! Dave's tracks are profoundly simple and have a happy energy to them, reflective of Dave himself. In my humble opinion, Band-In-A-Box is lame compared to Dave's tracks. If anyone has ever tried to make your own rhythm tracks, then you know how difficult and time consuming it is, so I wanted to share some helpful ideas.

Songs are generally composed of 16 to 32 bars. The first thing you need to do is find a song's chords. I found a helpful website which provides the chords to hundreds of oldtime songs, many of which Dave plays on YouTube. For example: Here are the chords for a jig titled, “Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife.” Here is Dave Hum playing the song (awesome). And here are some backing tracts that I made, which you are freely welcome to use and share. By the way, I NEVER sell anything or receive donations. IT'S ALL FREE (as it should be in my humble opinion). All my music is free, and you are encouraged to freely share my backing tracks with others! I am still learning how to make tracks, so I am progressing slowly.

If you'd like to work at making your own backing tracks, as I am doing, you'll need a bass guitar. If you can play guitar, you can definitely play bass, which is simply the four lowest strings on a guitar! Dave Hum's backing tracks are simple, usually just a bass and perhaps a tambourine for simple percussion. Many of Dave’s songs use only a bass guitar.

Buy A Shubb F5 Capo

I really like my Shubb F5 Capo, which stays on the banjo. I had purchase a cheaper Paige banjo capo for about $40, trying to save money, but I hate the thing because it falls off the banjo neck every time I loosen the tension knob. If you're going to spend $40, you might as well splurge and spend the $75. I assure you that you won't be disappointed.

When playing in the key of G, I just loosen the tension nut and slide the capo up over the nut, which works fine. Plus I like the shiny look of the Shubb F5 capo. It is small and easy to use.

I also like that the capo firmly presses the strings down, eliminating any string buzz. I had also purchased some of the cheaper clamp-on type capos for $20 and under, which are okay if that's all you can afford, but you have to play with them oftentimes to get the strings to stop buzzing.

I really like the Shubb F5 Capo!

Banjo Heaven

Friday, April 26, 2024

Hundreds Of Folk Songs For Band-in-a-Box

Saturday, April 20, 2024

New Backing Track For “Peeler's Jacket” (Dave Hum Style)

5 String Banjo Instruction [1967] - Earl Scruggs

Wikipedia

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