Banjo Video Lessons by John Boulding
This is a really great lick that can be implemented in your playing...
LOTW - Banjo Lessons: Useful licks - A low-position Scruggs lick
I'm having fun learning new licks and playing along with Dave Hum's backing tracks. I am so thankful to Dave's family for sharing these with the world. I hope they'll make many more available. They are worth more than gold to me as a home musician. I am working on making some more backing tracks of my own. I want to make one for Peaches & Cream by Alan Munde. I really like that song. Lord willing, if I do make it, I'll share it with everyone. My neck alway hurts, and I have Peripheral Neuropathy (burning nerves, numbness, radiating arm pain, et cetera), which makes it difficult for me to do anything. One day at a time.
Banjo Ben Clark did a wonderful job playing this song. I really like Ben. A couple years ago, I signed up for 6 months of his monthly banjo lessons. It was only about $25 per month. GOOD STUFF!!! Ben's got some backing tracks also, which is the main reason I signed up. I won't sign up for any lessons that don't include backing tracks, which I need to motivate me. Alan Munde has some tabs for sale on his website, but there are no backing tracks, which is unfortunate.
I am surprised that the BanjoHangout has so little in the way of backing tracks. The one's that do exist are nearly all junky computerized tracks. I was looking in the forum this evening for Earl's Breakdown (I really like that song), but there is no backing track for it. Lord willing, I want to make a track for that song. To play the song correctly, you need a Keith D tuner, or Cheat-A-Keys (to lower string 2). It is a classic favorite Bluegrass song.
I just paid a guy (who makes backing tracks for a living) to make me a backing track for Gaspe Reel the way Dave Hum played it. Dave used the Double C tuning, one of my favorites. When I receive the backing track in a couple weeks, I will share it freely with everyone. So, please come back and visit every so often.
By the way, I really appreciate everyone's interest in my BanjoHeaven blog. I'm a born-again Christian (since age 13 in 1980), so I thought "BanjoHeaven" was an appropriate name for my blog. I just love the banjo, love music, care about people and desire to create and share stuff to encourage, inspire and help other banjo enthusiasts enjoy the instrument more. My main instrument is the steel guitar, so pursuing the banjo is new and exhilarating to me. I'm having a lot of fun learning. Dave Hum is my main inspiration.
I want to record some banjo videos, but I am still learning and working toward it. I just ordered a Hatfield Buck Creek banjo last month. Arthur was very kind when I emailed him. He told me that his wife recently passed away. I shared with him that my wife divorced me in 2006, and I have lived alone and lonely for the past 18 years. He actually expressed empathy and said he hoped that I find a wife. I thought that was sweet of him to care. I'm glad that he is building me a banjo.
Most banjo makers use a CNC machine to make their necks, but Arthur makes all his necks by hand. I really like that. I had originally ordered a Deering Golden Era from Banjo.com in 2022, but that turned into a gigantic nightmare and I never got the banjo. It took me 20 months to get my $4,899 back. I will never buy anything from Banjo.com again! What a horrible place.
From all the reading I've done, I don't think I can go wrong with a Hatfield banjo. I've never read even one negative comment about Arthur or his banjos. So far I am well pleased with doing business with Mr. Hatfield. He said I should get the banjo in about 4 months, but I sincerely told him to take his time. I'll let you know when it arrives, take some pictures and Lord willing, record a song.
I'm working on Mason's Apron now as played by Dave Hum. I love that song. I can only play it at about 70% speed, but I like it slow. YouTube allows you to change the playback speed of videos, which is helpful. I have Dave's backing track for Mason's Apron, which is awesome! I sure hope Dave's family release more backing tracks. If you haven't purchased the 40 now available, I encourage you to get them while you can. You won't be disappointed. They are really great!
That's it for now. God bless.
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