5 Tips To Help Inspire You When Learning Banjo

by Carolina Bridges

Have you ever looked up the definition of “inspiration?” Here it is: stimulated to do the process of being mentally or feel something, especially to do something creative. And the source of inspiration may be a lot more basic than we think.

I have twin sons. One of my greatest memories of their milestones in life was when I saw one of them roll over in his crib. We all understand how basic that is…but coordinating your hands, feet, legs, and  a “roly-poly” middle to make going from your back to your tummy is quite a process for a baby. We  talk about learning to crawl before we can walk…but folks, we all had to learn to just roll over before we could begin to  learn how to crawl. We need to be able to see our own small successes, no matter how humble, so that we continue to  progress and inspire ourselves to move forward.  Little victories make for great successes. Be inspired by your own success when learning banjo. Here are a few examples of what I mean.

  1. Learn just one roll pattern. Or learn one clawhammer movement. Or learn one strum pattern.
  2. Learn to play that one movement with your eyes closed. This is what it will take for you to learn a new song. While you won’t have your eyes closed, they will be looking elsewhere. You want to “know” where the strings are with your picking hand without looking so you can look at your fretting hand and/or  the song book!
  3. Learn one new 2-finger chord. Practice it using your roll patterns/strum, etc.,  and see what lovely music you will make. Do it open and then put in your chord! You will be “improvising”!
  4. Learn one new 3-finger chord. Practice it using your 2-finger chord and play it open…music happens just this way.
  5. Learn one new 4-finger chord. Practice it along with your 2-finger chord, your 3-finger chord, as well as open.

If you still need help with your banjo chord shapes you can download a free  banjo chord chart here!

COMMENTS

Kristin Scott Benson chooses the Deering Golden Series banjos
New call-to-action

Search Blog Post

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Oct 8.2024

The Importance Of A Warm Up Routine

It doesn't matter what style of banjo playing you do, creating a warmup routine for yourself each time you pick up your banjo will help you progress and...

May 30.2024

How to Develop Your Unique Banjo Style

Every banjo player dreams of a signature sound, a style that sets them apart and instantly captivates listeners. It's the difference between mimicking your...

Oct 26.2022

How Hard Is It To Play the Banjo

One of the biggest myths about the banjo is that it is hard to play. After generations of blisteringly fast bluegrass licks dominating the public's perception...

May 23.2021

Can You Play Clawhammer Banjo On a Resonator Banjo?

"Can you play clawhammer banjo on a resonator banjo?" It's a question that comes up fairly often both on online forums and out in the public. The answer is...

sign up for our newsletter

Archives

see all