--- title: Learning Dueling Banjos Isn't Just For the Advanced Player description: Learning Dueling Banjos Isn't Just For the Advanced Player image: https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Dueling-Banjos.jpg --- [![Deering Banjos - The Great American Banjo Company](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/Deering%20Logo.png "Deering Banjos - The Great American Banjo Company")](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) - [Hooks & Nuts](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com) - [Banjos](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/banjos) - [Find A Dealer](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/apps/store-locator/) - [Support](https://help.deeringbanjos.com/knowledge) - [Accessories](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/accessories) [5-String Banjo](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/5-string-banjo) [banjo lesson](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-lesson) [Playing Tips](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-playing-tips) [banjo tips](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/banjo-tips) [bluegrass](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/topic/bluegrass) # Learning Dueling Banjos Isn't Just For the Advanced Player by [Carolina Bridges](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/author/carolina) on February 25, 2013 ##### Share ![Learning to play Dueling Banjos](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Dueling-Banjos.jpg?width=230&height=153&name=Dueling-Banjos.jpg)Learning anything new can be a challenge. In the past I have approached most new songs with excitement and a good dose of trepidation! After all, my  banjos skills are modest and that is just being honest. Recently I was sent the music for “Dueling Banjos” that included both the musical notation and tablature for guitar and banjo. Having had requests from customers for this music, I knew it was a great offering for the “more experienced player.” But, what about the beginner...the player who knows where the strings are without looking and can manage a pull-off, slide, and hammer on? These few basic skills are covered in “[**First Lessons Banjo” by Jack Hatfield**](http://www.deeringbanjos.com/first-lessons-banjo) , a book I have recommended frequently to new players. Could I even begin to learn “Dueling Banjos” with this basic arsenal of banjo skills? Over this last holiday I gave it a try... When I first opened the music, I said, “No way!” “That looks too complicated” “It has WAY too many notes!” I have this phrase I use when some big and daunting project comes my way. “How do you eat an elephant? ONE BITE AT A TIME!” I decided that this was the perfect tactic to apply to learning “Dueling Banjos.” Once I finally figured out which tab line to read, I noticed that if I just took one measure at a time that the song had lots of fun to offer. Sometimes the strings were played open...very approachable. The fretted combinations were not four-finger spreads for the most part...a great sigh of relief on my part. Taken measure by measure the song was not as daunting a task.  Not only was this very true, I found each measure has some beautiful combinations of notes. It was like running through a field of flowers...finding each “musical” blossom in the song as I tip-toed through it measure by measure. I went through all 10 pages finding not only challenge but success. What did I learn about my playing skills? That I could do more than I thought. That taking on a new piece of music is a joyful adventure. That I had a long way to go before I would EVER memorize this piece ...yes,there are a lot of notes! That playing the music had introduced me to some beautiful note combinations. That just “playing” it was great practice!  That I will miss out on a lot of great banjo music if I let the number of notes on a page “scare” me! We are offering the [music for “Dueling Banjos”](http://www.deeringbanjos.com/products/dueling-banjos) on the site beginning today. I know the advanced and intermediate players will want to get it if they don’t already own it. I wrote this to ask those of you who, like me, are BEGINNERS to give it a try! Play slowly. Take “small bites” and savor the pleasure of a song that inspired many folks to take up playing the banjo. It still inspires! 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[December 2024 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2024/12) - [March 2025 (1)](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/archive/2025/03) see all [![Deering Banjos - the Great American Banjo Company](https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/Deering%20Logo.png "Deering Banjos - the Great American Banjo Company")](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) 3733 Kenora Dr. Spring Valley, CA 91977 - [619-464-8252](tel:+619-464-8252) - [info@deeringbanjos.com](mailto:info@deeringbanjos.com) - [HOME](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/) - [BANJOS](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/banjos) - [FIND A DEALER](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/apps/store-locator/) - [ARTISTS](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/blogs/deering-artists) - [CONTACT US](https://www.deeringbanjos.com/pages/contact-us) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Carolina Bridges", "url" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/author/carolina" }, "datePublished" : "2013-02-25T18:58:34.000Z", "headline" : "Learning Dueling Banjos Isn't Just For the Advanced Player", "image" : [ "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Dueling-Banjos.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/learning-dueling-banjos-isnt-just-for-the-advanced-player", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.deeringbanjos.com/hubfs/Logos/deering-logo-green-406325-800x163.png" }, "name" : "Deering Banjos" } } ```