Most helpful client reviews
52 of 54 people found the following review helpful.
You’ll be pickin’ in no time.
By Ben Shaw (benjshaw@aol.com)
My wife can’t believe it, I in truth may play the banjo. I couldn’t have done it without this book. I haven’t expended a dime on private lessons, and you don’t have to either. This is the only lesson you will need. The book comes with an audio tape (or CD) so you may listen the songs. Geoff talks you through each step and in no time, he will have you playing real songs. I only wish Geoff had a second book.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
Great beginner book
By Robert J. Kaiser, III
Of the three banjo beginner books I purchased this is the one I find myself using most frequently.
11 of 11 persons found the following review helpful.
Great motivator!
By A
So, there I was. A thirty-something workaholic looking for a new sideline to unwind a bit, but with very little in the way of musical experience. Nonetheless, inspired by a local Allison Kraus concert, I found a hot deal on a great employed banjo on E-bay and I was off and running! What fun! I’m hooked on the 5-string twang!! About 3 months or so at 30-minutes a day (give or take) and I may play well sufficient to entertain myself – and my wife and the cat may at least stay in the same room!
Not some banjo instructors in New England, so I thought I’d go in for a few good teach-yourself manuals. I purchased four. In order of usefulness they were – Revised Banjo Primer by Geoff Hohwald – First Lessons Banjo by Jack Hatfied – How to Play the 5-string Banjo by Pete Seeger – How to Play Banjo by Tim Jumper.
The Banjo Primer was the best of the lot. I was competent to make good progression with when it comes to 30 minutes exercise each day. The instructions were clear and the tunes were fun to play (Cripple Creek, Boil ‘em Cabbage Down, Worried Man Blues). It was VERY helpful that the book came with a CD. Some lessons I just couldn’t get until I heard them played, then they came easily. Each lesson is played at three speeds, but I’ve beauteous much given up EVER corresponding the insanely fast top speed.
First Lessons was next best. It likewise came with a utile CD with multiple speeds and I think I’ve at least got a shot at the top speed. It also includes tracks with only the backup musicians so you may jam on your own (I haven’t reached that point yet). The choice of music wasn’t as good – the intro claims that well-known songs are having little impact to learn, but I found them to be cliche and boring (Tom Dooley, Old Time Religion, Good Night Ladies). It was much more fun to learn a song I didn’t recognise and finding myself actually playing something that sounds like bluegrass after the long struggle!
Both books cover roughly the same proficiencies and both focus altogether on Scruggs Style picking (all plucking, closely no chord strumming). It’s turning into my favored style. But my goal is to play well sufficient to sit in on a local bluegrass jam, so I’ve likewise started to learn other styles (e.g. frailing) that will let me strum on chords in the background to build confidence. For that I need other books, but so far I haven’t found a good one.
By all accounts, Pete Seeger’s book seems to be the classic in the field. It started as a set of hand copied notes and it actually is lots of fun to read. I hope that once I improve a bit more I’ll be capable to get more out of it. My guess is that it is the book you’d want if you already had a community of pickers around to lend counsel and guidance. As a teach-yourself manual though, I’m finding it tough going.
How to Play Banjo is the worst of the lot. To my without training eye it seems more like a guitar book than a bluegrass banjo book. The focus is on chords and strumming (which is good for my next step I suppose), but it’s just boring. The instruction is minimal and the music uninteresting, at least to me. I tried assorted times to get into it but found myself quickly going back to the other manuals when I realized I was no longer looking forward to my exercise times. I in the end threw in the towel on this one when I applied it to try to learn “frailing”. I like to think I’m a smart guy, but I just didn’t get it. And I don’t think it was me. Maybe if it came with a CD that I could listen to I could work it out. I’m now in the market for an alternative, but in the meantime I’ll keep pickin’ with the Scruggs Style.
One last bit of advice. I highly commend getting at least two books. I found myself much more motivated jumping back and forth amid the Primer and First Lessons – when one got too hard or too boring, I’d work on the other for a few days. A great trick to keep from getting stuck. I’m in the market for a great deal of “intermediate” books next and I’ll in all probability take the same approach.
Happy Picking!!
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