Banjo: Finding a Group or a Gig

Subject: Melodic Banjo and F/B roll
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 07:39:23 -0500

These are two or three questions. I read the ones from the website and found them all helpful.

I started playing the banjo after playing the guitar for 4 years. I have now been playing the banjo for 14 years, but have only performed at church, because I am unsure anyone else would bother listening. I want to perform at coffee houses and such, because I am not shy about playing. I think I am afraid of being told,"No, we don't want to have a banjo player performing." Please provide some pointers on how to get my first gig.

Second, I learned to play the banjo by reading Tony Trishka's book, "How to Play the Five -String Banjo...for the Complete Ignoramous" (I figured if I had a chance to learn, that would be the book. Well, even as simple as that was, I messed up his instruction because I developed plucking the melody in Scrugs like style, then strumming by pulling my nails across the strings. The format was: pluck, strum, thumb-on-the-drone. Is this a style I discovered, or are there famous players that do this?

Finally, When playing Scruggs-style, my rhythm is fine until I do a forward/backward roll. Then, it seems that the rhythm gets lost. However, I have timed it and it still sounds awkward even though the string plucking is correct and on time. Does this happen to others, and is it normal?

Thanks!
Ernie Miller

Greetings Ernie,

Glad to assist if I can:

On getting your first gig as a banjo player:
1. Find another player or two...or even a band...of whom will be supportive of banjos and their contribution to the overall sound...you can do this by running a classified in the local paper...or find a bulletin board to post on at a local music store. Some players, who may pick you up, may already have gigs...

2. You can also consider playing solo...however, you'll want to second on guitar...unless you're a virtuoso on the banjo and can rip many different styles and recognizable melodies...

3. Have a promo package prepared that can be sent to both other bands and coffee house managers which displays your playing skill through CDs...

The pluck, strum, thumb-on-the-drone sounds like a unique rhythm approach...you'll most definitely want to hold on to that...however, you'll also want to learn all the traditional approaches that Trischka teaches in his book...

I believe your problems in learning the f/b roll is common...the best way to determine if you're playing it correct, is not by timing the eight notes per measure, but by conferring with another experienced player...or, at the very least an instructional video that covers the f/b roll thoroughly...

Hope the above helps, Mickey--