My dad was a “jack of all trades” and he mastered a lot of them. He was always interested in music and played a number of instruments – harmonica, auto-harp, uke, dulcimer and banjo. I don’t know where he learned to play most of them, but I know he took banjo lessons at some point. He learned to play some tunes well enough to entertain guests, but I didn’t see him playing on it much in his later years.
Mom let me have his banjo and I’m trying to teach myself how to play. Unlike the uke, which he taught me to plunk, the banjo, as I’m learning, takes a lot more coordination. Left and right hand movements – whew!
I found an on-line series to get me going and have started to learn Cripple Creek. Seems like that’s a typical beginners tune. After plunking at it for few days I found myself watching my picking (right) hand a lot. I was having a hard time with the fret fingering on the left hand and just happened to start watching it instead of the right. Wow! My fingers mostly found their way and the cording was easier.
I’ve still got a long way to go, but it’s easier to play and watch the neck than watch the fingers.
