If everyone played the banjo the world would be a much happier place. If they played the banjo well that is. I mean, it already has a reputation in some circles of being just a rude, clangy sounding mess. By the way, this is not my take on it.
I have been a huge admirer of banjo players my whole life. Oddly enough, nobody that I knew in my life has been a banjo player or even liked it enough to give it much of a mention. I also thought that it must be the hardest instrument in the world to learn. I can play the guitar but I really never gave playing the banjo a second thought because I was sure that it was beyond my grasp.
It wasn't until I was around 30 years old that I really started thinking that I was ready to take on this beautiful and historical instrument. My wife bought me a banjo for Christmas around 2000. I could not believe my eyes when she brought it into the room. I had been listening to almost nothing but bluegrass music for a long time and always talking about trying to learn but I had no idea that I was about to get my very own banjo. It was actually the first banjo that I had ever held in my hands. It was an awesome feeling.
For the very first time I was holding the one instrument that I had always thought was beyond my grasp. The next thing I thought was, "Now what?" I did not know a single person that played bluegrass or any style of banjo so it was up to me if I was going to learn how to play it. That is why I let my poor lonely banjo sit in the closet for another 2 years before I ever did anything with it other than hold and admire it.
Like a bolt of lightning, one day I just decided to start learning. I jumped into it with the right attitude and thought that would be enough to get me kick started. It actually turned out to be more of a gradual start. I think it was about 3 months before I could play anything that even resembled a song.
That put me right smack dab in the middle of being one of those rude, clangy sounding players. I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go but hopefully in the not too distant future I will be the kind of player that gives the banjo and it's players a good reputation instead of a clangy, obnoxious reputation.
My blog about banjo, bluegrass music, bluegrass musicians and whatever else comes to mind. Banjo3 Blog
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