Here we are in a brand new year and Prescription Bluegrass is proud to present a brand new feature to help kick of the new year! “Dr. Banjo’s Jamming Tips” will be a regular feature here on the Prescription Bluegrass Blog. "Dr. Banjo", Pete Wernick, is the originator of Banjo Camps and Bluegrass Jam Camps, and creator of many bestselling bluegrass books and videos. Along with performing worldwide with Hot Rize and others, he is dedicated to helping people learn the joys of playing bluegrass.
Look for his “Tips” each week and then also once each month we’ll have a special in-depth report on “Jamming” from the Doctor.
So, beginning this week Prescription Bluegrass is proud to have Pete Wernick present his “Jam Tips” every Tuesday right here. Read them! Share them! Enjoy! And have FUN! OK, are you ready? Just click READ MORE below for Tip #1.
DR. BANJO’S JAM TIP #1. Did you just get a new instrument?
Wow, congratulations! A lot of people get new instruments at this time of the year. Another thing that happens around this time: New Year’s Resolutions, as in “This year I’m really gonna practice on that ____________ that I got last year!”
Folks, there’s a sad fact we’re up against: Most stringed instruments made and sold in the last twenty years haven’t been played in quite a long time. What’s happened? A combination of excellent intentions and … not enough jamming. My theory is that if a person gets into playing their instrument with other people, he or she will have fun and continue to play it.
Taking lessons and other “closet” variations of learning to play… those can’t hurt of course, but they just don’t have the stay power that jamming does.
But, you say, you’re not good enough to jam yet? Don’t be so sure! As soon as you know two chords, you can jam! Sound impossible?
Click here for my big list of two-chord songs. I promise you know some of them, and you could be playing them in the time that it takes to finish reading this column and take out that new instrument. Remember, jamming is fun and fundamental. See you next week!
This is the first of a brand new series with Dr. Banjo. Every Tuesday we’ll feature more PRESCRIBED WISDOM from the Doctor. But, if you just can’t wait or need more advanced help, be sure to visit DrBanjo.com and browse around.
1 comment:
Those memories of jamming with just one other person and making a song come alive were some of my earliest biggest smiles. Never to old to start that! Now 50 years later I still love it when someone stops in and we break out the instruments to try to puzzel a song together. When we dol, we are just as proud of it as if we built something with a hammer and nails!
Post a Comment