Thank you Joff! This has been incredible I’ve tried years of piano with no success but with your help I can nearly play the whole song now after two weeks 😊
Doing great thank you! I was able to find the tab you did as well which helped me connect everything. I can't yet play at the same speed and cadence as you. I can't figure how to get the same rhythm. @@JoffLowson
Got my banjo 3 days ago,i've been playing guitar for 2 years and decided to pick up another instrument and with your videos i've already got one song under my belt! I have a long way to go but with videos like this it will be a breeze
I bought a banjo last month and Joff is the only instructor I have. He's the only one I need. After getting comfortable with rolls, I began learning Cripple Creek through the three lessons. I now can play all three sections, though slowly. Joff's incredible patience and lack of ego makes learning fun and easy. Thank you so much for these tutorials. I hope you will add more lessons for classic bluegrass songs, I am following you.
Jeff, I am 66 yrs old & have enjoyed all 3 parts of Cripple Creek. I have never played a musical instrument & always thought you had to have great talent to pat your foot let alone play an instrument. Your straight forward teaching method gives me hope. I'm still working on the melody but hope to soon move to the low part. Thank you for making all this possible.
Thanks for the lesson Geoff! You're videos are very easy to follow and extremely awesome for beginners like myself. This is one of the first "how to play a song" videos that I've actually been able to complete and now play that song. I'll be sure to keep you in mind when trying to learn another one!
Hey Will, thanks for your comments. Travis style guitar picking is a lot like banjo picking once you get used to the fifth string being in the wrong place!
best tutorial of cripple creek ever!! been tryin to learn this for so long and given up. om watching this video ive learned it in a few hours!! thank you!!! you made me ears smile!
Jeff I am simply amazed at your skill.I want to play this song so bad I can taste it. Your video is going to help me do that. Thank you so much. You are such a good teacher. Wow, you are so precise in your explanations and visuals. Hats off to you buddy !!!
Best I've seen so far and I've been looking for CLEAR, precise explanations of timing on this song..u've done a great job. Between your lesson and many other books and Internet tabs ill have my own unique version before to long haha -jennifer (banjo player 3 weeks now but been progressing great thx to a little guitar history :)) thx again Mr. Lowsen, keep up the great work!
I really enjoyed this tutorial. Picked up a banjo 6 days ago, and I haven't put it down since. Managed to get this one worked out in a few hours time, with your help. Much appreciated! I'd love to see more!
JoffLowson No, this is my first string instrument. I've been playing percussion for 16 years so I figured the banjo would be a logical extension (rhythm). I am really enjoying the experience so far!
Wow; Amazing Instruction, You make it easy to learn and follow. I'm about to begin learning via your technique and will let you know how I make out with Cripple Creek. Thank You so much for taking the time to post for us beginners.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE VIDEOS JOFF! I got my new Savannah banjo on October 30 and I already know the better part of Cripple Creek! Thanks and God bless!
Thanks so much for these three lessons. The first song I've learnt on Banjo and the instructions were really clear, a really enjoyable experience! Can't stop playing it! P.S. Love the play-along track on your website.
I live in england and I have learnt to play cripple Creek property at last by watching you teaching it on you tube at last a teacher what can teach thanks
Dear Joff, Thanks a lot for these great videos! Yesterday I got my banjo and now I can play the cripple creek like in your videos! I only have to practise to play it faster and faster... Glg Julia
Fantastic - played guitar for years so banjo is not too much of a leap but great to see how to play an actual tune. Still doing the "faincy book learnin" too to get those rolls right !
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have always wanted to play the banjo, and I finally got mine just few weeks ago. Right away, I started searching youtube videos, stumbled on your "Cripple Creek" series, and started working through it on the very first day. I can now play through the whole song fairly well, and, while I know I need a lot more practice, it sure feels good to sit down and play through something that actually sounds like music.
That's really good to hear! I'm still looking for a brave volunteer to make a video of cripple creek and post it as a response here, will you be the first?
Sam Noel Ross Smashing video Sam! You are the first person to successfully post a video response here, thanks very much! Sorry it's taken me over a month to find it on the mighty YT server and click 'approve.' Never mind the mistakes, where's the slide! Very best wishes, Joff
JoffLowson I am actually working on a slightly more intricate version with a slide, pull off and hammer on, but I decided, for the purpose of this video to keep it super simple. I'll keep working on it, I promise!
That's so nice to hear! I'm working on a backing track for this tune which I hope to have finished soon. I hope you will enjoy it. Good luck with the banjo playing!
Thanks alot joff! Im gonna practice this next week, when i receive my banjo. Keep up the very Nice work, looking forward to look at your future videos :) Greetings from Denmark.
Great video Joff. Thank you very much for the lesson. I have one request for future videos from you though, if you don't mind. I had to pause and back up a lot when watching this video because I was writing it down for later use. I had to keep backing up to but the strings being played with the strings that you were cording. I think It would have been easier if you would have stated what string to play and what fret. Not trying to tell you what to do or how to do it, you are a great teacher and banjo player. I just started learning to play so I'm "dummy" slow, that is why I wrote it down so I didn't have to keep stopping and starting the video. Thanks again, and keep on "pickin and a grinnin".
you have helped me massively, I thought my brain couldn't compute both hands and was getting stressed, I will keep practicing on this song and who knows...
Sure! I'm still struggling a tad trying to figure out which 'versions' sound best to my ears. I'm only completing the song at half speed currently but when I get faster and can sing to it (w/out butchering it haha!) ill send ya a video (or maybe put on UA-cam). Thanks for the reply Mr. Lowson!! And once again, thank you for taking the time to help us beginners out... I think I've wore out my phone pausing and replaying/rewinding your 3 videos because they're so good ;)
you are a really great teacher, but i have a question. Just to be clear, what string are you strumming with your thumb for the pinch and the two notes after? It looks like the 4th string (counting from the bottom) but i cant see for sure.
I've just received my banjo I too really appreciate the videos it was so simple for me to learn Cripple Creek my 10 year old son is learning the guitar I would like for me and him to learn Dueling Banjos do you have any suggestions or any videos that we can learn from that is simple like Cripple Creek
Daron Huffman Go to my website jofflowson.com and sign up with your email address - I'll notify you when new new videos are uploaded. All the best joff
The 'high, low, high, low, roll, low, roll, low' is one time around the song. You can play as many times around as you like but if you're performing on your own maybe three times is enough. If you're playing with other people you can do it more times. I hope to make a video explaining how to do the ending soon!
Hey Jeff! Your videos are awesome! I just started playing the Banjo Yesterday. First time EVER holding a musical instrument. I practiced forward rolls and alternating thumb rolls for 3 hours before trying to tackle this. I'm proud to say I got the strings memorized and I can play them at a comfortable speed. (I don't have picks yet though so i'm having trouble with consistency on my plucks) I also learned the opening lick to dueling banjos today from your website. Very proud of where i'm at so far, despite the banjo i'm using being out of tune. Do you have any tips on learning how to use the fretts aside from finger position? I can roll and have conversations, sing, etc.. but i'm having trouble moving my fingers around on my left hand propperly and in a timely manner. When I put my concentration to hard into my left hand. I end up plucking a different string. I have most of my trouble when I have to do different frets in decent succession.
lVlittens It sounds like you are making great progress. When I started playing I couldn't do anything consistent for at least two months. The left hand needs to move slightly before the right hand but my advice is not to think too much about the mechanics, just think about how you want it to sound and hopefully your fingers will fall into place after a bit of practice.
Charlie, thanks so much for your comment, that's really good to hear. Contact me via my website and we can talk more easily. UA-cam message system is so clunky!
I'm playing the fifth string with the thumb. The banjo has five strings but only four go all the way along the neck. Everybody finds it confusing to start with.
Jeff, As a college student i don't have time for an actual tutor but you videos are the best thing I am gonna get to one, but i have one question. On your first video you posed the finger+string+fret in order. I was hoping you could do the same for this video's content.
Thanks heaps Jeff.....cripple creek basics are learnt! Banjo picks? Coming from a guitarist who could pick quite easily already...do you recommend that I should do away with my old habits and try to use the fingerpicks?
Fingerpicks give you more of everything! More tone, more dynamic range, more speed and volume. Definitely give it a try. I've been fooling around without picks recently and it's great for late at night or playing slow stuff, but picks are really necessary if you want to play Scruggs style.
Hi Joff. Thanks for the great videos. I have now quickly got to the point where I can comfortably play this. Had a question on the high part. When you say the first section is 'half speed' - does this mean it's half normal speed (of the rest of the piece), or just half in comparison to the second section (which is double speed compared to the rest of the piece). Hope that makes sense!
Matthew Thain You may have figured it out by now, and Joff can probably explain better seeing as he teaches banjo, but "half-speed" refers to the notes being quarter notes as opposed to the eighth notes in the "double-speed" part. The eighth notes ring out exactly half the length of time as the quarters.
michiel413 It's always nice to hear when someone learns their first song, well done! There is a slide on the first string from 2nd fret to 5th fret which starts on the pinch at the end of the measure and ends on the first beat of the High Part. There is another slide you can do on the chorus and low melody parts every time you play the 3rd string 2nd fret you can slide that note up just one fret or two. I'm going to make a video about this soon!
Very well done Jeff. I’ve Been a finger picking steel guitar player for many years. I find I have to change my Travis style a bit for banjo. Your lessens were very well thought out so their understandable and clear. With the use of the back button I was able to repeat the patters. Wish You Tube had an A-B feature for repeating. Thanks again for sharing your talent. Will Kruger Visit my channel if you'd like
Thanks for these videos. I just picked up a banjo and am trying to learn this as my first song... but I must say, I think the devil himself invented the C chord. My fingers just can't get that right, yet.
sonicsix C chord can be simplified you could just play the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings for example and avoid playing the 4th string. Or play a barre across the fifth fret.
Nothing wrong with making your own version. Send me a recording for some personal feedback. Please go to my website and use the contact form there as I don't check in to YT very often.
This legend taught me a whole song on an instrument I've never played in just under half an hour
If I saw him on one of my flights, I’d move him to first class. ❤❤❤ He is so sweet to do this for the world. 🥳
Thank you Joff! This has been incredible I’ve tried years of piano with no success but with your help I can nearly play the whole song now after two weeks 😊
That's good to hear! How are you doing now after a few more weeks?
Doing great thank you! I was able to find the tab you did as well which helped me connect everything. I can't yet play at the same speed and cadence as you. I can't figure how to get the same rhythm. @@JoffLowson
FYI to everyone.....there are downloadable tabs to this song on his website. Thank you for doing that Joff.
Got my banjo 3 days ago,i've been playing guitar for 2 years and decided to pick up another instrument and with your videos i've already got one song under my belt! I have a long way to go but with videos like this it will be a breeze
I bought a banjo last month and Joff is the only instructor I have. He's the only one I need. After getting comfortable with rolls, I began learning Cripple Creek through the three lessons. I now can play all three sections, though slowly.
Joff's incredible patience and lack of ego makes learning fun and easy. Thank you so much for these tutorials. I hope you will add more lessons for classic bluegrass songs, I am following you.
I am 73 years young and have been learning for 6 weeks. See people tell me you are never too old, I am enjoying soooo much!!!!!!
Great teaching method! Zoom shots of both hands simultaneously, Graphics for finger placement, and plenty of repetition. Great job!
Jeff,
I am 66 yrs old & have enjoyed all 3 parts of Cripple Creek. I have never played a musical instrument & always thought you had to have great talent to pat your foot let alone play an instrument. Your straight forward teaching method gives me hope. I'm still working on the melody but hope to soon move to the low part. Thank you for making all this possible.
Thanks for the lesson Geoff! You're videos are very easy to follow and extremely awesome for beginners like myself. This is one of the first "how to play a song" videos that I've actually been able to complete and now play that song. I'll be sure to keep you in mind when trying to learn another one!
Hey Will, thanks for your comments. Travis style guitar picking is a lot like banjo picking once you get used to the fifth string being in the wrong place!
Great step-by-step lesson! I love the zoom in feature. Thank you so much.
best tutorial of cripple creek ever!! been tryin to learn this for so long and given up. om watching this video ive learned it in a few hours!! thank you!!! you made me ears smile!
I'm a guitarist trying to teach my uncle the 5 string banjo. These are marvelous videos to get into to it from scratch. Very very nice.
Jeff I am simply amazed at your skill.I want to play this song so bad I can taste it. Your video is going to help me do that. Thank you so much. You are such a good teacher. Wow, you are so precise in your explanations and visuals. Hats off to you buddy !!!
Best I've seen so far and I've been looking for CLEAR, precise explanations of timing on this song..u've done a great job. Between your lesson and many other books and Internet tabs ill have my own unique version before to long haha -jennifer (banjo player 3 weeks now but been progressing great thx to a little guitar history :)) thx again Mr. Lowsen, keep up the great work!
You're an awesome teacher and banjo player as well. These cripple creek videos are amazing. Thank you very much
Great job son. I always wanted to play the banjo and am getting on really well with these.
Martin Lowson
I have found this really helpful as I've been learning my way around a banjo. Thanks so much!
Thank you for this tutorial. Best banjo instructions i could find on UA-cam!!
Love to play the banjo now.
I love you Joff! Keep them epic tutorials coming! So easy to follow and learn!
Thanks Joff Found my banjo in a skip in January had it fixed up and going great guns. Great tutorial.
Dan Whitehouse Reminds me of the guitar amp I found in a skip and used for years, I played Glastonbury festival with that amp, believe it or not!
I really enjoyed this tutorial. Picked up a banjo 6 days ago, and I haven't put it down since. Managed to get this one worked out in a few hours time, with your help. Much appreciated! I'd love to see more!
Worked it out in a few hours! Have you played guitar before?
JoffLowson No, this is my first string instrument. I've been playing percussion for 16 years so I figured the banjo would be a logical extension (rhythm). I am really enjoying the experience so far!
Ha ha! I always said banjo was easier than drums!
Wow; Amazing Instruction, You make it easy to learn and follow. I'm about to begin learning via your technique and will let you know how I make out with Cripple Creek. Thank You so much for taking the time to post for us beginners.
Thanks so much Joff,
Easy to follow and so much fun. Will keep subscribed.
Great instruction, just picked up a Washburn 5 string and can't wait to try it!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE VIDEOS JOFF! I got my new Savannah banjo on October 30 and I already know the better part of Cripple Creek! Thanks and God bless!
Thanks so much for these three lessons. The first song I've learnt on Banjo and the instructions were really clear, a really enjoyable experience! Can't stop playing it! P.S. Love the play-along track on your website.
You are fantastic at learning banjo. You got me started and I can now play something =) Amazing work. I'm so grateful
I live in england and I have learnt to play cripple Creek property at last by watching you teaching it on you tube at last a teacher what can teach thanks
Dear Joff,
Thanks a lot for these great videos! Yesterday I got my banjo and now I can play the cripple creek like in your videos! I only have to practise to play it faster and faster...
Glg Julia
You makelearning to play the banjo enjoyable and easy to grasp, thanks!
Thanks Joff.
I can now play Cripple Creek.
Fantastic - played guitar for years so banjo is not too much of a leap but great to see how to play an actual tune. Still doing the "faincy book learnin" too to get those rolls right !
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have always wanted to play the banjo, and I finally got mine just few weeks ago. Right away, I started searching youtube videos, stumbled on your "Cripple Creek" series, and started working through it on the very first day. I can now play through the whole song fairly well, and, while I know I need a lot more practice, it sure feels good to sit down and play through something that actually sounds like music.
That's really good to hear! I'm still looking for a brave volunteer to make a video of cripple creek and post it as a response here, will you be the first?
Sam Noel Ross Smashing video Sam! You are the first person to successfully post a video response here, thanks very much! Sorry it's taken me over a month to find it on the mighty YT server and click 'approve.' Never mind the mistakes, where's the slide!
Very best wishes,
Joff
JoffLowson I am actually working on a slightly more intricate version with a slide, pull off and hammer on, but I decided, for the purpose of this video to keep it super simple. I'll keep working on it, I promise!
That's so nice to hear! I'm working on a backing track for this tune which I hope to have finished soon. I hope you will enjoy it. Good luck with the banjo playing!
Thanks alot joff! Im gonna practice this next week, when i receive my banjo. Keep up the very Nice work, looking forward to look at your future videos :) Greetings from Denmark.
Very,very helpful Joff - many thanks and good on ya mate
Cheers Tom
Love the way you set up your videos!! You gotta do more man! I can knock out songs in a day with your teaching! Rock Solid!
Tommy Gill You can learn them a lot quicker than I can produce them!
Great video Joff. Thank you very much for the lesson. I have one request for future videos from you though, if you don't mind. I had to pause and back up a lot when watching this video because I was writing it down for later use. I had to keep backing up to but the strings being played with the strings that you were cording. I think It would have been easier if you would have stated what string to play and what fret. Not trying to tell you what to do or how to do it, you are a great teacher and banjo player. I just started learning to play so I'm "dummy" slow, that is why I wrote it down so I didn't have to keep stopping and starting the video. Thanks again, and keep on "pickin and a grinnin".
Thanks for your comment. Hopefully I went slow enough for you to learn the tune!
you have helped me massively, I thought my brain couldn't compute both hands and was getting stressed, I will keep practicing on this song and who knows...
Sure! I'm still struggling a tad trying to figure out which 'versions' sound best to my ears. I'm only completing the song at half speed currently but when I get faster and can sing to it (w/out butchering it haha!) ill send ya a video (or maybe put on UA-cam). Thanks for the reply Mr. Lowson!! And once again, thank you for taking the time to help us beginners out... I think I've wore out my phone pausing and replaying/rewinding your 3 videos because they're so good ;)
A great way to learn banjo; thank you for your helpful lessons!
Man it's hard to use the mouse with banjo picks on!
So true! :)
Only time leftiness has been useful
Excellent tutorial man, all 3 vids and i nailed it in a day! Subbed for sure
I'm definitely going to make a video showing those slides, I'm not sure when.
I am so looking forward to learn this!!!!!
Thanks so much for these videos they've been really helpful
Nice one Jennifer! You own unique version is definitely the way to go...
Any chance we could see a video of it when you're ready?
thank you so much for taking the imd to teach us. i am a beginner but you make it look possible
Thanks really helpful, just bought a Banjo
you are a really great teacher, but i have a question. Just to be clear, what string are you strumming with your thumb for the pinch and the two notes after? It looks like the 4th string (counting from the bottom) but i cant see for sure.
I didn't have an ego before I read your comment - but I do now!
Thanks very much and have a nice day!
Thanks for your comment, that's made my day!
I've just received my banjo I too really appreciate the videos it was so simple for me to learn Cripple Creek my 10 year old son is learning the guitar I would like for me and him to learn Dueling Banjos do you have any suggestions or any videos that we can learn from that is simple like Cripple Creek
Daron Huffman I'm working on a series of Duelling Banjos videos right now and hope to have them up on my website soon.
I appreciate that will you be able to send me an email on give me about when can I start looking for them
Daron Huffman Go to my website jofflowson.com and sign up with your email address - I'll notify you when new new videos are uploaded. All the best joff
Awesome lesson!
The 'high, low, high, low, roll, low, roll, low' is one time around the song. You can play as many times around as you like but if you're performing on your own maybe three times is enough. If you're playing with other people you can do it more times. I hope to make a video explaining how to do the ending soon!
Thanks a lot, I've learned my first song now!
That, sir, is an excellent question!
Hey Jeff! Your videos are awesome! I just started playing the Banjo Yesterday. First time EVER holding a musical instrument. I practiced forward rolls and alternating thumb rolls for 3 hours before trying to tackle this.
I'm proud to say I got the strings memorized and I can play them at a comfortable speed. (I don't have picks yet though so i'm having trouble with consistency on my plucks)
I also learned the opening lick to dueling banjos today from your website. Very proud of where i'm at so far, despite the banjo i'm using being out of tune.
Do you have any tips on learning how to use the fretts aside from finger position? I can roll and have conversations, sing, etc.. but i'm having trouble moving my fingers around on my left hand propperly and in a timely manner. When I put my concentration to hard into my left hand. I end up plucking a different string.
I have most of my trouble when I have to do different frets in decent succession.
lVlittens It sounds like you are making great progress. When I started playing I couldn't do anything consistent for at least two months. The left hand needs to move slightly before the right hand but my advice is not to think too much about the mechanics, just think about how you want it to sound and hopefully your fingers will fall into place after a bit of practice.
Charlie, thanks so much for your comment, that's really good to hear. Contact me via my website and we can talk more easily. UA-cam message system is so clunky!
I'm playing the fifth string with the thumb. The banjo has five strings but only four go all the way along the neck. Everybody finds it confusing to start with.
Jeff,
As a college student i don't have time for an actual tutor but you videos are the best thing I am gonna get to one, but i have one question. On your first video you posed the finger+string+fret in order. I was hoping you could do the same for this video's content.
Thank you for the video! I can play Cripple Creek now! :)
Kat Tingey That's good to hear! Would you like to make a video and post it here on youtube?
Love the boot!
super helpful! thank you
Thanks so much great vid keep it up
Thanks heaps Jeff.....cripple creek basics are learnt!
Banjo picks? Coming from a guitarist who could pick quite easily already...do you recommend that I should do away with my old habits and try to use the fingerpicks?
Fingerpicks give you more of everything! More tone, more dynamic range, more speed and volume. Definitely give it a try. I've been fooling around without picks recently and it's great for late at night or playing slow stuff, but picks are really necessary if you want to play Scruggs style.
Do you have a video showing how you play that outro? Do dada do da, dun dun
Joff to you have the tab to down load for cripple creek Jim
James Hill Yes go to my website and you can download it free.
I would like to know how I can learn quicker. Dvd's and book?
Colleen
thank you for this tutorial
Thank you!
Hi Joff. Thanks for the great videos. I have now quickly got to the point where I can comfortably play this. Had a question on the high part. When you say the first section is 'half speed' - does this mean it's half normal speed (of the rest of the piece), or just half in comparison to the second section (which is double speed compared to the rest of the piece). Hope that makes sense!
Matthew Thain You may have figured it out by now, and Joff can probably explain better seeing as he teaches banjo, but "half-speed" refers to the notes being quarter notes as opposed to the eighth notes in the "double-speed" part. The eighth notes ring out exactly half the length of time as the quarters.
Hey Joff, I can't figure out when to use the slide... Can you please say it? Nice video I learned my first song on the banjo thank you! ;)
michiel413 It's always nice to hear when someone learns their first song, well done! There is a slide on the first string from 2nd fret to 5th fret which starts on the pinch at the end of the measure and ends on the first beat of the High Part. There is another slide you can do on the chorus and low melody parts every time you play the 3rd string 2nd fret you can slide that note up just one fret or two. I'm going to make a video about this soon!
Joff how do you play the part that you finish off with higher up the neck when you're doing the demo?
Awesome thanks
Very well done Jeff. I’ve Been a finger picking steel guitar player for many years. I find I have to change my Travis style a bit for banjo. Your lessens were very well thought out so their understandable and clear. With the use of the back button I was able to repeat the patters. Wish You Tube had an A-B feature for repeating. Thanks again for sharing your talent.
Will Kruger
Visit my channel if you'd like
it is for me aqn hole new World opens just whaching the grade of theathing finding place while joe Lawson is leeding the vay
Of course, I put the finger picks on backwards. Now I see why using them was too hard.
DrFumblez1 Everyone does that to start with!
I want to learn this great Part of Bluegrass but i cant . I dont have a Banjo and Banjo teachers in Germany are super rare :(
Ps. Sorry about spelling your name wrong!
7:32
For some reason, I got a hankerin' for a cup o' hot tea and a hunk o' cornbread! 8-)
Banjo has a nice" ring" to it
1:38
5:37
7:31
Thanks for these videos. I just picked up a banjo and am trying to learn this as my first song... but I must say, I think the devil himself invented the C chord. My fingers just can't get that right, yet.
sonicsix C chord can be simplified you could just play the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings for example and avoid playing the 4th string. Or play a barre across the fifth fret.
Video #3
Great Tutorial!! Thank For the Great Videos. SUBSCRIBE!! :)
This is so hard. I just dont feel like im getting. Seriously. When i do it its like my own version. A shitty version.
Nothing wrong with making your own version. Send me a recording for some personal feedback. Please go to my website and use the contact form there as I don't check in to YT very often.