Eli I WISH you could see the way my jaw DROPS every day when it's banjo' clock !!! I am always so amazed at what I can do!!!!! You break everything down so well! Thank you for being the best music teacher!
If you’re frustrated after getting to day #9, here’s some moral support - I am 63, and never played a string instrument before. In fact, I’m a lefty learning to play a right-handed banjo. It’s taken me 10 or 11 weeks of one hour a day practice to reach where I am playing this at >90% of Eli’s speed with about 90% accuracy - I still got a ways to go, but 10 weeks ago I would’ve thought this was impossible! Thank you, Eli!
Looking back at that post, I think I was way overestimating my ability at that time. It took me almost a year to “boil that cabbage down” to the point where it sounds close to Eli’s on a consistent basis. In the meantime I have worked on Ballad of Jed, FMB - down the neck and 2 up the neck portions (able to play at 90 BPM), and a couple of versions of Dueling Banjos. About 5 months ago I started learning the 4 finger movable chord shapes - it took me 4 months to be able to go back and forth between G at the 5th and 9th frets at a reasonable pace!! Progress is slow. I practice everyday. In fact, as I write this I am on a Caribbean cruise with a portable banjo that can break down to fit in a small carry-on suitcase. I am addicted!!
I ask a lot of people on YT how they progress with their banjo, I'm just a month in but I find the community very supportive and it's nice to see that people actually stick to the instrument (with guitar most people throw it in the dark corner after 2 months or so). In terms of progress, I learned 3 tunes (Homestead on a Farm, Foggy Mountain Top, and On the Rock Where Moses Stood), Eli's version of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, and a lot of different exercises but I have an extensive classical guitar background (nearly 20 years) so banjo fingerpicking is easy but I think I will need to find a book because I have no idea how to e.g. improvise or function in a band situation (e.g. what does the banjo do if it's not having the lead at the moment), how to actually use the chords.
This is amazing. I know it's probably not technically challenging, but as a completely new player, it's very encouraging to be able to play something that is pleasing to the ear and rewards dedication. These lessons are awesome and you're an amazing instructor!
I am really enjoying this process, I have practiced everyday. It’s usually takes me several days to master one lesson. 45 and learning the banjo, thank you Eli!
I want to THANK YOU for playing the song up to speed and showing how awesome it can really sound. I can read music, but I first started playing the piano at the age of 7 BY EAR ! Music is all about what you HEAR and when I hear what it really sounds like it inspires me more. Great job! That's the way to teach!
These videos are amazing 👏 Once I learned the progression of this song, I couldn't immediately understand why it just didn't sound the same at a higher speed. When I changed the playback speed, it sounded like you are plucking the second string at the exact moment the slide is completed. Doing this changed everything. I don't recall you explaining the importance of that on day eight or nine. Thank you!
I rarely comment on videos but I have to thank you for your comment. He gives over the material really well and I’ve been learning but something just wasn’t sounding right. But you pointed it out and it sounds so much better. Thank you
For anyone wondering what BPM he's playing at in the beginning, it seems to be at, or very close to 240 BPM (I think he starts a little slower at the very beginning though). I had to slow it down to .25 speed to sync it with the metronome at 60 BPM, and it seemed to still track when I brought it up to full speed and the metronome to 240 BPM. Also, as everyone else has mentioned, these tutorials are fantastic! I can only play this at about half speed right now, but I"m really looking forward to getting it up to full speed, because it sounds so cool!
I started banjo a few weeks ago. I have taught band for 30+ years. I Knew nothing until your videos about banjo. What fun and easy you make the building process for learning banjo!! Well done. Time to practice.
For the people wondering how the fast version could possibly sound like the slow version: slow the video down to .25 or .50 speed and you can definitely tell the notes are being played. He plays that slide pretty fast too, so it shows how good this guy is. EDIT: After listening back, I can tell that Eli is sacrificing the slide a bit for speed. He's definitely sliding, but you can't really hear that extra semitone, so that's probably why it sounds different.
I can't believe the progress I'm making in such a short time. This is great, such a feeling of accomplishment. I've been given my banjo on Christmas, it's January 8th today and sometimes it feels like I've been playing for a year. My fingertips are stained, my back hurts and I'm loving it. Thank you!
Eli, another fantastic lesson. Love the progression from lesson to lesson. The featured banjo player segment is helping me understand the banjo history and culture - very interesting.
For anyone struggling with the timing, getting up to speed, and making it sounds like the fast version - for the slide part, try playing the alternating thumb roll with open strings, and while keeping that tempo add the slide, the slide itself should only be one “note” and its pretty fast. This helped me so much!!
My fingers are close to bleeding, my back hurts but I will have rest until I can pull this off 😂 this is the hardest day for me yet, not muting other strings while sliding and changing my left hand in time might take me a couple more days. I love this series! There are no banjo teachers in my German small town, so I’m very very grateful for this course! ✨
10 days ago I hadn't even held a banjo before - today I can play a song. I'm still a little slow but I'm trusting the process and I'll be practicing every day! Thank you Eli!
The initial roll version of Boil That Cabbage Down was my first roadblock that took me a couple of days to get down. Hearing that song with a single slide applied it's all coming together. You're making me a banjo player! Thank you so much!
Eli, such a great educational series! I have noticed one recurring question, though. Students are wanting to know when they should proceed to the next video. I’m wondering this also. It might be helpful if you could play at the speed required to move on to the next video at the end of each one. I suppose you are already showing this, but confirming it with a comment would be helpful. At the end of each session you could do a demo and say, “ when you can play it at this pace, move on to the next video.”
Consider it similar to learning a new language. Once you can confidently complete 80 percent of the lesson you should move onto the next one. In the case of learning a new instrument, once you can play the latest lesson at 80 percent of the full speed you should move onto the next
@@BlueShift815 Also, like Eli noted many times during these courses, speed is not the most important thing, accuracy is. First accuracy, then speed. For me, I move on when I can do the following thing for the day's exercise: 1) play it in a fixed cadence without missing notes, 2) do it at least 3 times back to back. Then I do that a few more times just to be sure, and then I move on. Then the next day, it usually turns out I actually have internalized yesterday's lesson after a night of sleep, and have much less trouble with it. Not sure if this fits the 80% bill, but it works for me so far :)
If you feel like what you’re playing doesn’t sound like what he played at the beginning, play the beginning at 25% or 50% speed with the youtube controls. Some notes are emphasized over others in more of a “swingin” picking pattern. Also, those first three notes (slide 2-3 to open) are basically one beat
This suggestion helped me quite a bit. I was having a hard time connecting the dots from the slow version to the fast. Playing at slower speed helped me see how it fit.
Yes, this is exactly the problem. He doesn't address that the sychnopation has totally changed. Almost comical to not mention and pretend that he's walked us to this point. There's a definitely leap here that is going to take a minute to figure out.
Been following from the very first day I now become addicted to play banjo. Mine is a china made but been set up to a low possible action for more playability. Thank you so much for the lesson..
This is, hands down, the best and (to me) the easiest way to learn to actually PLAY banjo. I was told "the banjo is too hard" or "man, good luck learning that!" but I tell you what, Eli, you have made it SO much fun and so enjoyable... AND I'm actually playing music now on my banjo! Thank you for this series!!!!
I can play this slow, similar to how it sounds when you go thru it after your initial playing of the song. But I don't even feel close to how you're playing it at the beginning of this lesson. My question is, how well should I be playing this before moving onto the 10th lesson? Also thank you for these videos, they are wonderful. I've owned a banjo for several years and this is the best lessons I've seen.
It happened to me too....it seems that the play at the beginning of the lesson is not exactly the same that when he plays slowly, perhaps is just my lack of hability to play.......
I got hung up here too. The problem here is when you play it slowly you end up mistiming the slide part. When you do that you end up accenting the wrong notes and it does not sound like the beginning. For me what helped was really playing the slide part fast so that you actually end up accenting and melodizing the right notes. I had to listen to the beginning to get this right and not look at the tab for this. This is the difference here. I have a long way to go with speed, but I finally know how to actually play it like he does.
Thank you so much! I’ve learned so much in these first 9 days. I’m really trying to get this up to speed. It’s hard to play as fast as you do in the beginning!
That's exactly how I feel. I expected it would take all 30 days to play Boil That Cabbage Down, then day 9 and, boom! Now, I can't play fast yet but I'm excited to keep picking.
This is hard work! But, all my life I wanted to play an instrument. Did not accomplish that. And now, thx to your vids...only the slide and speed things up. Almost there!! thanks a lot :)
Starting to struggle a bit with speed which means more practice until the next lesson! But I'd like to say a big THANKS for this series. I'm in my mid 20's and this is my first instrument, but with these videos I'm learning fast!
This series pretty much proved to me that this is essentially a 5 string guitar in a non-standard tuning with wider frets and played more like a classical guitar with non-nylon strings. Lol, the point is I didn't waste several hundred dollars on this banjo yet. I should be able to play this song smoothly in a week. It's crazy how my fingers and eyes are getting fooled by having one and a half less strings. I had forgotten how it feels to be new to an instrument. It's like that dream where I pick up a guitar, I understand how it works but can't make anything happen.... except I'm awake and holding a banjo.
I played the audio very slowly and it seems that the reason about most of the comments below explaining that the first part (playing fast), doesn't match the slow part at the middle of the video, is because, during the slide, Eli doesn't play the 3rd note (note B with the index finger), so, no matter how fast you can play, it'll never sound like Eli's first part. It would be wonderful if somebody else can confirm this.....anyway, thank you Eli for these great classes!
This is definitely the illusion I am struggling with. I am going to take on faith that he is fitting it in there SUPER grace-note style. otherwise it would be far too cruel. Still, this one is a real struggle
Exactly -- I am at this stage and after practicing along with the slow version and getting it exactly right, I could not for the life of me get it to sound like the full-speed version at the beginning. Then I slowed it down to 50% speed and realized he is TOTALLY skipping that open B string note and going right to the 5th string after the slide in the fast version.
Day 9 is super fun. Maybe because i played the other days for a week each. Actually i find playing the roll easier when i play it fast. I know Eli said not to do that but i just keep repeating the roll with slide until my hands and arm get tired.
What I think some are missing is that he’s hitting the B after the slide VERY quickly. Think of the slide and that note as one note in 3 rapid sections, one smooth motion. Very similar to sliding 2-4; same notes, just a different dynamic.
How do you look so calm when you play banjo? I make awful faces, I sweat, and even get out of breath. Then there’s Eli, working a crossword as he plays
When you play the fast version, it sounds different than what the tab displays. At the very beginning, it sounds like you’re sliding from the 2nd fret straight to the fourth fret instead of 2nd slide to 3rd fret then open G. Is that correct? I’ve been practicing and my finger speed is getting better but the picking doesn’t seem to sound right with the tabular shown.
Hi Eli, what's the trick to increasing tempo on this. I've been trying for a couple months to match something closer to what you play but no luck Are there other exercises to help improve on playing songs at speed?
I was having the same problem with this one and still am. So I decided to move on to lesson 10 and see if that one mad any difference and it did, I can almost fluently play it now. Maybe this one is tougher to everyone but the thing that helped me keep rythm was just pushing myself to go faster and faster but to make sure to hit all the cords and keys right so you dont form a bad habit. Im not saying this will work for you but it sure helped me.
I downloaded a metronome app, just start at some speed that you can easily play and move it up 10 bpm at a time. Only go on to the next speed when you can completely comfortably play it. It really works!
Thanks Eli ...your doing a great job , another great teacher of this amazing instrument . Your banjo sounds amazing . I know you have your name on it but can i ask the make of it . It sounds as clear as a harp in your hands . I,m looking forward to each new lesson . THANK YOU....Gerry .
I'm maybe being a massive idiot but the rhythm and tempo change from one lesson to the other has completely halted my progress on this. Might need to skip onwards and see if I can come back to it? Really love these lessons, thank you - I'm just not quite as fast as everyone else I think!
@@jeffharms At last people who understand my pain, do you have any tips on how to adopt the correct tempo? Cause I can play this tab fast a hell but it never sounds like what he does in the beginning.
@EliGilbertBanjo in tablature that I've downloaded after lesson/day 8 you have the thumb hitting the 3rd string followed immediately by a pinch when before it was the index finger?
i do not know why but the slide from 2/3 just doesn't work in my ear. I always slide 2/4 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ , when i do the 2/3 slide i cant make it sound right.
@@MasonCroneMusic is the key to making this bluesy note sound right speed? Because I’m having the same problem with the slide, it just sounds funky to me!
Hi Eli, thank you for making these videos. They have allowed me to learn how to play the banjo, which is what my father played and I never thought I could figure it out, but your videos have shown me otherwise. I've made it to this one and understand all the slides and positions and rolls and whatnot, but my version just doesn't seem to sound like yours. What BPM are you playing to on your metronome? On mine to what you play at the beginning I'm tapping my foot to about 117, and double is obviously 234, but even playing at 234 it doesn't sound quite like yours. Are you playing at about 468? That seems super fast. I hope to hear back from you, and to be able to play this at speed! Thank you so much once again.
Edit: i saw in the workbook that its at 120BPM, but the speed you're playing it is faster, I guess I'm nearly counting 'notes per minute'. Can you shed any light?
I can play along with the slow version he shows, but getting it to the speed that sounds bluegrass-y - it really does seem to be a speed that is beyond human finger control. Any tips on how to proceed? How to get the speed up to those supersonic levels??!
You're watching (or listening) to players who have been playing for years. They started out slow too. If you start out slow and steady, your fingers will gradually remember where they need to go with the roll patterns without having to consciously think about it. Then you can start trying to play faster, while still trying to keep it clean and smooth. It's more of a right-hand thing so you can always try to practice your rolls faster and faster before incorporating your chord changes.
thanks. Actually i've been playing regularly and you're right, when all the finger movements become very automatic and I don't need to think about them, I can definitely get into the twang-zone!@@dstone3241
I'm really struggling to get this to sound right. I can play it with a fair bit of accuracy according to the tab, but as others have said, the slow (written) and fast versions don't seem to sound alike. There's an intonation difference that I can't get right. I'm really lacking the "swing" of what we hear at the beginning of the lesson and I don't know how to fix it. Any suggestions?
Question: I want to increase my speed, but my left hand is too raw to keep doing the slides at the moment. Would it be useful to just practice the right hand without fretting, or should I wait until my left fingers get better to continue? Idk if it becomes a problem if my right hand can pick at 70bpm but the left is stuck at 50
I'm in the same boat. I've just been really focusing on the slide on its own and it's helped me go a bit faster. Still a fair ways off from the speed Eli plays at though.
I was like BS! There's no way that we are able to play that right now and that there's definitely some steps we are missing. Than I slowed the vid to half speed and I was like shit. That is the same song.....
I'm struggling to match what I've learned with what you play at the start. That first slide just isn't happening. I've slowed the video right down and can of hear the slide followed by only two notes, not three. Am I missing something? Help! Great videos, btw.
Can anyone PLEASE tell me this: HOW do I get the banjo to not tilt over?? It's resting in my left hand, otherwise it tends to lower on that side while I play. Eli doesn't have to hold the banjo with his left hand, it just stays in the same position (Say the the banjo is pointing at "two o'clock" for example). My banjo when I don't support it with my left hand just goes from two o'clock to four o'clock... But when I have to support it with my left hand, I can't go from one note to the next properly. I tried playing with a strap attached, but it doesn't help. What's the secret? xD
Ok, this might be weird. When you play quickly it sounds like: doodle deedle doodle deedle do doodle deedle doodle... But slowly it sounds like: doodle do de do doodle do de do... Like it is missing the 3rd string note after the slide or something.
I guess we speak the same language. I know exactly what you mean, and I hear the difference too. If you slow the video down when he is playing at full speed, it totally sounds like the slow version. For the life of me I don't know what I'm missing.
@@jeffharms Yes, I'm fairly certain that Eli is supernatural lol. I think it's a combination of speed and cadence, and I still have a ways to go with both. I am doing better with Cumberland Gap, though. I started playing in the dark which has improved my finger placement without having to look. I'll just keep picking and hope to at least make the songs recognizable ;)
@@WacoMuse I just can't hear how to do it rhythm wise. the slide just doesn't jive with the next (invisible) note. struggling to sing it to myself the way it's played and play the notes indicated. his slow demo should sound the same rhythmically. :( I'm just gonna start from scratch somewhere else maybe.
This had me stumped for a while. The key for me getting closer to Eli’s sound was to take my finger off straight after sliding and to pick the second string at the same time. This way, the “three notes” all kind of blend into one. My speed is still not there, but if I record it on my phone then speed it up it’s beginning to sound like the real thing. Hope this helps and thanks Eli for the great course.
There is just something Eli isn't telling us about how to make our playing sound like his in the beginning. If someone is able to figure it out and share I would be very appreciative.
@anthonywaked update from me, I started taking in person lessons and found that the banjo I was using was not sufficient, so I got a "new" full sized banjo from a music shop, no more messing around on Amazon Still can't make this work, the problem is not the same as with my other banjo, but I'm about to give up on these lessons and try something else for at home learning.
Did anyone else have troubles with the thumb pick plucking other strings and messing you up? I know that it’s better to learn with using them but it feels better and more accurate to play without. Is there anything that would help with this?
In my experience it just takes slow and deliberate practice. Practice very slowly so you can control everything your hand is doing. Once you build a new habit it'll be the way your hand naturally behaves at any speed!
I am so thankful for these lessons. The progress I have made is thrilling. It's taken me weeks to get to day 9 but it feels good to play even badly. I am have a huge problem with the D my fingers just will not span without hitting other strings.. stumpy fingers I guess. Anyone have some ideas to do it better? Thanks
I need to move my left wrist almost directly under the strings. More forward rather than behind the neck. I place my thumb behind the neck and not 'on top' of the neck. This way my fingers have more play and I'm better able to press the strings straight on. This way I'm not touching the other strings. I hold chords and strum so I can hear/feel that each note is clear and not muted.
O.K, hello to all. Well, this is day 9 for me and I'm on lesson day 9. The catch is that I'm doing this at 60 bpm and I believe correctly, but I need to get to 120 bpm and I don't think I will get there by tomorrow, so I might have to push day 10 off a while. I would really like to have this at 120 bpm before moving on...
Yeah im doing the same so I can play this song the way it's supposed to be played. Didnt know the bpm was 120 though so thanks for that; and thanks Eli for being a wonderful teacher.
O.K., so on day 9 I'm on lesson 9, but while I played it once correctly at 60 bpm, I've played a whole bunch of times bad. I am not as comfortable as I have been on passed lessons. While I made the decision to move on from lesson 7, I am going to hang out here until I can get comfortable with at least 80 bpm.
I can play this slow, I can play this fast, but it never sounds like it does at the beginning of the video, I suspect im doing something wrong, the tempo doesn't feel the same as before somehow, I feel like he changed the way he puts "importance" (not a native speaker don't know the word im looking for) on some notes and not others, you should mention this, it would make things easier.
Ya, no...the song at the beginning is not the same...I don't care how fast you go with the tune thats slowed down...something is different and it's not speed.
My fingers are close to bleeding, my back hurts but I will have rest until I can pull this off 😂 this is the hardest day for me yet, not muting other strings while sliding and changing my left hand in time might take me a couple more days. I love this series! There are no banjo teachers in my German small town, so I’m very very grateful for this course! ✨
ATTENTION! Don't forget to download the free tablature e-book! eligilbertbanjo.com/absolute-beginner-banjo-lessons/
Eli I WISH you could see the way my jaw DROPS every day when it's banjo' clock !!! I am always so amazed at what I can do!!!!! You break everything down so well! Thank you for being the best music teacher!
If you’re frustrated after getting to day #9, here’s some moral support - I am 63, and never played a string instrument before. In fact, I’m a lefty learning to play a right-handed banjo. It’s taken me 10 or 11 weeks of one hour a day practice to reach where I am playing this at >90% of Eli’s speed with about 90% accuracy - I still got a ways to go, but 10 weeks ago I would’ve thought this was impossible! Thank you, Eli!
How is your banjo 10 months later? :)
Looking back at that post, I think I was way overestimating my ability at that time. It took me almost a year to “boil that cabbage down” to the point where it sounds close to Eli’s on a consistent basis. In the meantime I have worked on Ballad of Jed, FMB - down the neck and 2 up the neck portions (able to play at 90 BPM), and a couple of versions of Dueling Banjos. About 5 months ago I started learning the 4 finger movable chord shapes - it took me 4 months to be able to go back and forth between G at the 5th and 9th frets at a reasonable pace!! Progress is slow. I practice everyday. In fact, as I write this I am on a Caribbean cruise with a portable banjo that can break down to fit in a small carry-on suitcase. I am addicted!!
Btw…the travel banjo has a mesh head and is almost silent - don’t want to risk disturbing any other passengers, or my wife!
@@mazlinithegreat Oh my God man, that is actually so awesome that even if you have a bit slower progress you are still continuing. Very rare to see.
I ask a lot of people on YT how they progress with their banjo, I'm just a month in but I find the community very supportive and it's nice to see that people actually stick to the instrument (with guitar most people throw it in the dark corner after 2 months or so).
In terms of progress, I learned 3 tunes (Homestead on a Farm, Foggy Mountain Top, and On the Rock Where Moses Stood), Eli's version of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, and a lot of different exercises but I have an extensive classical guitar background (nearly 20 years) so banjo fingerpicking is easy but I think I will need to find a book because I have no idea how to e.g. improvise or function in a band situation (e.g. what does the banjo do if it's not having the lead at the moment), how to actually use the chords.
You are Mr. Miagi of the banjo. I’ve been waxing on and off for 9 lessons 😁🎶
Thank you Eli, after today's lesson I've come to the realization that is possible to conquer the world with my banjo.
This is amazing. I know it's probably not technically challenging, but as a completely new player, it's very encouraging to be able to play something that is pleasing to the ear and rewards dedication. These lessons are awesome and you're an amazing instructor!
I am really enjoying this process, I have practiced everyday. It’s usually takes me several days to master one lesson. 45 and learning the banjo, thank you Eli!
I want to THANK YOU for playing the song up to speed and showing how awesome it can really sound. I can read music, but I first started playing the piano at the age of 7 BY EAR ! Music is all about what you HEAR and when I hear what it really sounds like it inspires me more. Great job! That's the way to teach!
These videos are amazing 👏 Once I learned the progression of this song, I couldn't immediately understand why it just didn't sound the same at a higher speed. When I changed the playback speed, it sounded like you are plucking the second string at the exact moment the slide is completed. Doing this changed everything. I don't recall you explaining the importance of that on day eight or nine. Thank you!
Thanks for pointing this oouuttttt
I rarely comment on videos but I have to thank you for your comment. He gives over the material really well and I’ve been learning but something just wasn’t sounding right. But you pointed it out and it sounds so much better. Thank you
@@danielwersing8714 Yes, Sir! You're very welcome!
For anyone wondering what BPM he's playing at in the beginning, it seems to be at, or very close to 240 BPM (I think he starts a little slower at the very beginning though). I had to slow it down to .25 speed to sync it with the metronome at 60 BPM, and it seemed to still track when I brought it up to full speed and the metronome to 240 BPM. Also, as everyone else has mentioned, these tutorials are fantastic! I can only play this at about half speed right now, but I"m really looking forward to getting it up to full speed, because it sounds so cool!
I started banjo a few weeks ago. I have taught band for 30+ years. I Knew nothing until your videos about banjo. What fun and easy you make the building process for learning banjo!! Well done. Time to practice.
For the people wondering how the fast version could possibly sound like the slow version: slow the video down to .25 or .50 speed and you can definitely tell the notes are being played. He plays that slide pretty fast too, so it shows how good this guy is.
EDIT: After listening back, I can tell that Eli is sacrificing the slide a bit for speed. He's definitely sliding, but you can't really hear that extra semitone, so that's probably why it sounds different.
This is what I did as well. Slowing the video down definitely helped a ton with telling how to play the notes.
Yep agreed. I don't hear the note at all but I can SEE him playing it. UGH. lame. been so helpful till now. it's almost Gaslighting.
I can't believe the progress I'm making in such a short time. This is great, such a feeling of accomplishment. I've been given my banjo on Christmas, it's January 8th today and sometimes it feels like I've been playing for a year. My fingertips are stained, my back hurts and I'm loving it. Thank you!
Eli, another fantastic lesson. Love the progression from lesson to lesson. The featured banjo player segment is helping me understand the banjo history and culture - very interesting.
For anyone struggling with the timing, getting up to speed, and making it sounds like the fast version - for the slide part, try playing the alternating thumb roll with open strings, and while keeping that tempo add the slide, the slide itself should only be one “note” and its pretty fast. This helped me so much!!
My fingers are close to bleeding, my back hurts but I will have rest until I can pull this off 😂 this is the hardest day for me yet, not muting other strings while sliding and changing my left hand in time might take me a couple more days. I love this series! There are no banjo teachers in my German small town, so I’m very very grateful for this course! ✨
10 days ago I hadn't even held a banjo before - today I can play a song. I'm still a little slow but I'm trusting the process and I'll be practicing every day! Thank you Eli!
The initial roll version of Boil That Cabbage Down was my first roadblock that took me a couple of days to get down. Hearing that song with a single slide applied it's all coming together. You're making me a banjo player! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for these 30 lessons. I'm up to No. 9 and I've learned so much. I find myself at work humming my banjo exercises.
Love this series and your channel!!! You have an awesome teaching style. BTW - Your Patreon is the best value on the entire WWW!!!
Eli, such a great educational series! I have noticed one recurring question, though. Students are wanting to know when they should proceed to the next video. I’m wondering this also. It might be helpful if you could play at the speed required to move on to the next video at the end of each one. I suppose you are already showing this, but confirming it with a comment would be helpful. At the end of each session you could do a demo and say, “ when you can play it at this pace, move on to the next video.”
Consider it similar to learning a new language. Once you can confidently complete 80 percent of the lesson you should move onto the next one. In the case of learning a new instrument, once you can play the latest lesson at 80 percent of the full speed you should move onto the next
@@BlueShift815 Also, like Eli noted many times during these courses, speed is not the most important thing, accuracy is. First accuracy, then speed. For me, I move on when I can do the following thing for the day's exercise: 1) play it in a fixed cadence without missing notes, 2) do it at least 3 times back to back. Then I do that a few more times just to be sure, and then I move on. Then the next day, it usually turns out I actually have internalized yesterday's lesson after a night of sleep, and have much less trouble with it. Not sure if this fits the 80% bill, but it works for me so far :)
I’m loving these lessons! You’re a great teacher. I’m on day 9 yahoo!!
If you feel like what you’re playing doesn’t sound like what he played at the beginning, play the beginning at 25% or 50% speed with the youtube controls. Some notes are emphasized over others in more of a “swingin” picking pattern. Also, those first three notes (slide 2-3 to open) are basically one beat
This suggestion helped me quite a bit. I was having a hard time connecting the dots from the slow version to the fast. Playing at slower speed helped me see how it fit.
Yes, this is exactly the problem. He doesn't address that the sychnopation has totally changed. Almost comical to not mention and pretend that he's walked us to this point. There's a definitely leap here that is going to take a minute to figure out.
This helped so much. Thank you
Been following from the very first day I now become addicted to play banjo. Mine is a china made but been set up to a low possible action for more playability. Thank you so much for the lesson..
This is, hands down, the best and (to me) the easiest way to learn to actually PLAY banjo. I was told "the banjo is too hard" or "man, good luck learning that!" but I tell you what, Eli, you have made it SO much fun and so enjoyable... AND I'm actually playing music now on my banjo! Thank you for this series!!!!
I can play this slow, similar to how it sounds when you go thru it after your initial playing of the song. But I don't even feel close to how you're playing it at the beginning of this lesson. My question is, how well should I be playing this before moving onto the 10th lesson? Also thank you for these videos, they are wonderful. I've owned a banjo for several years and this is the best lessons I've seen.
It happened to me too....it seems that the play at the beginning of the lesson is not exactly the same that when he plays slowly, perhaps is just my lack of hability to play.......
I got hung up there a couple of months. Then I bruised my hand. So I started over. Day 9 is still difficult but not as hard this time.
I got hung up here too. The problem here is when you play it slowly you end up mistiming the slide part. When you do that you end up accenting the wrong notes and it does not sound like the beginning. For me what helped was really playing the slide part fast so that you actually end up accenting and melodizing the right notes. I had to listen to the beginning to get this right and not look at the tab for this. This is the difference here. I have a long way to go with speed, but I finally know how to actually play it like he does.
@@Slave2Lender good on you! Can only imagine where you are at now, a year later. Thanks for the tips
I wish he'd show the timing and syncopation.
Thank you so much! I’ve learned so much in these first 9 days. I’m really trying to get this up to speed. It’s hard to play as fast as you do in the beginning!
Holy crap! I CAN do it!!! Dude! Your teaching is amazing!!!
You got this!
That's exactly how I feel. I expected it would take all 30 days to play Boil That Cabbage Down, then day 9 and, boom! Now, I can't play fast yet but I'm excited to keep picking.
All the way from France, been following from the very first day, good lesson.
Aside from yourself of course, Tony Trishka is one of my favourite banjoists. Good choice!
This is hard work! But, all my life I wanted to play an instrument. Did not accomplish that. And now, thx to your vids...only the slide and speed things up. Almost there!! thanks a lot :)
SO AMAZING! thank you! such a good teacher really helped me progress quick, keep making awsome videos
I just did it! Slow but done! Yay!
Thank you, Banjo Man
Starting to struggle a bit with speed which means more practice until the next lesson! But I'd like to say a big THANKS for this series. I'm in my mid 20's and this is my first instrument, but with these videos I'm learning fast!
This series pretty much proved to me that this is essentially a 5 string guitar in a non-standard tuning with wider frets and played more like a classical guitar with non-nylon strings. Lol, the point is I didn't waste several hundred dollars on this banjo yet. I should be able to play this song smoothly in a week. It's crazy how my fingers and eyes are getting fooled by having one and a half less strings. I had forgotten how it feels to be new to an instrument. It's like that dream where I pick up a guitar, I understand how it works but can't make anything happen.... except I'm awake and holding a banjo.
Loving this series!!! Thanks Eli!
1:52 My marker for the slowed down rendition :)
Thank you for doing this series!
I am now playing at 120bpm but still seems a little slow compared to your version. Just how fast are you playing this
I played the audio very slowly and it seems that the reason about most of the comments below explaining that the first part (playing fast), doesn't match the slow part at the middle of the video, is because, during the slide, Eli doesn't play the 3rd note (note B with the index finger), so, no matter how fast you can play, it'll never sound like Eli's first part. It would be wonderful if somebody else can confirm this.....anyway, thank you Eli for these great classes!
This is definitely the illusion I am struggling with. I am going to take on faith that he is fitting it in there SUPER grace-note style. otherwise it would be far too cruel. Still, this one is a real struggle
Exactly -- I am at this stage and after practicing along with the slow version and getting it exactly right, I could not for the life of me get it to sound like the full-speed version at the beginning. Then I slowed it down to 50% speed and realized he is TOTALLY skipping that open B string note and going right to the 5th string after the slide in the fast version.
I promise I'm playing all the notes! They start to blend into one another at faster speeds, that's what you're looking for!
Awesome series, Eli!!
Day 9 is super fun. Maybe because i played the other days for a week each. Actually i find playing the roll easier when i play it fast. I know Eli said not to do that but i just keep repeating the roll with slide until my hands and arm get tired.
What I think some are missing is that he’s hitting the B after the slide VERY quickly. Think of the slide and that note as one note in 3 rapid sections, one smooth motion. Very similar to sliding 2-4; same notes, just a different dynamic.
How do you look so calm when you play banjo? I make awful faces, I sweat, and even get out of breath. Then there’s Eli, working a crossword as he plays
When you play the fast version, it sounds different than what the tab displays. At the very beginning, it sounds like you’re sliding from the 2nd fret straight to the fourth fret instead of 2nd slide to 3rd fret then open G. Is that correct? I’ve been practicing and my finger speed is getting better but the picking doesn’t seem to sound right with the tabular shown.
What tempo are you playing it at the beginning?
This is the hardest bit!
Eli, do you think it would matter if i used a hammer-on for the slide?
That'll be fine, but you'll definitely want to practice both!
Alrighty.
Hi Eli, what's the trick to increasing tempo on this. I've been trying for a couple months to match something closer to what you play but no luck
Are there other exercises to help improve on playing songs at speed?
I was having the same problem with this one and still am. So I decided to move on to lesson 10 and see if that one mad any difference and it did, I can almost fluently play it now. Maybe this one is tougher to everyone but the thing that helped me keep rythm was just pushing myself to go faster and faster but to make sure to hit all the cords and keys right so you dont form a bad habit. Im not saying this will work for you but it sure helped me.
It's just a matter of getting your fingers used to it, which takes time. Good luck!
I downloaded a metronome app, just start at some speed that you can easily play and move it up 10 bpm at a time. Only go on to the next speed when you can completely comfortably play it. It really works!
Thanks for the lessons, Eli. How many BPM should I be able to play this first song before moving to the next lesson?
I believe he's playing at 118 BPM.
@@erniedouglas123 more like 218 BPM, right?
On your patreon, do you start slow and progress the speed? I’m not hearing the 3rd note in the first slide
On day 9, on my second day of owning the banjo, im doing better than expected
Yeah I got to day nine on my second day but it’s got me stumped here, now 4 days in and don’t feel I’m good enough to progress yet
Thank you
Thanks Eli ...your doing a great job , another great teacher of this amazing instrument . Your banjo sounds amazing . I know you have your name on it but can i ask the make of it . It sounds as clear as a harp in your hands . I,m looking forward to each new lesson . THANK YOU....Gerry .
Wow I’m surprised how fast I picked this up! Now time to get to speed! Should I play to speed before the next lesson or keep going?
I'm maybe being a massive idiot but the rhythm and tempo change from one lesson to the other has completely halted my progress on this. Might need to skip onwards and see if I can come back to it? Really love these lessons, thank you - I'm just not quite as fast as everyone else I think!
totally. a year later wonder if you got it... or offer any tip about the rhythm to help new people to this. wish he addressed the sychncopation change
@@jeffharms At last people who understand my pain, do you have any tips on how to adopt the correct tempo? Cause I can play this tab fast a hell but it never sounds like what he does in the beginning.
@EliGilbertBanjo in tablature that I've downloaded after lesson/day 8 you have the thumb hitting the 3rd string followed immediately by a pinch when before it was the index finger?
Eli, thank you so much for you lessons! It sounds like you're playing at about 165 bpm. What exactly is the tempo you're playing?
i do not know why but the slide from 2/3 just doesn't work in my ear. I always slide 2/4 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ , when i do the 2/3 slide i cant make it sound right.
It sounds kinda bluesy, which I like. It's in a lot of banjo music.
@@MasonCroneMusic is the key to making this bluesy note sound right speed? Because I’m having the same problem with the slide, it just sounds funky to me!
@@MrSeger511 It does tend to sound better when played a bit faster. Lots of banjo stuff doesn't sound quite right until played up to speed.
@@MasonCroneMusic that’s what I figured! Thanks for the insight!
@elibilbertbanjo I feel that I am not progressing very quickly; how long did you have to practice at first proficientrofitient at playing?
Hi Eli, thank you for making these videos. They have allowed me to learn how to play the banjo, which is what my father played and I never thought I could figure it out, but your videos have shown me otherwise. I've made it to this one and understand all the slides and positions and rolls and whatnot, but my version just doesn't seem to sound like yours. What BPM are you playing to on your metronome? On mine to what you play at the beginning I'm tapping my foot to about 117, and double is obviously 234, but even playing at 234 it doesn't sound quite like yours. Are you playing at about 468? That seems super fast. I hope to hear back from you, and to be able to play this at speed! Thank you so much once again.
Edit: i saw in the workbook that its at 120BPM, but the speed you're playing it is faster, I guess I'm nearly counting 'notes per minute'. Can you shed any light?
Should i learn to go as fast as you do before leraning a new song?😅
What tempo is this song played in? I saw online it was, on average, 140, but I feel as though this is closer to 190.
@eligilbertbanjo How fast and how perfect should I be at day 9 before moving to day 10? I watched day 10 and it's a new song entirely.
What banjo are you using?
I can play along with the slow version he shows, but getting it to the speed that sounds bluegrass-y - it really does seem to be a speed that is beyond human finger control. Any tips on how to proceed? How to get the speed up to those supersonic levels??!
You're watching (or listening) to players who have been playing for years. They started out slow too. If you start out slow and steady, your fingers will gradually remember where they need to go with the roll patterns without having to consciously think about it. Then you can start trying to play faster, while still trying to keep it clean and smooth. It's more of a right-hand thing so you can always try to practice your rolls faster and faster before incorporating your chord changes.
thanks. Actually i've been playing regularly and you're right, when all the finger movements become very automatic and I don't need to think about them, I can definitely get into the twang-zone!@@dstone3241
I'm really struggling to get this to sound right. I can play it with a fair bit of accuracy according to the tab, but as others have said, the slow (written) and fast versions don't seem to sound alike. There's an intonation difference that I can't get right. I'm really lacking the "swing" of what we hear at the beginning of the lesson and I don't know how to fix it. Any suggestions?
My face when you played it at speed.🤯😬😣😆😁🥴 lol
Question: I want to increase my speed, but my left hand is too raw to keep doing the slides at the moment. Would it be useful to just practice the right hand without fretting, or should I wait until my left fingers get better to continue? Idk if it becomes a problem if my right hand can pick at 70bpm but the left is stuck at 50
I'm in the same boat. I've just been really focusing on the slide on its own and it's helped me go a bit faster. Still a fair ways off from the speed Eli plays at though.
I was like BS! There's no way that we are able to play that right now and that there's definitely some steps we are missing. Than I slowed the vid to half speed and I was like shit. That is the same song.....
When I play an open b note or the zero on the 4th string it sounds off
Great!
I'm struggling to match what I've learned with what you play at the start. That first slide just isn't happening. I've slowed the video right down and can of hear the slide followed by only two notes, not three. Am I missing something? Help! Great videos, btw.
How fast do I need to be before I feel like I can move on to the next lesson?
You don't have to play too fast. Just move on when you're comfortable with it👍
Mine sounds atrocious, but I make it to the end… lol
Can anyone PLEASE tell me this: HOW do I get the banjo to not tilt over?? It's resting in my left hand, otherwise it tends to lower on that side while I play. Eli doesn't have to hold the banjo with his left hand, it just stays in the same position (Say the the banjo is pointing at "two o'clock" for example). My banjo when I don't support it with my left hand just goes from two o'clock to four o'clock... But when I have to support it with my left hand, I can't go from one note to the next properly. I tried playing with a strap attached, but it doesn't help. What's the secret? xD
Whew. Banjo is hard. Hahaha
Ok, this might be weird. When you play quickly it sounds like: doodle deedle doodle deedle do doodle deedle doodle...
But slowly it sounds like: doodle do de do doodle do de do...
Like it is missing the 3rd string note after the slide or something.
I guess we speak the same language. I know exactly what you mean, and I hear the difference too. If you slow the video down when he is playing at full speed, it totally sounds like the slow version. For the life of me I don't know what I'm missing.
@@WacoMuse yep. TOTALLY DIFFERENT. la la la LA LA as opposed to doodle-doodle . did you ever figure it out?
@@jeffharms
Yes, I'm fairly certain that Eli is supernatural lol. I think it's a combination of speed and cadence, and I still have a ways to go with both. I am doing better with Cumberland Gap, though. I started playing in the dark which has improved my finger placement without having to look. I'll just keep picking and hope to at least make the songs recognizable ;)
@@WacoMuse I just can't hear how to do it rhythm wise. the slide just doesn't jive with the next (invisible) note. struggling to sing it to myself the way it's played and play the notes indicated. his slow demo should sound the same rhythmically. :( I'm just gonna start from scratch somewhere else maybe.
This had me stumped for a while. The key for me getting closer to Eli’s sound was to take my finger off straight after sliding and to pick the second string at the same time. This way, the “three notes” all kind of blend into one. My speed is still not there, but if I record it on my phone then speed it up it’s beginning to sound like the real thing. Hope this helps and thanks Eli for the great course.
Ok, so this is the transition event. I could play everything up to here. I've got the notes but the tempo and rhythm is not quite there yet.
You'll get it!
There is just something Eli isn't telling us about how to make our playing sound like his in the beginning. If someone is able to figure it out and share I would be very appreciative.
Might just be the banjo because I can’t make mine sound like that either
@anthonywaked update from me, I started taking in person lessons and found that the banjo I was using was not sufficient, so I got a "new" full sized banjo from a music shop, no more messing around on Amazon
Still can't make this work, the problem is not the same as with my other banjo, but I'm about to give up on these lessons and try something else for at home learning.
Did anyone else have troubles with the thumb pick plucking other strings and messing you up?
I know that it’s better to learn with using them but it feels better and more accurate to play without. Is there anything that would help with this?
In my experience it just takes slow and deliberate practice. Practice very slowly so you can control everything your hand is doing. Once you build a new habit it'll be the way your hand naturally behaves at any speed!
I am so thankful for these lessons. The progress I have made is thrilling. It's taken me weeks to get to day 9 but it feels good to play even badly. I am have a huge problem with the D my fingers just will not span without hitting other strings.. stumpy fingers I guess. Anyone have some ideas to do it better?
Thanks
I need to move my left wrist almost directly under the strings. More forward rather than behind the neck. I place my thumb behind the neck and not 'on top' of the neck. This way my fingers have more play and I'm better able to press the strings straight on. This way I'm not touching the other strings. I hold chords and strum so I can hear/feel that each note is clear and not muted.
O.K, hello to all. Well, this is day 9 for me and I'm on lesson day 9. The catch is that I'm doing this at 60 bpm and I believe correctly, but I need to get to 120 bpm and I don't think I will get there by tomorrow, so I might have to push day 10 off a while. I would really like to have this at 120 bpm before moving on...
Yeah im doing the same so I can play this song the way it's supposed to be played. Didnt know the bpm was 120 though so thanks for that; and thanks Eli for being a wonderful teacher.
harry potter plays a mean banjo... these lessons are great, thank you!
O.K., so on day 9 I'm on lesson 9, but while I played it once correctly at 60 bpm, I've played a whole bunch of times bad. I am not as comfortable as I have been on passed lessons. While I made the decision to move on from lesson 7, I am going to hang out here until I can get comfortable with at least 80 bpm.
Man, mine doesn’t even sound remotely close to that lmao😅
Ye mine don't sound like that
I can play this slow, I can play this fast, but it never sounds like it does at the beginning of the video, I suspect im doing something wrong, the tempo doesn't feel the same as before somehow, I feel like he changed the way he puts "importance" (not a native speaker don't know the word im looking for) on some notes and not others, you should mention this, it would make things easier.
You don’t play the D chord or the C chord like on my banjo chord chart.
I wish he would just play the same rhythm for the fast and the slow. ugh. totally different emphasis. very confusing.
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Ya, no...the song at the beginning is not the same...I don't care how fast you go with the tune thats slowed down...something is different and it's not speed.
Did you ever figure it out?
@@tradepapers1911 no, lol...I just moved on.
@@moosesplatter9299 how did the rest of the series go?
@@tradepapers1911 I didn't finish it either. Ended up self teaching from books.
Who else is speedrunning this? lol
My fingers are close to bleeding, my back hurts but I will have rest until I can pull this off 😂 this is the hardest day for me yet, not muting other strings while sliding and changing my left hand in time might take me a couple more days. I love this series! There are no banjo teachers in my German small town, so I’m very very grateful for this course! ✨