Quick & dirty banjo lesson number 3

[fruityinker]

Hi, thank you for these great videos, they are a big help to a beginner like myself. A question if thats ok....i'm in my first week with a banjo, and i've been learning to hit the first string (or any string), then strum before using the thumb on the 5th string, but you don't appear to do a strum? Any reason for this or have i missed it? Thanks again for these videos, i'm going through your entire library. Regards, Calv :)

[rpeek]

@fruityinker Well, if'n I want to put a strum in I can, and if'n I don't , then I don't. Just depends on what you want and where you want it. Once you can hit every string with your finger and hit every string with your thumb, if and when you want to, then you own the darned thing and you can do anything you want, including strumming if'n it suits ya. Good luck with yourn.

[fruityinker]

@rpeek Thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated. I like that, "owning the banjo" instead of having so many rules that it ends up owning you. One thing i'm missing though, a lovely roaring woodburner like yours behind you, would love to sit round that and pick. :)

[rpeek]

@fruityinker The wood stove is nice, but it's colder than a well diggers wallet here, so maybe you're just as well off without one.. hahaha

[sberrett]

Are you only just hitting the 1st string, the 4th, and immediately thumbing the 5th right after?

Or are you hitting the 1st, then then bringing your finger across the 4th all the way back to the 1st, playing the 5th?

I think its just because im still playing this slower then id like and its not sounding right.

[rpeek]

@sberrett Looks to me like 1 finger, 5 thumb, 4 finger, then do it again, but what do I know,

[wHiRlYcUrLs]

Wicked! I will go check that out :D

[wHiRlYcUrLs]

I love this. Oh my gosh. Your so funny! Good music too :3 My tastes are diverse, which is how I found this. I love this. Thank you for sharing~

[rpeek]

@wHiRlYcUrLs Awesome! Thank You!

[wHiRlYcUrLs]

@rpeek For some reason I feel like asking if you have done any versions of the dueling banjos from deliverance. I dont know why... but it has always been a sound and speed that has intrigued me haha.

[rpeek]

@wHiRlYcUrLs If you go to my videos, hit "see all" then type in "Dueling Banjos" you'll see a version or two on there.

[OGKush2010]

i got a resonator banjo (deering goodtime 2) for christmas, i dont want to mess it up by trying to take the resonator off and i love the bluegrass (scruggs style) of picking, but i also adore clawhammer, is it normal just to play it with the resonator?

[rpeek]

@OGKush2010 Sure! Play it any way you like.

[yourfriendandmine]

We look a lot alike and think a bit the same way . I been fighting the banjo for to long but I will use what you gave me and hopefully I will learn a few things. Hats and beards are cool for old men (68) , you are a hoot .

[yourfriendandmine]

I could get along with this fellow . down to earth and right on . and human wow!

[rpeek]

@yourfriendandmine  Thank You!

[conanis1]

how many fingers does your right hand employ. not counting the thumby thumb

[rpeek]

@conanis1 One.

[countorlock100]

the bit 53 seconds in till 1.05 cracks me up everytime. You sure you don't want to live in England ?

[rpeek]

@countorlock100 Oh I don't know. I might find England to be just peachy if I ever had a chance to try it out.. hahaha.

[countorlock100]

great vid. cant stop laughing. learnt loads too

[rpeek]

@countorlock100 Sweet!  Good fer you...

[mrclawhammer2011]

Thankyou. You are a great teacher

[rpeek]

@mrclawhammer2011 You're welcome.  Good luck with your playin'..

[Murghoad]

Mister Peek, you're hilarious! Thank's for the lessons!

[rpeek]

@Murghoad  You're welcome..

[justfukoff88]

these lessons are great!

[pmay222]

were you tha paaw in dukes of hazzard..?

[rpeek]

@pmay222 Yep... 

[Bisbonian]

Always the best from rpeek! My favorite instructor...even about banjo playing.

[jsnbeat]

ahhh, the great art of simplicity still lives. you make the perfect vid sir.

[skitzonacid]

bloody brilliant!

[rpeek]

@skitzonacid Thank You...

[GameLevelEditor]

Put it back, take it off. Theres a song!

[rpeek]

@GameLevelEditor Yea, there's a song! Yaaaa  Hooooooo!

[TheProphetNabob]

I don't feel so bad about hitting 4 accidentally now.

[rpeek]

@TheProphetNabob If you hit the wrong string often enough, you'll learn to incorperate it into the song, and learn a new way of playin'... hahaha.

[tecdessus]

been watching your vids for an hour now, lol, very inspirational. now where`s that empty thinners can........

[lookouthumanitarian]

your a great man and entertaining teacher, thanks for imparting your knowledge to all of us!

[rpeek]

@lookouthumanitarian  Thank You and you're welcome... Enjoy the playin'..

[brummeister1]

HaHA!! Good vid!! "twist on them little pegs till it does, I guess" << I like that

[terminaal]

What tuning are you using? just regular open G? because for some reason it doesn't sound the same when I try that Old Joe Clark bit...

[rpeek]

Yep. Regular ol' open G. If it don't sound right, twist on them little pegs till it does, I guess..

[USMCDR]

Good lesson man lol, took me about 3 hours to get down right. It is harder than it seems!

[rpeek]

'tis, but once you get it, you've got it..

[jacktheripped]

musiciansfriend. c o m has banjo's from $150 up and I mean way up. i worked in a music store right after High School and a guy walked in said he wanted to buy a RB-250 Gibson banjo, I looked it up, $2000 in 1974. He paid cash for it..

[rpeek]

I spect it's was a good investment..

[bigblockluv]

whats a good banjo 2 start with should i hit the swapmeet's and G sales or go buy a new one ? the old ons proly better? i realy want start learning the banjo now

[rpeek]

I'd prefer an old one. Get a 5 string with a straight neck. If it's got a wooden dowel pin in the back, that's what you want. If you can't find one, Deering makes a workable banjo that isn't too badly expensive. Also, check out ebay. I get lots of banjos off there, in fact, I'm thinking of selling this one on there.

[bigblockluv]

how much would u want 4 it out right id love 2 have a famus banjo:) love all ur video's

[rpeek]

$850. It's a banjo I built myself on a 1936 Vega Little Wonder pot. You could get 3 or four good banjos for that much, that would do you fine..

[VinnyMartello]

You have definately convinced me!!! I have always wanted to learn the play the banjer and I think you just gave me the confidence!

[rpeek]

Nothin' like seeing a man fumble about, and do it wrong, to give a person confidence.. haha

[lululabeille]

haha !

You know that it was because of you that i bought a banjo ?!! I saw one of your videos, and... bingo ! i saw many others and i bougth a banjo, wishing to succeed in this "study" !

Thanks a lot for the new videos ! each time it seems to be harder, but each time the motivation grows up !!

By the way, i make a little portrait of me... : i am a little brown haired girl, i am 25, and i live in south of france. I am ilustrator for children books...

see you

[rpeek]

Good luck with that banjo. Look forward to hearing you play..