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tri1937doc
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| Joined: | Sun Feb 17th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2 |
| Instrument Interest: | Bluegrass Banjo |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 07:05 pm |
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I'm new to the banjo. Rolls seem to be progressing OK as do the easy top of the neck G, C, and D chords but the "F" and "D" positions are a real challenge. I have small hands and fingers. Hello to all and thanks in advance for any help.
Rick
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Richard Hefner
Administrator
| Joined: | Sat Apr 10th, 2004 |
| Location: | Gastonia, North Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 2489 |
| Instrument Interest: | Ukulele, Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 12:30 am |
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Hi Rick,
Those chords will become easier the longer you play. It's good to learn those D and F position chords because they're the movable shapes you use for bluegrass banjo and they are the foundation of playing backup and also up-the-neck solos.
They're difficult at first because they require you to hold down a different finger on each of the first four strings, and in different positions at that. Practice playing them up and down the neck at each position and thinking about which chord you're playing as you go up the neck (F, F#, G, G#, etc.) Try practicing those movable chords for 10 minutes or so each day and before long it'll fall into place.
____________________
Richard Hefner
Webmaster, ezFolk.com
MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner
MP3 Pop-Up Player: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/2/popmp3.php
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tri1937doc
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| Joined: | Sun Feb 17th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 2 |
| Instrument Interest: | Bluegrass Banjo |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 01:43 am |
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Thanks, Richard. I'm working on them and there is some progress - but it's a real challenge to get all the fingers in the right place!
Rick
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theBlackman
Approved
| Joined: | Mon Jun 27th, 2005 |
| Location: | Lake Forest, California USA |
| Posts: | 562 |
| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Autoharp, Other |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:02 am |
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If you keep it up, your fingers will "remember" where to go without you having to think about it. But it's only done by starting in one position and moving to a new one over and over and over.
The muscles "learn" where to move.
You could start with one chord. Play it. Remove your fingers and then place them back again as quickly as you can. Just chord, fingers off, chord, fingers off. After a while they will just fall right into place.
Then start with a new chord and do it over again. Then start with the first chord and move to the second. When that is fairly smooth, add a third and so on.
It's easier to learn the 1, 4, 5 chords that make up those in a KEY, and when you have them down, learn the same chords for a new key.
Soon you'll be moving between chords with ease.
____________________
Let each day start as a blank page for life to write upon.
http://ezfolk.com/audio/dusty
http://cdbaby.com/all/theblackman
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