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Hello Ron,
I am enjoying reading your blog posts. As for this one, I too try to play more and more music not traditionally associated with banjo, like “Stardust,” and “Skylark” as well as less well known tinpan alley 20s tunes. For some reason I have never been fond of the “classics” that Perry Bechtel played and everyone seems to copy. My taste in listening and trying to emulate in style is more toward ragtime and jazz. But, I get your points about learning to read music and how Buddy Wachter is pretty amazing.
If you are interested, I have an album “Ragged Oldies” that is a compilation of a couple of recordings from the early 1980s that you can listen to at: http://santhony.com/ggrm/RaggedOldies.html (you have to click the “>” arrow in the player to load the tunes). You can do the same for all my band’s CDs at: http://santhony.com/records.html.
By the way, I do a lot of computer work and would suggest one minor tweak to your blog – make the body text slightly darker. It is very hard to read at the gray value it is currently set at.
Keep up the good work!
Scott
I’ve correct several typos, so if you want to approve this instead of the first one, it would be better:
I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or offend anyone, but . . .
It’s not about the instrument or the song . . . it’s about the ENTERTAINMENT VALUE as perceived BY THE AUDIENCE.
When people choose what they want to watch, they want to:
* hear a song they’re familiar with
* be entertained
* feel happy
It’s not about the instrument or the song . . . it’s about the entertainment value.
If you’re playing . . .
* a song they don’t know
* without a smile or any energy
* in a setting that isn’t entertaining
All you can really expect is that people won’t show up.
If we LIKE to play old unknown songs, while sitting on our butts looking tired, bored, and unhappy, then WE should enjoy every minute of doing what WE want to do.
However, if we want the AUDIENCE to REALLY show up, we need to emulate the good examples above that are getting MILLIONS of views by people.
Steve; No offense taken–these are exactly the things I need to hear.
I respect your view, and I get what you’re saying–I really do. I certainly wish more people would watch my videos, but I know that won’t happen because I’m not playing exciting music (or looking like I’m having “fun”). No amount of smiling or bouncing around on my chair will make Banjo Blues (or any of the other parlour banjo tunes I have videos of) anything more than it is; a nice piece of music to listen to. Not that I could act that way with any music, exciting or not. I guess that’s the frustrating part; I am not an entertainer–never have been, never will be. I’m not exactly the greatest musician either, but I’m willing to bet that my musical path will eventually make me a better musician than faking a smile and throwing my banjo in the air will!
I agree this is not entirely a banjo problem–it’s an audience problem. People are no longer equipped to simply close their eyes and enjoy the music; everything has to be fast and exciting to catch their attention. I’m not suggesting we should make the banjo a boring non- entertainment device; I’m just saying we should make it more of a musical instrument also (so we can impress the .1% of the population who knows what music is, regardless of entertainment value–and maybe gain a little mainstream respect). It occurs to me when I’m pouring my heart into a beautiful Cammeyer piece, or a very difficult Reser tune that the audience doesn’t care one iota, simply because I’m not visually exciting (and I refuse to rig up flashing lights to make it look more so)!
Too often, entertainment is a musical dead-end; I suppose the opposite is true too. Can we meet in the middle? Oh, and welcome to the conversation!
I’ll leave a comment since I read your facebook post. I agree that the “I can’t read music I just play by ear” mentality needs to go! By saying you can’t read music, you are admitting that you are illiterate.
Nancy,
I know a whole lot of successful trad musicians in New Orleans who would take offense at your ” illiterate” remark.
I know quite a few “literate” musicians who can’t play anything without the sheet music in front of them.
If I had to choose, I’d choose the ability to “make” music from the soul any day.
Nancy; And many are proud of their musical ignorance–I know, I was one of them until only the last few years! It’s an uphill battle, especially with a “simple” instrument like the banjo. Thank you for the comment. I was hoping to see you at the Fundango back in April.
So much material to digest, I don’t think I can respond to everything so instead I’ll offer a few observations…
Entertainment is constantly evolving. The silent movie stars of the 20’s gave way to the “Talkies”, the Big Band Era (which was only about 11 years) was eclipsed by the Rock’n Roll stars of the ’50’s THEY were relegated to the bargain bin at the local record store once the “British Invasion” landed in 1964. Television replaced radio dramas and now the internet is replacing TV. In other words, nothing stays the same.
The banjo was a great “fit” for the music of the early 20th century. It’s distinctive sound does not really work in what passes for popular music today (neither does the Accordion, Harpsichord or Theremin, for that matter).
The fact that you CAN play any music on a banjo doesn’t mean you should. Technically, you can play “Chuck Berry Riffs” on a Soprano Sax…but I wouldn’t want to hear it.
Musical tastes ebb & flow. In the 1970’s, Ragtime music had all but been forgotten about until the movie “The Sting” brought it back. All it takes is one “spark” for a resurgence to occur – sadly, these are usually “fads” and have a short shelf life (think “Swing Kids”).
When I was a child of the ’60’s, it seemed like everyone I knew was playing guitar. You could buy one for $20-30 dollars and it wasn’t difficult to set-up and keep in tune (no movable bridges) and the popular music of the day revolved around the instrument. Every music teacher I knew railed against that “three chord nonsense” and smugly said rock would never last…
Well, the guitar still reigns number one and “power chords” are just as popular today as they were in the days of Led Zeppelin.
Ukuleles are now “in vogue” for the very reasons you argue “against” regarding the banjo. The Instrument is being used in “some” popular music, Jake Shimabukuro and a few others are riding that resurgence. The reason the the “Uke” is popular today is a.) it is an inexpensive instrument b.) it is easy to start playing (simple chords, nylon strings that are easier on the fingers etc.) c.) it is largely a ‘sing-a-long instrument that doesn’t require extensive musical background d.) music stores have lots of them in stock (and probably haven’t had a 4 string banjo in-house for years) e.) it’s light weight and easily carried around.
What makes the Ukulele popular today is that is is FUN to play and easy to access and play. Will this revival last? Who knows, but if what’s past is prologue then history tends to point toward the negative.
That being said, what will drive the banjo in the future is accessibility. If you can’t find one in your local music store, at a price you can afford to begin with, and then find a teacher who will teach you what YOU want to learn to play, then nothing is going to change. We can marvel at the Buddy Wachter’s of the world (and we should) but that’s not where the market is.
The popular saying “A rock guitarist plays 3 chords to 3,000 people; a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords to 3 people” holds true for banjo as well. Frustrating as it may be to a classically trained musician, the fact is that for music to be popular to the masses, it needs to address their needs – not the artist.
Popular does not necessarily equal good. Take a look at the Billboard Music charts for the top selling “music” today and you’ll see what I mean.
I understand your lament but I think you are tilting at windmills, my friend. Popularity is almost always based on the lowest common denominator….
Jim; Thank you for the detailed response. As I said, I certainly don’t know everything; my opinions are half-baked and based on what I do know from limited personal experience. Let me say from the start—since I tend to get into my writing and forget some of what has gone before—that I totally respect your position in the entertainer/musician spectrum. I don’t think you give yourself enough credit as a musician, but you obviously have a way with an audience. I do wish I was more of a natural entertainer myself, but I find it impossible to even smile while I’m playing. I hope to learn more through this process.
Anyway, you are exactly right; I am “tilting at windmills!” I have thought of that analogy myself—and told myself that someone has to do it! Over the last 40+ years I have watched the slow death of the four-string banjo—this is what I know. Thank goodness for Eddie Peabody’s influence—and all the great entertainers who have kept the banjo alive for the 99% general public (to the extent that it is)—but I can’t help but see the musical disconnect; the banjo was once considered to be a serious musical instrument (with an admittedly small audience). Maybe I would be happier with a modest-but-constant level of historical popularity than the reality life-cycle of “existence > 10 years of rock-star insanity > slow death.” At any rate, my main motivation is that I am not happy with the general public’s knee-jerk perception that “banjo player = idiot.”
Being a largely untrained, play-by-ear banjoist working hard to improve myself—and a classically trained professional clarinetist—I recognize that we are continuing an age-old argument; the two-chord (three on a good day) entertainer who laughs all the way to the bank vs. the highly-trained musician who, after wasting his family’s fortune and 20 years of life on a musical education, struggles to pay rent. I have personally experienced that argument from both sides (so maybe I do have a unique viewpoint. . .). Being stuck in the middle (not world-class as either an entertainer or musician), I am quite conflicted; the only way I know to resolve it is to intellectualize it and write about it.
With that thought in mind, thank you very much for your input! My first reaction is to put down my lance and simply enjoy life—but then I realize I need to dust myself off, get back on the horse, and continue trying to make a difference in my own way. Let me leave you with another popular Facebook meme: “Jazz guitar: The art of making the difficult look easy. Rock guitar: The art of making the easy look difficult.” I look forward to further discussion!
“I agree this is not entirely a banjo problem–it’s an audience problem. People are no longer equipped to simply close their eyes and enjoy the music; everything has to be fast and exciting to catch their attention.”
Ron – there is not a problem with the audience. Take any popular band (or artist) and have them all sit down, not look at the audience, not smile, and play some something the audience has never heard. You will get a very predictable reaction.
If you want a different reaction, you can’t complain about the audience. You have to decide to stand up, look at the audience, smile, look at the audience, and play something they know.
“It occurs to me when I’m pouring my heart into a beautiful Cammeyer piece, or a very difficult Reser tune that the audience doesn’t care one iota, simply because I’m not visually exciting (and I refuse to rig up flashing lights to make it look more so)!”
You have to decide what the outcome you’re trying to achieve. If you want to impress yourself, then play the songs you want in the style you want with the energy you want.
If you want to impress the audience and get a reaction out them, you must choose to give them what they want.
Do they want to watch a “chess game” or an exciting sports event (football, soccer, baseball, etc.)
Look at the audience, smile at them, look happy as you play.
They will feel whatever you are exuding.
The videos I posted all show top musicians who are looking at the audience, smiling, tapping their feet, and entertaining.
If they were doing what us banjo players are doing, no one would pay attention.
Ron,
Let me further illustrate the issue with the example of the piano player behind “Post Modern Jukebox.”
When he first started , he was playing what *HE* wanted to play:
He didn’t complain that the audience didn’t understand what he like to play. It worked to fit in with what the audience wanted.
Steve; Well, I asked for participation, and I certainly got it! Thank you for joining the conversation; I look forward to more! I have nothing but respect for you as a player and friend. I know from your Facebook posts that you are good at and enjoy friendly argument; I’m not so good at that, so please don’t take offense as I try to defend myself.
First off, let me say that I certainly hope you are not lumping me into the same musical category as banjo bands! I am trying to believe it is strictly a comparison with their lack of a smile—if not, I question your ability to differentiate music from banjo band noise. I also don’t know whether or not you were referencing one of my previous blogs: “. . .to those who tell me “you should smile more,” I say “you should listen more. . .” and, “. . .I have made YouTube videos of several pieces, with more on the way (sorry, I don’t smile in those either).”
I am not overly proud of my inability to smile while playing, but it is what it is—the music is supposed to be the focus anyway (music being an aural art, and not a visual art). I also know that I am not exactly the greatest player in the world, but I at least am striving to improve myself by playing difficult music and studying theory (rather than learning to fake a smile). I feel I held my own playing with you and Bill at least.
Believe me, I would love to be the guy who cracks the code of making the banjo “popular” again. I believe it to be “hipster coolness,” just waiting to be re-discovered! I personally don’t believe that the way I look on camera by itself is going to do it (if that’s the case, I may as well give up!). Is visual appeal the only thing that matters anymore? I’d like to believe that young folks are listening to the music also, and making their fickle decisions at least partially based on sound.
Let me say that I am a bit confused; I consider you to be one of the best banjo musicians out there—one of the guys who could really make a musical difference for the banjo if you wanted to. At the same time, I do not consider you to be a particularly great entertainer (I notice your playing long before your stage presence). Why the apparently 100% adherence to “the audience is king?” Isn’t musical advancement at least as important in the long run as what an audience thinks?
Having said this, I realize that I believe musical advancement to be more important than popularity (so maybe I’ve been barking up the wrong tree?). I guess that reflects my naive, intellectual, overly-serious nature. I’m also questioning my sanity, trying to raise the musical standards of the banjo, and change the entrenched attitudes of banjo players. I hope that you’ll meet me at least half way on this; we could use your help!
1) Django didn’t start on banjo. His first two instruments were violin and dulcimer, afterwards six string banjo and guitar. Reference “Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz” (auth. Alain Antonietto), “Life After Django Reinhardt” (documentary). This might be a response to an earlier blog…
2) “By saying you can’t read music is admitting your illiterate” – hmmmm… Tell that to Rory Hoffman. That is the only nice thing I can say.
3) My go-to guys to replicate the specific styles mentioned above (Wachter does not own them… He’s his own style).
Peabody – Brad Roth
Reeser – Howard Alden
Django – Frank Vignola
4) As I’ve said before, play with passion and soul, and if it’s sincere then the audience will have a chance to get to know where you are coming from. If you force the idea that you are trying to be “legitimate” then it will fall upon deaf ears and empty venues. Look at what Bela, Tony (Trischka), or Noam Pikelny have done and how they are continue to evolve. It’s a blend of where they are going musically along with what they know the audience can connect to.
My brutal opinion: the banjo itself is not the problem – it’s the one holding the pick.
In furtherance to my earlier comments regarding “illiterate” musicians, here is a “short list” of musicians & composers who reportedly could not read music….
Eroll Garner
Eric Clapton
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
Jimi Hendrix
Chet Baker
Bix Beiderbecke
Danny Elfman
Irving Berlin
Lionel Bart
Jerry Herman
Hello Ron,
I am enjoying reading your blog posts. As for this one, I too try to play more and more music not traditionally associated with banjo, like “Stardust,” and “Skylark” as well as less well known tinpan alley 20s tunes. For some reason I have never been fond of the “classics” that Perry Bechtel played and everyone seems to copy. My taste in listening and trying to emulate in style is more toward ragtime and jazz. But, I get your points about learning to read music and how Buddy Wachter is pretty amazing.
If you are interested, I have an album “Ragged Oldies” that is a compilation of a couple of recordings from the early 1980s that you can listen to at: http://santhony.com/ggrm/RaggedOldies.html (you have to click the “>” arrow in the player to load the tunes). You can do the same for all my band’s CDs at:
http://santhony.com/records.html.
By the way, I do a lot of computer work and would suggest one minor tweak to your blog – make the body text slightly darker. It is very hard to read at the gray value it is currently set at.
Keep up the good work!
Scott
I’ve correct several typos, so if you want to approve this instead of the first one, it would be better:
I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or offend anyone, but . . .
It’s not about the instrument or the song . . . it’s about the ENTERTAINMENT VALUE as perceived BY THE AUDIENCE.
When people choose what they want to watch, they want to:
* hear a song they’re familiar with
* be entertained
* feel happy
Compare these examples:
https://goo.gl/4AJuR (14 million views)
https://goo.gl/FQkQzq (4.8 million views)
https://goo.gl/e3GdHN (3.2 million views, with Cynthia Sayer)
https://goo.gl/SN3xQd (161,913 views)
https://goo.gl/BLmK6b (220,000 views)
https://goo.gl/lhJLNi (10,000 views)
With these:
https://goo.gl/CNwWe3 (687 Views)
https://goo.gl/vYCSor (3,800 views)
https://goo.gl/7LP9fJ (1,000 views)
https://goo.gl/Fcagqs (anyone smiling?)
https://goo.gl/nJmXYt (anyone here look happy or entertaining?)
https://goo.gl/NgbO2R (anyone here look happy or entertaining?)
Can you see the difference?
It’s not about the instrument or the song . . . it’s about the entertainment value.
If you’re playing . . .
* a song they don’t know
* without a smile or any energy
* in a setting that isn’t entertaining
All you can really expect is that people won’t show up.
If we LIKE to play old unknown songs, while sitting on our butts looking tired, bored, and unhappy, then WE should enjoy every minute of doing what WE want to do.
However, if we want the AUDIENCE to REALLY show up, we need to emulate the good examples above that are getting MILLIONS of views by people.
Steve; No offense taken–these are exactly the things I need to hear.
I respect your view, and I get what you’re saying–I really do. I certainly wish more people would watch my videos, but I know that won’t happen because I’m not playing exciting music (or looking like I’m having “fun”). No amount of smiling or bouncing around on my chair will make Banjo Blues (or any of the other parlour banjo tunes I have videos of) anything more than it is; a nice piece of music to listen to. Not that I could act that way with any music, exciting or not. I guess that’s the frustrating part; I am not an entertainer–never have been, never will be. I’m not exactly the greatest musician either, but I’m willing to bet that my musical path will eventually make me a better musician than faking a smile and throwing my banjo in the air will!
I agree this is not entirely a banjo problem–it’s an audience problem. People are no longer equipped to simply close their eyes and enjoy the music; everything has to be fast and exciting to catch their attention. I’m not suggesting we should make the banjo a boring non- entertainment device; I’m just saying we should make it more of a musical instrument also (so we can impress the .1% of the population who knows what music is, regardless of entertainment value–and maybe gain a little mainstream respect). It occurs to me when I’m pouring my heart into a beautiful Cammeyer piece, or a very difficult Reser tune that the audience doesn’t care one iota, simply because I’m not visually exciting (and I refuse to rig up flashing lights to make it look more so)!
Too often, entertainment is a musical dead-end; I suppose the opposite is true too. Can we meet in the middle? Oh, and welcome to the conversation!
I’ll leave a comment since I read your facebook post. I agree that the “I can’t read music I just play by ear” mentality needs to go! By saying you can’t read music, you are admitting that you are illiterate.
Nancy,
I know a whole lot of successful trad musicians in New Orleans who would take offense at your ” illiterate” remark.
I know quite a few “literate” musicians who can’t play anything without the sheet music in front of them.
If I had to choose, I’d choose the ability to “make” music from the soul any day.
Nancy; And many are proud of their musical ignorance–I know, I was one of them until only the last few years! It’s an uphill battle, especially with a “simple” instrument like the banjo. Thank you for the comment. I was hoping to see you at the Fundango back in April.
So much material to digest, I don’t think I can respond to everything so instead I’ll offer a few observations…
Entertainment is constantly evolving. The silent movie stars of the 20’s gave way to the “Talkies”, the Big Band Era (which was only about 11 years) was eclipsed by the Rock’n Roll stars of the ’50’s THEY were relegated to the bargain bin at the local record store once the “British Invasion” landed in 1964. Television replaced radio dramas and now the internet is replacing TV. In other words, nothing stays the same.
The banjo was a great “fit” for the music of the early 20th century. It’s distinctive sound does not really work in what passes for popular music today (neither does the Accordion, Harpsichord or Theremin, for that matter).
The fact that you CAN play any music on a banjo doesn’t mean you should. Technically, you can play “Chuck Berry Riffs” on a Soprano Sax…but I wouldn’t want to hear it.
Musical tastes ebb & flow. In the 1970’s, Ragtime music had all but been forgotten about until the movie “The Sting” brought it back. All it takes is one “spark” for a resurgence to occur – sadly, these are usually “fads” and have a short shelf life (think “Swing Kids”).
When I was a child of the ’60’s, it seemed like everyone I knew was playing guitar. You could buy one for $20-30 dollars and it wasn’t difficult to set-up and keep in tune (no movable bridges) and the popular music of the day revolved around the instrument. Every music teacher I knew railed against that “three chord nonsense” and smugly said rock would never last…
Well, the guitar still reigns number one and “power chords” are just as popular today as they were in the days of Led Zeppelin.
Ukuleles are now “in vogue” for the very reasons you argue “against” regarding the banjo. The Instrument is being used in “some” popular music, Jake Shimabukuro and a few others are riding that resurgence. The reason the the “Uke” is popular today is a.) it is an inexpensive instrument b.) it is easy to start playing (simple chords, nylon strings that are easier on the fingers etc.) c.) it is largely a ‘sing-a-long instrument that doesn’t require extensive musical background d.) music stores have lots of them in stock (and probably haven’t had a 4 string banjo in-house for years) e.) it’s light weight and easily carried around.
What makes the Ukulele popular today is that is is FUN to play and easy to access and play. Will this revival last? Who knows, but if what’s past is prologue then history tends to point toward the negative.
That being said, what will drive the banjo in the future is accessibility. If you can’t find one in your local music store, at a price you can afford to begin with, and then find a teacher who will teach you what YOU want to learn to play, then nothing is going to change. We can marvel at the Buddy Wachter’s of the world (and we should) but that’s not where the market is.
The popular saying “A rock guitarist plays 3 chords to 3,000 people; a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords to 3 people” holds true for banjo as well. Frustrating as it may be to a classically trained musician, the fact is that for music to be popular to the masses, it needs to address their needs – not the artist.
Popular does not necessarily equal good. Take a look at the Billboard Music charts for the top selling “music” today and you’ll see what I mean.
I understand your lament but I think you are tilting at windmills, my friend. Popularity is almost always based on the lowest common denominator….
Jim; Thank you for the detailed response. As I said, I certainly don’t know everything; my opinions are half-baked and based on what I do know from limited personal experience. Let me say from the start—since I tend to get into my writing and forget some of what has gone before—that I totally respect your position in the entertainer/musician spectrum. I don’t think you give yourself enough credit as a musician, but you obviously have a way with an audience. I do wish I was more of a natural entertainer myself, but I find it impossible to even smile while I’m playing. I hope to learn more through this process.
Anyway, you are exactly right; I am “tilting at windmills!” I have thought of that analogy myself—and told myself that someone has to do it! Over the last 40+ years I have watched the slow death of the four-string banjo—this is what I know. Thank goodness for Eddie Peabody’s influence—and all the great entertainers who have kept the banjo alive for the 99% general public (to the extent that it is)—but I can’t help but see the musical disconnect; the banjo was once considered to be a serious musical instrument (with an admittedly small audience). Maybe I would be happier with a modest-but-constant level of historical popularity than the reality life-cycle of “existence > 10 years of rock-star insanity > slow death.” At any rate, my main motivation is that I am not happy with the general public’s knee-jerk perception that “banjo player = idiot.”
Being a largely untrained, play-by-ear banjoist working hard to improve myself—and a classically trained professional clarinetist—I recognize that we are continuing an age-old argument; the two-chord (three on a good day) entertainer who laughs all the way to the bank vs. the highly-trained musician who, after wasting his family’s fortune and 20 years of life on a musical education, struggles to pay rent. I have personally experienced that argument from both sides (so maybe I do have a unique viewpoint. . .). Being stuck in the middle (not world-class as either an entertainer or musician), I am quite conflicted; the only way I know to resolve it is to intellectualize it and write about it.
With that thought in mind, thank you very much for your input! My first reaction is to put down my lance and simply enjoy life—but then I realize I need to dust myself off, get back on the horse, and continue trying to make a difference in my own way. Let me leave you with another popular Facebook meme: “Jazz guitar: The art of making the difficult look easy. Rock guitar: The art of making the easy look difficult.” I look forward to further discussion!
“I agree this is not entirely a banjo problem–it’s an audience problem. People are no longer equipped to simply close their eyes and enjoy the music; everything has to be fast and exciting to catch their attention.”
Ron – there is not a problem with the audience. Take any popular band (or artist) and have them all sit down, not look at the audience, not smile, and play some something the audience has never heard. You will get a very predictable reaction.
If you want a different reaction, you can’t complain about the audience. You have to decide to stand up, look at the audience, smile, look at the audience, and play something they know.
“It occurs to me when I’m pouring my heart into a beautiful Cammeyer piece, or a very difficult Reser tune that the audience doesn’t care one iota, simply because I’m not visually exciting (and I refuse to rig up flashing lights to make it look more so)!”
You have to decide what the outcome you’re trying to achieve. If you want to impress yourself, then play the songs you want in the style you want with the energy you want.
If you want to impress the audience and get a reaction out them, you must choose to give them what they want.
Do they want to watch a “chess game” or an exciting sports event (football, soccer, baseball, etc.)
Look at the audience, smile at them, look happy as you play.
They will feel whatever you are exuding.
The videos I posted all show top musicians who are looking at the audience, smiling, tapping their feet, and entertaining.
If they were doing what us banjo players are doing, no one would pay attention.
Ron,
Let me further illustrate the issue with the example of the piano player behind “Post Modern Jukebox.”
When he first started , he was playing what *HE* wanted to play:
https://goo.gl/bnUGSy (51,000 views)
https://goo.gl/LUZstW (755,000 views)
https://goo.gl/jkuubJ (163,000 views)
https://goo.gl/9jAuzC (54,000 views)
Later on, he learned the value of being entertaining and playing to the audience:
https://goo.gl/obXAm (8.4 million views)
https://goo.gl/3ZhLz2 (2.8 million views)
https://goo.gl/q9faoG (4.2 million views)
https://goo.gl/u7BWUu (6.2 million views)
https://goo.gl/5wZKWa (3.7 million views)
Notice how very often, he’s playing old style songs, but ENTERTAINING, and making it fun.
By doing so, he gets MILLIONS of views on each of his videos and is now a millionaire.
http://goo.gl/xs681F
http://goo.gl/HAZZaF
http://goo.gl/gTf1sE
He didn’t complain that the audience didn’t understand what he like to play. It worked to fit in with what the audience wanted.
Steve; Well, I asked for participation, and I certainly got it! Thank you for joining the conversation; I look forward to more! I have nothing but respect for you as a player and friend. I know from your Facebook posts that you are good at and enjoy friendly argument; I’m not so good at that, so please don’t take offense as I try to defend myself.
First off, let me say that I certainly hope you are not lumping me into the same musical category as banjo bands! I am trying to believe it is strictly a comparison with their lack of a smile—if not, I question your ability to differentiate music from banjo band noise. I also don’t know whether or not you were referencing one of my previous blogs: “. . .to those who tell me “you should smile more,” I say “you should listen more. . .” and, “. . .I have made YouTube videos of several pieces, with more on the way (sorry, I don’t smile in those either).”
I am not overly proud of my inability to smile while playing, but it is what it is—the music is supposed to be the focus anyway (music being an aural art, and not a visual art). I also know that I am not exactly the greatest player in the world, but I at least am striving to improve myself by playing difficult music and studying theory (rather than learning to fake a smile). I feel I held my own playing with you and Bill at least.
Believe me, I would love to be the guy who cracks the code of making the banjo “popular” again. I believe it to be “hipster coolness,” just waiting to be re-discovered! I personally don’t believe that the way I look on camera by itself is going to do it (if that’s the case, I may as well give up!). Is visual appeal the only thing that matters anymore? I’d like to believe that young folks are listening to the music also, and making their fickle decisions at least partially based on sound.
Let me say that I am a bit confused; I consider you to be one of the best banjo musicians out there—one of the guys who could really make a musical difference for the banjo if you wanted to. At the same time, I do not consider you to be a particularly great entertainer (I notice your playing long before your stage presence). Why the apparently 100% adherence to “the audience is king?” Isn’t musical advancement at least as important in the long run as what an audience thinks?
Having said this, I realize that I believe musical advancement to be more important than popularity (so maybe I’ve been barking up the wrong tree?). I guess that reflects my naive, intellectual, overly-serious nature. I’m also questioning my sanity, trying to raise the musical standards of the banjo, and change the entrenched attitudes of banjo players. I hope that you’ll meet me at least half way on this; we could use your help!
1) Django didn’t start on banjo. His first two instruments were violin and dulcimer, afterwards six string banjo and guitar. Reference “Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz” (auth. Alain Antonietto), “Life After Django Reinhardt” (documentary). This might be a response to an earlier blog…
2) “By saying you can’t read music is admitting your illiterate” – hmmmm… Tell that to Rory Hoffman. That is the only nice thing I can say.
3) My go-to guys to replicate the specific styles mentioned above (Wachter does not own them… He’s his own style).
Peabody – Brad Roth
Reeser – Howard Alden
Django – Frank Vignola
4) As I’ve said before, play with passion and soul, and if it’s sincere then the audience will have a chance to get to know where you are coming from. If you force the idea that you are trying to be “legitimate” then it will fall upon deaf ears and empty venues. Look at what Bela, Tony (Trischka), or Noam Pikelny have done and how they are continue to evolve. It’s a blend of where they are going musically along with what they know the audience can connect to.
My brutal opinion: the banjo itself is not the problem – it’s the one holding the pick.
Listen to what Doug does…
http://youtu.be/-oImsYGilEo
In furtherance to my earlier comments regarding “illiterate” musicians, here is a “short list” of musicians & composers who reportedly could not read music….
Eroll Garner
Eric Clapton
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
Jimi Hendrix
Chet Baker
Bix Beiderbecke
Danny Elfman
Irving Berlin
Lionel Bart
Jerry Herman
Just sayin’…..