I know that my previous blog posts have left many wondering “just what is he trying to say?” I know this is so because I am left with that same question when I read my own material! Well, #1, you should know that I have found writing to be the best vehicle for my own self-discovery; oftentimes, I answer my own burning questions only in the process of writing about them.
Should I publish these private “explorations in thought,” thereby exposing myself to the dangers of commentary? Yes! You should read what I write for my own purposes, with no intent to publish! Learning to temper my inner thoughts for public consumption is an important part of the process; what good does a thought do if I can’t express/expose it? Otherwise, I just become another unknown hermit—a low-self-esteem tendency that I have fought against my whole life. An ulterior motive behind this self-searching effort is that I hope others will find clues to their own questions in my writing. I hope that you will have patience with me and continue to read and comment on my blogs; I believe you will witness a gradual improvement in them.
Do I sometimes go too far? Absolutely! “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” so they say. I am banking on my good reputation to save me from being ostracized for my views. I am a genuinely nice guy who has always been afraid to speak his mind (lest I lose friends); while this trait has won me friends, I believe it has also kept me from being taken seriously (“nice guy, but has nothing important to say”). The thought of hurting a friend’s feelings and losing that friendship horrifies me; I would hope that if I inadvertently hurt someone, they would take the time to confront me for clarification before abandoning me.
Relating this to the four-string banjo: I have been playing for over 40 years; during that time I have watched our beloved instrument slowly fade from the popularity it enjoyed during the “Pizza Parlor Revival” of the 60’s and 70’s to its current dismal level of obscurity. Throughout these years, I have overheard and participated in many a pity party. . .well, I’m trying to do something about it! Our close-knit little “happy valley” has genuine problems; it does no good to just smile and pretend it doesn’t.
My writing is meant to be an open invitation to commentary; maybe I’m right on, maybe I’m way off base. I won’t know unless you join in the conversation, and join me in what I see as a very important mission (and my life’s work); saving the four-string banjo from its long, slow death. There in a nutshell is “what I’m trying to say.”
Hi Ron,
I think most of us have that same fear, for lack of a better word, that if we tell our feelings, really say what is on our mind, it will offend a friend and cause us to lose that friend because our opinion is offensive to them. In reality, this has happened to me only once. On retrospect, I have to question if that friend was really a friend who cared about me or was just someone using me for their own gain. After all, isn’t a true friend someone who can disagree with our point of view, but still love us for whom we are? Warts and all?
Thank you Steve! I have had many one-on-one conversations over the years where the truth was able to come out, and no friendship was lost. It is different using these “blanket statements” meant for all to read at the same time. It’s too common for two people to agree on something, and then have the whole conversation forgotten due to time and distance; I guess what I’m shooting for here is for a whole community to think about something and talk about it in real time (not “banjo-convention-time”). I know I will piss someone off for sure, but hopefully I’ve at least started a group conversation. Better than sitting around crying in our beer by ourselves, huh? Welcome to the conversation!
I know I have probably stated this before, but I choose soul over technical ability every time. I remember spending hours upon hours getting down Doug Mattocks’ version of Malagueña – this was when I was a teenager – and the only dividend was me sounding like I was copying Doug. That is his way of owning the tune and I don’t know how I had the cajones to think I could make it mine exactly as it was. Plus, I learned a valuable lesson because I knew I could never play that in public without knowing in the back of my head that it was his arrangement and his voice, not mine. What am I saying? I’m saying to make the song your own… Show your personality, your style, and emotion through it. I play numerous Pat Metheny tunes and I keep hammering them after 15 years because I still haven’t completely found my voice in them. I know the originals so well (and so do others) that a lot of times that’s all I hear in my head, but I will keep playing them to find what is inflected as “me”. I enjoyed your article, Ron. Thank you for taking the time to put finger to keyboard!
As Buddy would say, copy someone else, and all you’ll be is a “reasonable facsimile.” But how else do you learn a specialized instrument like the plectrum banjo? When I listen to him play I can hear Harry Reser and Perry Bechtel, but it’s in Buddy’s own unique style. He started by copying those two, Eddie Peabody, and Django Rhinehardt (among others), then developed his own style.
Consider Classical music; that’s all those guys do! They “interpret” what someone else wrote, and get ranked based on their ability to play it just like someone else (and yet have their own sound). In my opinion, we should approach the banjo the same way; copy as closely as possible the great players, then go from there. I would love to be considered a reasonable facsimile of Harry Reser!
Hi Ron,
I understand your complex feelings regarding the instrument that you love and I know it’s not easy to put into words.
I’ve been very fortunate to have spent the past 35 years making music (and a living!) around the world exclusively playing the tenor banjo.
I’m also acutely aware that, while I’m a good “entertainer”, there are TONS of banjo players out there who can play circles around me.
I also know a lot of them are not working.
I WISH I were a better player ( I also wish I was 20 years old, had a full head of hair and a 30 inch waist…) but those weren’t the “tools” I was given.
I see lots of young jazz musicians come out of Universities with amazing chops and I watch them bore audience to tears because they are too busy trying to show “how good they are” instead of entertaining the audience.
I just performed on a Cruise ship where the average age was 73 years old. I played “World is Waiting”, “Robert E Lee”, “Oklahoma”, “William Tell Overture”, “Dueling Banjos”, “Bye Bye Blues” etc. etc.
With a seven piece orchestra behind me, I knew that I was the least “technically” skilled musician on that stage that night … but I connected with and engaged the audience.
And you know what, at the end of the show, I had a 1000 seat theater standing ovation.
At the end of the cruise, over 2000 people had a new appreciation for an instrument that they rarely hear played. They were entertained and walked away “thinking” they had seen a great banjoist.
I, of course know better.
I practice every day and strive to “get better” but, just as I know I’ll never run the 4 minute mile, I understand that there are some musical skills I will never possess.
I’m thankful for my career and for the support I received from my fellow banjoists through the years who probably knew my skill set was lacking but understood my love for and passion for the instrument and it’s music.
If every player had the same skill levels and played exactly the same way, music would stagnate and never grow.
I’ve rambled on long enough..time to go practice (again)….
I know what you mean; most audiences aren’t equipped to hear technical brilliance. I’ve always been kinda trapped in between; not good enough to be considered a great player, but also not a natural entertainer. My personality is what it is (my tools), as is my practice laziness. I believe I have what it takes for the technical brilliance part (once I buckle down), so that’s been my main push for the last few years. People don’t expect that kind of music from a banjo, so it’s hard to attract a technical listener to a “banjo concert.” It’s quite a vicious circle! I think I’m a good enough entertainer to hold an audiences attention (I’ve only gotten one standing O in my life though!), then I throw in an occasional technical piece for variety. I’ve had many people say they never knew that kind of music could be played on a banjo, so it works in small doses. Not sure where I’m going with this, so my rambling is done also! Thank you for the comment; it’s all food for thought.
It’s a fine line, in my opinion, but if used as a springboard to becoming oneself and unique then I agree. Unfortunately, it is all too uncommon in our “world” that someone learns “Lollipops” and then applies that technique (not style) to most everything else that they play. It’s all too evident just in the last year’s worth of FB video posts by contemporary players. I think Brad Roth is a great example of someone who entered into the “realm” copying someone and exited “it” as someone who has never played quite like he does. He was the first person to utilize chord voicings and extensions in a way that no one else had done before. He took the technique of Eddie Peabody and refined it to a level of elegance while inflecting his own voice with his influences of people like Tal Farlow and Joe Pass. Looking at some of the videos of guys today, particularly the younger ones (I can’t believe I said that – I thought I was going to be eternally 26 years old) all I hear is the same thing: this hybrid of Harry Reeser and Perry Bechtel played over 20’s pop tunes or even being applied to later tunes. Move your right hand towards the bottom of the neck and lighten the tone for crying out loud!!!! Treat the tune with respect! Even a hobbyist player doesn’t have to whacka smacka but I do give them much more leeway than someone who is on stage or the bandstand with others. Recent example for me: yesterday I finally heard the lyrics to Billy Strayhorn’s “Day Dream” – that completely changed the way I hear the tune just like when I first heard the lyrics to another one of his eloquent ballads “Something to Live For”. I know that I will play this song differently from now on. I am surprised at my own naïveté every time I have one of these revelations (the “aha” moment).
Anyhow, I don’t want to get all Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino so I’ll move over so someone else can stump on the soap box.
Thank you for using the soap box Patrick; that is the intent, and it’s good to hear that others have opinions also. Sometimes I think nobody else sees there is a problem.
I have to admit that I am impressed when someone can do a believable impersonation of one of the banjo greats (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). I am even more impressed when–after showing they have legitimate historical banjo chops–they prove that they have their own unique voice also. Just like I said about your guitarist friend; if he can’t play a believable Peabody or Reser also, then he’s just another very good guitarist playing the banjo (in guitar tuning). I guess that’s why I’m a “banjo snob!”
50 years ago, there were plenty of non-banjo-playing folks who knew who those two guys were, and some could even recognize their sound. Now it’s only a few other banjoists who can. So I suppose we’re overdue for a truly new musical direction, but I will always believe we must master the “classics” before doing so (just like any other “classical” musician).
I agree about Brad; in my view, he is Peabody vastly improved. If you are referring to Tyler and Nathan (the younger guys), you need to hear them in person; yes, they are a hybrid of Reser and Bechtel (because they copied Buddy), but they can absolutely tear it up in any style you want. Tyler is also a very fine jazz bassist, and Nathan plays everything very well (he is playing lead guitar and singing in an up-and-coming Country band–at 19 years old!). As far as I’m concerned, they are the future of the banjo, and a great inspiration to me.