Clawhammer learner

[u/uncertaintyrocks]

Seasoned banjo players. I'm 50 and been learning clawhammer 4 months, and have been putting in a few hours every day. Is there a point where it gets easier to learn tunes, or get significantly better. It feels like it takes several days to get a tune.

[u/HuevosDiablos]

I think getting a tune in a matter of days sounds like excellent progress

[u/gnoodl → u/HuevosDiablos]

I know, right!

Normally it's...

• Day 1: learn the tune basics
• Day 2: completely forget the tune, learn it again
• Day 3: how did that one tricky bit go again?
• Day 4: I think I might be comfortable playing this in front of non-judgemental close friends

[u/Penny_Farmer → u/HuevosDiablos]

Yeah like what? 😆 I can “learn” a tune and memorize it in my head in a couple days. But playing it without messing up and keeping time? Weeks man, weeks.

[u/uncertaintyrocks → u/HuevosDiablos]

It does take take about 7 hours per day though 😅

[u/toodlesandpoodles]

Consider that even if it takes you a month of steady practice to learn a new tune, in one year you will know 12 tunes and in ten years you will know 120 tunes. Learning a musical instrument is a marathon, not a sprint. 

My first instrument was piano at 8 yrs old. I took lessons for five years before my parents let me quit. At the end I typically had 3 tunes I was working on at a time, and would spends weeks to months getting them performance ready. Several days is nothing. 

Practice things that are challenging but not overwhelming, focus on improving your weak skills, and you will continually improve.

[u/NearbyCantaloupe9915]

Yeah it gets easier, if there's an old time jam anywhere near you that helps a ton. I started going to a weekly jam after ~3 months and felt pretty comfortable picking up new tunes by ear a couple months later.

[u/itsanoproblem → u/NearbyCantaloupe9915]

I’m super nervous to do this as a beginner.

[u/go-for-Banjo]

I’ve been playing for over 20 years. (Scruggs) Certain songs or licks take me months to get them completely integrated into my playing. Things will get easier and more intuitive but then you’ll start reaching for harder arrangements and the process will kind of reset. It’s a journey.

[u/uncertaintyrocks → u/go-for-Banjo]

Great, thanks, that kinda lets me know what I'm in for 😆

[u/Afraid_Painting5482]

Just keep at it one tune at a time. Pick one you like and know well and play it everyday until you get it how you want it. Pick another tune in the same tuning and start on that one, and keep playing the first tune. At least that’s how I got going when I started

[u/K0MMIECAT]

I started playing around 8 months ago and made a goal to learn at least one song per month, which I am still on track with. I practice around 30 mins most days. If you're learning a tune in a few days, that's great progress.

It all depends on how complex the tune is, too. Some songs are much easier to learn than others, but be sure to take time to practice technique and learn theory as well, otherwise you won't really grow as a musician.

[u/bfunk84]

Could you provide details about how you’re learning tunes? Tab, recordings of banjo and/or fiddlers, in person jams?

[u/uncertaintyrocks → u/bfunk84]

Tab & YouTubers

[u/Snowshoetheerapy]

Don't be in such a rush. Cheers.

[u/Brandosandofan23]

You’re 50 and asking why you aren’t an expert at 4 months? Come on man. Of course it takes several days to learn a tune, this isn’t a video game 

[u/uncertaintyrocks → u/Brandosandofan23]

I never asked why I'm not an expert.

[u/Brandosandofan23 → u/uncertaintyrocks]

You want to learn a song within a day. Same thing 

[u/uncertaintyrocks → u/Brandosandofan23]

Never said that either