Meet my banjo. At first I called her Lydia, but for a while there I forgot what I named her and I think I told someone she was Lucinda once. Who knows?
In any case, my banjo is a Gold Tone Cripple Creek 100. She came with a resonator, but I don't play with the resonator on; Its too loud, too bluegrass, too twangy. Instead, I have a few towels tucked in the back of the head to absorb some of the sound, much like many old-time banjo players do when I watched them at string band festivals in Appalachia. It creates a softer sound, melodic with just enough pluck to sing.
I have forgotten the songs I mostly learned 3 years ago, but I like to try to make up a tune sometimes on it. I've got to look for lessons again but I am really particular about wanting to learn Clawhammer style, aka, frailing. Neil Young, Gillian Welch, Mark Knopfler, Dan Levenson, Ken Perlman, Abigail Washburn, etc., all play songs on banjo in this style. I'm not keen on the Earl & Scruggs style. Take a listen to this NPR story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5293105
No comments:
Post a Comment