Hey guys,
Lately I've been really bummed that I don't have an instrument with me--my keyboard and ukulele are on the other side of the country for a few months, my guitar is halfway across the country, and I really like having something around to pick at. I've never been a very talented or focused musician but I do love just trying things out. It's prohibitively expensive to ship one of the instruments out here (especially for the few months) and I don't want to buy something that I already own, so I've actually been thinking of picking up a banjo.
I don't know anything about them, really. I know I like the sound and I know that, with stringed instruments in general, I'm unusually good at finger-picking and unusually bad at strumming, which seems like it would work well with a banjo. I don't know how hard they are, though. Is it something I could learn through just my own efforts and some internet videos and what-have-you, or is it hard enough that I shouldn't get into it unless I'm taking lessons and so on? Any advice or anecdotes would be helpful--again, I don't know too much about what I would be getting into, but it looks like a fun instrument and it's one that I don't have.
Thanks!
e: actually, lemme retool this. I'm also thinking of buying a mandolin, as it seems like it's a little more versatile while still letting me play around with folk and bluegrass. Does anyone have any experience with that? Is either better suited to a fairly amateur musician?
Posts
However, Modest Mouse and other indie bands prove that banjo doesn't have to sound like bluegrass, so if you wanted to learn something more rock and roll, banjo will do you.
but they're listening to every word I say
Be sure to check out mandozine.com for a bunch of free Tabledit files, and pick up the Shady Grove songbook (published by Mel Bay, I think). It's full of David Grisman's arragements from the album he did with Jerry Garcia. It's probably my favorite mandolin songbook for traditional music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JjimMO2SdE
Really, banjo and mandolin are both good instruments for you to pick up a little experience with. As with all instruments, you can learn enough to get by or really master them. I do have a soft spot for banjo, though.