is bluegrass 5 string banjo hard to learn

Buy a six string and tune it like a guitar (E,A,D,G,B,E) - then you can jump from one to another ...   
Whatever instrument you wish to learn ...there's no easy way ...hours, days and years of practice !

It is difficult to play well. If you decide to give it a go there are plenty of experts on Weenie-Campbell who will give you sound advice.

years

I always fancied learning the pedal steel, now that does look difficult.

Jan 12, 2016 -- 11:31AM, blackestnight wrote:

I always fancied learning the pedal steel, now that does look difficult.

Amazing piece of kit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrbSL92Kz1Y

Don't learn to play the banjo....you will be a social outcast for eternity!

Rockinron is right, all instruments require dedicated practice. One of the easiest in my experience is the harmonica. Takes a little while to be able to sound single notes but you can be playing simple tunes after a few days. There is plenty of music available on the internet too translated into harmonica tabs for ease of learning.

Probably why the only instrument i've ever 'mastered' is a gob sucker..

Banjo particularly difficult.

Me too Guinness I can play a bit of keyboard very badly too.

If anyone's thinking of starting harmonica the one to get in my opinion is the Hohner Special20 in key of C. (instruments from other manufacturers are available )
Costs £25 -£30.

I can play Mr Bloe and some blues Mr 100/1. Piano lessons got me very angry and i was sent to a 6ft 8ins Maria Mandel lookalikey who had ginormous feet and a hairy lip for my last set of lessons. Scared me to death she did. Still never learned fack all mind..

what's hardest instrument to learn



guitar

Blues for me too although I like lilting tunes and some gospel. People keep asking me to play "The way we were" (Last of the Summer wine theme). I lasted 3 months with keyboard lessons then gave them up years ago. Just do my own thing when in the mood.

Keep going mucker, i carry my gobby around with me all the time just in case i feel like sucking a tune..

what's hardest instrument to learn

They are all difficult at first in different ways. With some just producing a note in tune is a triumph, with others you have to get both hands doing different things at the same time.
Choose the one you really want to play and persevere.

You too Guinness, one of the best things I ever took up.(apart from the wife if she's snooping).

Talking of harmonicas ...
I played guitar in a band in the late 60s/70s ..(had a fantastic time & Oh those groupies) ...anyway it became the thing on certain numbers to have a bit of harmonica ...we played mostly in the Keys of E, A, D, G etc ..so our singer went out and bought harmonicas in these keys ...crowd loved it especially on "Smokestack Lightning"..
Here's Keith Relf (Yardbirds) E.C. on guitar !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjXSwvSB6yM

Rockinron KINELL!!! I used to go to the Craw Daddy (Richmond) to see the Yardbirds Relf had astma I think?? ended up working in an office when the started to become known, The Who were our local group.

Craw Daddy was famous...what about Eel Pie Island ?
The Hustlers ...but we played mostly down South in and around the Guildford area.
Our lead Guitarist was "Roger Giffin" he now lives in USA - and one of the most famous luthiers (Guitar builder)  on the Planet.
Google him. I bought his Guitar Shop in Kew (Arch No. 7) off him when he went to the USA.
Biggest Gigs we did were ...Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford Uni, Brooklands College (Nashville Teans used to play there as well)
Tunsgate Club in Guildford ...etc ..etc ..it's all a bit of a blur really ...
Of course around that time .just becoming famous were, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page ..and you could see them in the local clubs !

You've done some stuff Ron!!. I never made it to Eel pie spend a lot of weekends in the Goldhawk club, there was always someone decent on there, the Who played regularly, The Animals, The Kinks, and other top groups/acts played there, Jimmy Reed came over from the States to play there, Blues RnB being so popular and influential on most of the 60s groups as I'm sure you know.

I'll google the group, and Roger Giffin tomorrow.

"Smokestack Lightnin'" "Spoonful" oh the memories.

I think Elton played keyboards for Long John Baldry there, but can't remember him especially, the usual suspects played once a year, Screaning Lord Sutch, Wee Willie Hariss, and others of that ilk. Sorry I never got to see the Downliner Sect, didn't rate them at the time,  we were so fcking spoilt for talent back then.

I played guitar in a band in the late 60s/70s ..(had a fantastic time & Oh those groupies) ...anyway it became the thing on certain numbers to have a bit of harmonica ...we played mostly in the Keys of E, A, D, G etc ..so our singer went out and bought harmonicas in these keys ...crowd loved it especially on "Smokestack Lightning"

Great posts Rockinron, sounds like you had a good time.
Diatonic harmonicas come in all 12 keys and are needed if you play with others who set the key. For a beginner and if you play by yourself then all you need is one tuned to  C.
I mentioned the special 20 C earlier as it's a quality instrument at a low price, no point in trying to learn on a cheapo rubbish one that will be more difficult to blow.

Went to Eel pie island a few times around 69/70 when it was a hippy colony. Good memories.

Diatonic harmonicas come in all 12 keys and are needed if you play with others who set the key. For a beginner and if you play by yourself then all you need is one tuned to  C.
I mentioned the special 20 C earlier as it's a quality instrument at a low price, no point in trying to learn on a cheapo rubbish one that will be more difficult to blow.
Good advice Foinavon ...the harmonica is a great sounding instrument for something so small...

Morning guys, Ron have you done anything since 2013?, just been reading about PG, good shot of the Arches, I suppose The Marquee, and 100 club would have been a bit of a slog for you to see 60 acts, Zoot money, John Mayall, Georgie fame etc, and you were probably too busy doing your own gigs anyway. Girlfriends/wives saw the stifling/end  of many a music career. Been there!

Great times for music,

ttt

The bluegrass banjo  fred just ttt it look from 9.54pm yesterday. Rockinron  played for the Hustlers (A brighton band)

Wrong fred.

Great thread. I saw the Stones play a 'secret' gig at the 100 Club early 1980s as a warm up show ahead of their forthcoming European tour.

i saw the uk subs play a secret gig at the 100 club.... billed as scum of the earth /... one of there tracks... circa 79

“A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn't.”  (Mark Twain)

J/k I like the banjo and especially Doug Dillard's playing on Gene Clark's fine Why Not Your Baby.

nice one flowermyth



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2TQ6PYS2Q0I