I will talk about Clawhammer Banjo in a minute, but first-
Disclaimer: After many years of exams and studying (and working full time as an "intern" for about 8 years), I finally got my Architect's License in June of last year. Whether by coincidence or by design (or both?), not long after that my workload increased dramatically and it hasn't let up since. As an architect, it's better to be "too busy" than "not busy enough" so I'll stop complaining right there... but it sure makes it hard to find time to practice playing music, and I haven't been to a concert since November, so...
Anyway, since January I've been taking Clawhammer Banjo classes at the Freight (finally putting that banjo to use.) This week we just started the second series of beginner lessons- and it is so fun! I've been learning to play (slowly) about a song a week- Cripple Creek, Waterbound, Cotton Eye Joe... and this week, June Apple and the introduction of drop-thumbing, a technique that adds some versatility to the strum pattern. I'm turning into sort of a banjo geek- I'd geek out even more if I could find the time. I'm not sure what I'll do with my newly-earned banjo skills; I hear there are trad music groups that just get together and jam, but I'm not quite there yet.
Banjo lessons conflict with open mic nights at the Freight (Tuesday nights at almost the same time) so I'm trying to psych myself up to play the first open mic after lessons end. My friend JT is an excellent guitarist and we've been tossing the idea around of maybe playing an open mic together. Wouldn't that be nostalgic...
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