What does it take?

"What do I need to learn to be able to play banjo like...?"

"I want to be as good as... What should I be practicing?"

The questions go on and on.  They're all about the same too.  I see them posted online.  I hear them from students.  Truthfully, they're fair questions.  I mean really, just how does one get to a level where others hear you play and stand in amazement?  What is it that sets apart our heroes?

I was talking to a young banjo player this past weekend and it came to me in a way that I could explain it - I think.

I just don't think it's a matter of acquiring knowledge.  Just simply knowing things isn't going to turn you into an artist.  I'd even go as far as saying that even being able to play scales, understanding modes, learning tons of tunes, getting the fingerboard under control, and more won't get you very far toward becoming a musician/artist of the caliber you're looking for.

I'm not saying that it'll hurt to know all of those things, but I've come to realize that those are not the main things that you'll need to know.

I also don't think it's just a matter of practicing the fundamentals, or even having a good understanding of even what those might be.

What is it then?  Good question.  While enough practice to get a solid grasp of how to actually "work" the instrument is incredibly important, there's still something else you'll need to get to the next level.

For me it's been the pursuit of creating things, and honing the craft of creativity.

I'm convinced that even moderate technical ability such as I have combined with the craft of creativity is key to attaining some high level of artistry.

Think of it like this.  Let's say I learn how to make a step stool in wood shop.  I could take those plans and build more, and each one would progressively get better.  I'd get quicker, and the step stools would look nicer.  Yet, they'd still just be normal step stools.  Getting beyond the norm would require a bit of creativity.  I'm sure those first "creative step stools" might not be so great, but the more I create the better I'll get.

Hmmm..

TL;dr -- Practice creativity.  :)

Did I Tell You About Ireland?

Back in February I got a phone call from an old friend that had a simple question.  "Can you go to Ireland in June?"  Well, I figured sure, why not?  Okay, so I can go.  Why am I going?  Chuck explained that the band he was playing with had a tour booked in Ireland, but their regular banjo player couldn't make it.

I was suitably impressed that I was asked to go.  I wasn't even sure I would be able to learn the material or get a feel for the band, but why not?

It was also a great opportunity to play with a bona fide the bluegrass legend: Curtis Blackwell.  I learned a lot.  It was also a great opportunity to re-explore the music I was listening to when I first began learning to play the banjo.  It was an experience I won't soon forget.  Curtis knows hundreds of songs that he can call at a moment's notice.  I was also blown away by the power of his rhythm playing.  It should go without saying that his vocals were no less than astonishing.

So, how about the trip?  Okay, I'll get on with it.

We arrived in Ireland on June 12th.  It was chilly, and nothing at all like late Spring in Georgia.  We landed in Dublin and then made our way, via bus, to Belfast where we would play the first of twelve jobs.  We were greeted in Belfast by my friend Mark McCluney and then later by our agent Nigel Martyn.  Mark took us to supper then we went back to the hotel and rested up.

Our show in Belfast was exciting.  The crowd loved the music maybe as much as I loved playing it.  It was, of course, my first time to play in another country.

We did get to do a bit of sight seeing.  Since all of our shows were in the evening we usually had a bit of daytime that we could use to get out and see Ireland.  I tried to take a bunch of photos.

I hope to go back to Ireland again.

We saw Blackwater Castle, Inis Oirr, Mullaghmore, a lot of narrow roads, sheep, cattle, and more things that I could list without being a complete bore.  

I learned about Gaelic Football and Hurling.  I even purchased a Hurley & Sliotar and Gaelic Football for Samuel.  I couldn't think of anything more Irish that he would enjoy.  He looks so excited, no?  If you've not been exposed to Hurling or Gaelic Football you should look them up -- very exciting!

I enjoyed the sports, the scenery and the buildings.  Yet, with all of the beautiful country the most beautiful part of Ireland is the people.  I found everyone to be absolutely wonderful!  I made new friends, and that's why I want to go back.  There are people there I need to see again.  

-=Jim

Homer and the Barnstormers - Banjoist Unmasked!

Over and over the topic about Homer and the Barnstormers "Bluegrass Banjos on Fire" comes up. For those of you out there that aren't familiar with this topic it's a reference to a bluegrass instrumental recording from 1963. The reason the topic comes up often has to do with the anonymity of the session musicians.

There's not much information available as to who was on the recording.

As a banjo player I had a curiosity about who the banjo player was. And oh boy, there's been tons of speculation by a lot of people about who it might have been.

I spent a lot of time as a kid learning the tunes off that record, and I heard my dad suggest repeatedly that it sounded a lot like Buck Trent to him. I had no idea at the time, but figured his guess was as good as any. It did, however, sound a good bit like Buck to me on a bunch of the cuts, but my experience at the time was very limited. It's a recording that I'm very familiar with. I'm not sure how much time I put into that album learning the songs, but there are portions of it that are still embedded in my brain.

Years passed, as they tend to do, and my record collection grew. I ran across a couple of really great records of Charles Trent (aka Buck Trent). One was The Sound of a Bluegrass Banjo. That particular title was dang confounding because it's all electric banjo. The other record was The Sound of a 5-String Banjo - that one really rang a bell as I listened to it. The tunes, the licks, the tones, the other musicians, everything sounded really familiar.

It sent me searching through my record collection where I came across my copy of the Homer and the Barnstormers record. I put it on the turntable and decided that I was holding sister recordings. Those Charles Trent recordings were done in 1962. I began to speculate that perhaps the "Homer" record was just more takes that weren't used back in 62. Feel free to speculate as to why.

Homer and the Barnstormers came out on the Somerset label (SF-195) in 1963.

Charles Trent's The Sound of a 5-String Banjo was recorded in 1962. It was released under the Smash label that was distributed by Mercury - the jacket says Smash but the label on the record says Mercury.

After listening to these recordings again today it makes me wonder if the Homer recordings were not alternate takes that Buck or someone wanted released but maybe couldn't due to label contract restrictions... there I go speculating - enough of that!

So instead of speculating further take a few moments and listen to these examples.

Open this one from the "Homer" album: Camptown Races

Scroll to about 1:45 and listen to the banjo break...

Now open this one from a Charles Trent's Sound of a 5-String Banjo recording: Cindy

Go back and listen to both, back to back. Listen closely to the backup too.

While you're at it give this audio experiment a listen too: Homer and Buck Together

It's got the Homer session on the left and the Buck session on the right. Now, the tempos are not the same, but they're close enough to allow you to pan between them and really get them back to back.

Oh, I'm aware that Sonny and Bobby Osborne said that they had participated in the recording, and if you listen to a few of the cuts the banjo player sounds like it could have been Sonny (I won't try to deny that).

What's it all mean?

I think it proves that Buck Trent was the banjo player on the Homer and the Barnstormers recording - at the very least on several of the cuts. Will this proof end the debate? I doubt it; there are always those that won't accept the audio proof. There are those that just won't believe it unless Buck Trent says he did it. Then again, why would he? Why spoil the fun?

Oh, if you don't have a copy of the Homer and the Barnstormers recording you can download it from a variety of websites. I really recommend it!

Times are Tough

As the economy around us seems to go from bad to worse it's important to be aware of activity that could impact you financially. Let's face it, times are tough and many people will resort to drastic measures to help themselves.

So begins my story...

I had the recent surprise of a box in the mail. I like getting stuff in the mail. Who doesn't? However, I wasn't expecting anything that would arrive in a box. Sure enough though, here it was. About the size of a shoe box it was. I opened it, and I was not surprised to actually find a shoe box inside. I wasn't expecting a bright pink shoe box, but truthfully I wasn't expecting anything, so what the heck, let's explore further. I opened the box.

Sure, because of the pink box I was expecting ladies shoes. I really didn't have more of an expectation than that. What I got was clearly not the sort of shoes that I'd chose for myself - obviously.

These were a black velvet, five inch heel pumps studded with metal spikes. They're a size 7.5(US).


Now, had I in a fit of insanity ordered these and forgot about it they were clearly not my size, nor were they the right size for Tina. It then occurred to me that maybe someone else had access to my credit card. I checked my wallet and the card was still there. Good, it's not lost. So, I called the credit card company.

After a short conversation with the customer service representative I determined that someone had been using my card for a variety of things. There were all sorts of Blackberry apps purchased (I don't own a Blackberry), there was also a subscription to Hulu, Netflix and Columbia House.

I was glad I trusted my initial instinct and called the credit card company. Although there was paper work to be filed it was minimized by me catching it early. I should also mention that I was lucky that Shoe Dazzle decided to ship to the address listed on the credit card. That was the big tip off.

A couple of days later I got a shipment from Columbia House. It was then I guessed that the person who was using my card number might be doing their Christmas shopping since they had ordered three of the same DVD. Again, it's nice to see that Columbia House ships to the address registered with the credit card.

As amusing as it was to get a pair of spiky high heel pumps in the mail there was a lesson learned here. That being that these sorts of things can happen to any of us. We're all susceptible to this sort of fraud. Friends, please keep an eye on your credit and debit card transactions. If you don't your Christmas spending might come to a quick halt when you discover your account has been emptied or your credit card maxed out. And while both scenarios are fairly easily resolved, it's not something that you want to have surprise you during your shopping trip, or when you're paying for a meal.

I guess the next thing I have to figure out is what I'm going to do with these shoes...

Something Ain't Right

People get all sorts of notions. I know I do. Spotted these banjo salt and pepper shakers and thought for sure they'd be the perfect addition to a Banjo Deviant blog. Hope you enjoy.

You're not listening.

You may think I'm being harsh; maybe I am, but I don't think you're listening. From the endless array of questions ranging from everything from picks, to how to strike a string with a finger (or a thumb), it's occurred to me that you might not be listening to what you're doing.

Let me ask some questions. Since it's music, of all the things that should be at the top of your list of priorities, shouldn't sound be part of it? How can you affect sound if you're not listening? What difference does it make how much you know about theory, or strings, or set-up, or whatever, if you're not listening to what you're playing? Why are you collecting tab after tab of tunes that are way too advanced for you? Even when you're playing through your tab collection you're still stumbling over simple concepts and even missing entire sections of the tune; yet, if you were listening shouldn't you be able to notice?

There's a very active thread on the Banjo Hangout where several members have labored long and hard to explain bounce and swing. It's been described every which way. Yet, with all the words nothing explains it better than just listening to it.

"Fine!" You say, "I'm not listening - whatever. You do things you're way, I'll do things my way."

I've encountered that attitude lately. I still contend - regardless of your particular learning style - that learning music is going to require you to listen.

I see/hear this with my students too. They get involved with the patterns and forget that they're supposed to be making music. Now, don't get me wrong, you need to focus on the mechanics, but the mechanics is not the music.

So please, just for me, take some time this week and just start listening to banjo playing. Not just that, start listening to what you are playing. Does it sound like you want? No? Make some changes, and keep listening.

I dunno, maybe you could practice?

Read the following article. Just do it.

I Suck at Photoshop...

In case it looks daunting, and uninteresting consider the following quotes.

"...what could be easier than improving at something you suck at? The bar is so low."

"Frankly, you should revel in the things you suck at. What a fantastic opportunity to grow with hardly any effort!"

How can this relate to the banjo for you? Do you suck at single-string? Maybe you suck at back-up. Whatever the issue, what's the hold up?

They got it wrong...

...and you've been listening to them anyway.

It's time to deviate from much of the standard advice you've been listening to. It's time to take a practical approach. It's time to play the banjo!

More to come!

I needed a PA for my School Program...

...and some very kind people chipped in to help me make the purchase!

Everyone who supported this deserves recognition and more thanks and more appreciation than I'm able to sufficiently express. Due to the generosity of others my school program is even more versatile now!

Thanks to the donations I was able to purchase the Fishman SoloAmp 220 that I was hoping for.

Special thanks to Karyn T., Doug D. , Bart C., Chad W., Tedd L., David M., Hobert P., Edna P., Mike L., Danny M., Patrick S., James C..

Extra Special Thanks to Butch L. for your extra special support!

Twenty Five Years

This past August 16th Tina and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary. There were no festivities, so please don't think your invitation may have been lost, or worse yet we decided to cut you from our list of invitees. We had a quiet day at Red Clay State Park.

Why Red Clay? It was one of our regular places to go when we were dating. It's close by, it's quiet, and it's free. It gave us plenty of opportunity just to walk and talk and get to know each other. Maybe that's the secret of a successful marriage. People often ask those of us that have been married for a while what the secret is. Maybe it's just simply getting to know one another.

So that's going to be my advice to dating couples. Get to know each other. Spend some time hiking and walking together at many of the great State and National parks. You'll save money, and you'll learn a lot about the person you're with. Keep it simple.

Recording King Madison

Way back in February Greg Rich and I started discussing the possibility of me becoming a Recording King endorsing artist. I played a few of their banjos and was seriously impressed. They were needing someone to endorse the RK-R35, so I agreed to give it a whirl.

The banjo arrived and after some setup it's a great banjo. Check it out:

I don't like to ask...

...but sometimes my heart gets me into things that my head (and wallet) can't figure out easily.

This is, however, something I really believe in.

So here's the pitch...

Over the past two years I've been working on a school presentation related to the history of the 5-string banjo.

It's a fun program and it's suitable for a social studies curriculum as well as a music curriculum. It's a flexible format, but at the max it could be about 1.5 hours. Now, I realize that time doesn't fit a lot of classroom schedules and so the material can be condensed to suit a teacher's needs.

So, why am I asking for help?

I'm a musician on a mission. I've not charged for any of my presentations, and I hope to keep the cost of doing this at a minimum - for the schools and for myself. I try to avoid too many cliches, but this is a labor of love.

Those of you that know me know I'm pretty well set for banjos - though I can already see I need to expand my collection by at least 2 instruments to cover more history visually. However, as important as that is, first I need a small PA that is easy to setup and transport.

I have a wonderful friend that will allow me to purchase the PA at a very generous discount. (You know who you are.) Never the less it's not cheap, and once I tell my friend I want it, well, I'm compelled to keep my end of the deal.

The good news: school is out! That means I'll have time to scrape up the cash before school starts back. Hopefully, I'll have paid for the system by then!

Oh, if you're wondering what I have in mind, it's the Fishman SoloAmp SA220. It packs into one bag, and will do everything I need it to for most classrooms and libraries. The retail price is over $1500, and I'm thrilled that I have means of getting it at a good discount. I'm only trying to cover a portion of the cost.

I realize times are hard and finances are tight for everyone. My situation probably isn't much different than yours. However, even without anyone chipping in it's something I'll have to purchase if I plan to continue doing these presentations - and I have no intention of giving up on this.

Finally, thanks for taking time to read my plea for help. Anything that you can chip in is going to help get the banjo's marvelous history presented in a fun and positive way to school children. How can that be not a worthwhile cause?

If you can afford it, and would like to see this sort of program feel free to use the widget below.

Oh, I get it...

I've always thought Tina was pretty.  From the moment I saw her her looks captivated me.  She had pretty eyes, pretty hair, and nice features all around.  None of that was ever lost on me.  I got it then and I get it now.  No one ever had to point it out to me.

However, there's rarely a day goes by that someone doesn't mention to me about what a pretty wife I have.  So, to all of you that noticed and mentioned it to me: Thanks.  I guess it just confirms what I already knew.  Of course people are always going to be nice.  So I've always taken those compliments with some reservation and I know she does too.  I guess we're all aware of our own shortcomings and she's no exception, though I usually scoff when she's down on her appearance.

"Do you like my hair like this?"  "Do you like the way these clothes look?"  "Do you like the way I did my make-up?"  Well, yes.  Yes I do.  I know that sometimes she thinks I'm just being nice, but seriously, I like it.  I'm not prone to exaggerations, but well, I'm biased and she knows it.

So today I was poking around online and discoverd a website that claims to do "Facial Beauty Analysis".  Gee, a program to see if you're pretty.  So I figured I'd give it a go.  Oh yeah, I plugged my face into it.  The results were not exactly wonderful, but I wasn't surprised.  I uploaded Tina's picture and followed the instructions.  The attached screenshot records my results.

I knew the outcome before I went the the steps of plotting all the dots it asked me to.  I figure a 9.54 isn't too bad, and yep, I still get it. Am I bragging?  Yes I am.  Sometimes it's deserved. Sure, I realize everyone has different tastes, but I think she's a 10.  But mostly, I'm just glad she picked me. :)

Next time when she's not happy with her looks I'll forward these results to her.



If you want to do your own, the website is here: http://apps.atamagroup.com/face/

Five Years of Pinewood Derby

If you've followed this blog you've read about the Pinewood Derby races we've done since 2007. Today marks our last official Pinewood Derby with Samuel as a Cub Scout. He crosses over to Boy Scouts in a few months, so if he has another car it will just be for fun (not that we've not had fun making and racing these cars).

Over the past five years we've learned a lot about making cars, and we've learned a lot about sportsmanship. We've helped other kids with their cars just to watch them smoke us down the track. We've sometimes felt slighted by odd glitches in the timing or scoring of races. We've often felt quite proud of ourselves when we've built a racer that not only won, but did so by a significant margin.

We've learned (and I say we, because it's not just Samuel involved; it's me too) to hold our heads high and be proud of ourselves regardless of the outcome. We've learned to congratulate others when they win, and encourage others when they don't. We've learned to help others with our knowledge, tools, and materials even if it weakens our advantage.

We've learned to make do with very limited tools and limited access to tools. We've also learned to make do with our limited skill with tools. I think we've learned that it's not always car, it's the heart that goes into it.

Even had we not learned any of that, we've become closer as a family. We've become team. We've learned to support each other and make sure we all feel proud of the accomplishments of another team member. We've learned that by doing our best - even when we don't feel like it - we give strength to those around us (the team/family), and we can look back years from now and be proud.

I'll miss these races. That said, here's a short slide show of the last five years of Pinewood Derby.

Large and Medium are the Same

I don' t work in the fast food industry. Oh, I have, but it's been years ago. I do, however, work with people and it's always proven to be in my best interest to be able to figure out what someone wants based on the information they're giving me. One example that comes to mind was having to figure out what "15 minutes of banjo noise" meant. In my day job I'm often faced with deciphering comments like, "The thing that I click doesn't let me click it". Most of the time I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out. That's me, and I'm fairly insensitive and pretty much clueless most of the time, but I manage.

Anyway, back to fast food.

Yesterday, as a treat, my wife and I stopped at the local Sonic Drive-In for a couple of Sonic Blasts. It's basically ice cream with the candy or cookie of your chosing whipped into a nice smooth treat with some whipped cream on top. It's enough calories for the rest of the weekend and enough carbs for the rest of the month, but what the heck. Right?

So, I pull up and place our regular order. "I'd like one large Butterfinger Blast and one medium M&M's Blast. That's all. Thanks." I'm not a trained professional, but I've placed that order enough times to know it by heart. It soon became obvious that I've been using the improper terminology.

Immediately the lady on the other end of the intercom informed me, "The large and the medium are the same." I look back at the menu and clearly see two different sizes, but maybe I should pursue this conversation further.

So I ask for confirmation, "They're the same? Don't you have two sizes?"

"Yes, the medium is the same as the large." She replied.

Then she tried to explain, but honestly I was mentally hung up at the large and the medium being the same.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I've placed this same order before and never realized that they were the same."

"It's always been like this." She said.

"Alrighty then. I'd like one large Butterfinger Blast and one large M&M's Blast."

Sure enough, we get the two large blasts with no hassle from that point on. But being curious I figured to look at the menu again.

Ah ha! I see my error. Maybe for the neophyte it wasn't exactly obvious to them that I was attempting to order two sizes - one larger, one smaller. Also in my defense I've grown accustomed to not using the word "small" at fast food joints based on years of experience with the varying cup sizes and no standardization from place to place. Never-the-less I thought it was pretty obvious that I wanted two different sizes. Heck, I could have said "big" and "not quite as big" or even something like "gargantuan" and "minuscule". I'd hope my point was made.

But alas, I didn't use the proper terminology. "Regular" was the word she wanted me to use, and I got the feeling she was proud of the fact that she was able to up-size me due to my ignorance.

Not sure what it all means, of if I even care. I certainly know it doesn't matter much. I did, however, learn that at my local Sonic the large and medium are the same. So, from now on you can bet I'll be ordering the medium, but please, put it in the large cup.

Are you ready to learn some old-time banjo?

I'll be teaching at Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp again this year (June 13-19) and I can hardly wait! I've got ideas to share and you can have my attention all week. It only takes a moment to register.

Be sure to check out the online brochure for more detailed information.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

-=Jim

Banjo Mutes

I've never practiced with a mute. Oh sure, I own a couple, and I'll use them from time to time for a different sound or effect, but I just don't practice with one.

Now, I know you're probably saying, "But my situation requires a mute... my wife... my kids... my neighbors..." Yes, I get that. Really I do. Thing is, my life probably isn't much different. That said, I still don't use a mute to practice. Am I just a big old meany that tells my family to stuff it when I'm practicing? No. I'm considerate, but I also have practice goals, and using a mute interferes with my own personal goals.

See, for me, it's never been just about the notes. Let me reiterate: it's never been just about memorizing and playing back strings of notes. No, for me, it's always been about the whole thing - the three T's if you'll allow me to use that cliche (you know, Tone, Taste, Timing). It was never enough - even in the beginning - to be able to play a roll/tune/whatever. It had to sound right too. From day one I was concerned with tone (though listening to many older recordings I made along the way makes me wonder just what I was hearing back then). I was, then as I am now, concerned with dynamics. When I listened to my heroes on their recordings or live I could tell that while I might know every single note they played, there was more to it than just the notes. I knew it was the tone and dynamics. Practicing with a mute didn't allow me to learn that.

So, you're asking, "Jim, just when or where do you practice?" I practice when the other people around me are awake and moving around. If someone is watching a movie, or studying, I don't practice. I always have the option of going to another room if I need to. I've also been known to practice in the evenings - even when people are asleep - but it's rare, and only if I'm tucked away somewhere in the house out of direct earshot of anyone that might be disturbed.

Now, don't think I've not considered that maybe I'm lucky when it comes to practicing when I need to. However, as a kid, my parents never discouraged me from playing - ever. I was never told that I needed to be quieter, nor was I sent outside. I even remember on long road trips riding in the backseat of the car practicing my banjo. Maybe my folks were gluttons for punishment, or maybe they liked me enough to tolerate my playing. In college I practiced in my dorm room - never once did anyone complain. I got married in 1986, and I'm still married to the same - obviously patient - woman. She's never once indicated that maybe I should stop practicing. She understood from the very beginning that I'm a banjo player, and being such a thing requires a bit of effort. My son doesn't seem to mind either. Perhaps it's because he grew up around it?

Finally, you may be wondering if I'm recommending that you shouldn't use a mute? Well, no, not really; you can use one if you want. I'm just suggesting that maybe the benefits of practicing without one outweigh the reasons to use one.

2010 Awana Grand Prix

This is our third year for Awana Grand Prix at The First Baptist Church of Chatsworth. We had a great turnout and a lot of fun. We had hot dogs, chips, and all sorts of refreshments, but best of all we had a good, fair, and fun race.

We figured the competition would be tough this year, and we figured right. The cars looked good and were every bit as fast as you might have expected, and the top cars were all very fast. Each division had some close races and the kids' excitement was obvious. You know races are close when the time separating racers are measured in the ten thousandths of a second (that's .0001 if you were wondering).

Samuel won each of his races, and placed first in his division. He also had the best time overall, and also holds the track record. This makes our 3rd time to win the Grand Prix, so we're betting that next year the competition will be even tougher. We'll be ready!

2010 Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby

This is just a short note to brag a little about Samuel's win for his pack. He was overall champion.

His care this year was a very sleek, lightning fast, silver and blue speeder. We had an opportunity to run it against last year's car (which was over all champ in the pack and 5th in District). The silver sliver was noticeably faster. I think we dialed this one in just right.

The race this year was fun, and everyone had a blast. The kids and the parents enjoyed the racing and the fellowship. I got to see an old friend and that's always great.

Dads & Moms, get your boys involved in scouting. This year marks 100 years. If you're not involved you really need to be. Don't just take my word for it. Visit your local Cub Scout pack or Scout Troop and talk to the leaders, boys and their parents. For those of you with Cub Scout age boys (Kindergarten - 6th grade) Samuel and I will be looking for you at the Pinewood Derby races. :)

Tolerance for Courageous Sucking

It's been a while since I've posted anything, so today I thought I'd drag up something from the archives from over on the Banjo Lounge Blog.

I found some pretty good wisdom. There are things that you should know. You might even know these things. We're often needing to be reminded of them.

The following quotes are from "Photography, and the Tolerance for Courageous Sucking."

I accept upfront that the improvements ... will be slow, incremental, and, largely undetectable to anybody but me — a fact that’s never more painfully clear than when I swoon over the work of the more talented friends who inspire me...

...as far as I can tell, dedication to the process can’t help but make you a better photographer — or a better whatever, for that matter.

Nobody likes feeling like a noob, especially when you’re getting constant pressure on all sides to never stick out in an unflattering way. And, in this godforsaken just-add-Wikipedia era of make-believe insight and instant expertise, it’s natural to start believing you must never suck at anything or admit to knowing less than everything — even when you’re just starting out. Clarinets should never squawk, sketch lines should never be visible, and dictionaries are just big, dumb books of words for cheaters and fancy people. Right?

Good stuff, eh? Applies to so many things, including the banjo.

Go read the article at Merlin Mann's site 43 Folders. Oh, if you're offended by a "bad word" or three, then consider this your warning. Skip over those words, replace them in your mind with some other word, but read the article.

-=Jim