Review - Learn To Play Bluegrass Banjo

A few weeks ago a friend loaned me the Learn To Play Bluegrass Banjo series of instructional DVD's taught and produced by John Lawless of Acutab Publications. This 3-DVD set of instructional DVD's is geared toward absolute beginners and newcomers to the 5-string banjo. Combined, the DVD's feature 4 hours of instructional material.

I won't go into full details of each DVD, but I'll highlight the content. The DVD's include such basics as tuning the banjo, reading tablature, fitting your banjo picks, proper left and right hand positioning, picking out basic melodies, right hand roll patterns, drills for memorizing roll patterns, using a metronome, adding roll patterns to simple melodies, left hand techniques such as hammer ons, pull-offs and slides and drills for coordinating movements of the left and right hands.

John Lawless answers a common question which is "Okay, I've got a banjo and I'm ready to learn, but where do I start?" John's experience of teaching banjo lessons in person over the years has allowed him to compile the information required and figure out the best way to deliver the message to beginning banjo players. He does a superb job with his instruction, emphasizing very important points in an effort to help you form good banjo picking habits from the very beginning.

I highly recommend this DVD series for beginning banjo players. Each DVD can be purchased separately for $30.00 but the entire set is available at a discount of all 3 for $59.85 on the Janet Davis Music web site. It is also available as a set on the Acutab Publications web site.

I Met Jim Mills

Did I mention in my post about the Ricky Skaggs concert that I met Jim Mills in person? Oh, well I did.

I've been waiting a long time to meet Jim Mills in person. Without a doubt, I think I would have to say of all the professional banjo players, Jim has been, and continues to be my number one influence with regard to learning how to play the 5 string banjo, followed closely by Ron Block; I love both of their styles.

The plan to meet "Jimmy" started over a year ago when I found out Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder were coming to Moncton, New Brunswick. About two and a half months before the concert, I sent an e-mail message to Jim and told him of my desire to meet him in person. I also mentioned that I was expecting a new Huber Jim Mills banjo to arrive before the concert and asked him if he would play a tune on it.

That dream was fulfilled last night after the Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder concert ended. I was standing near Mr. Mills in the lobby and he offered his hand for a shake and howdy. I told him I was the person that e-mailed him and he asked if I had the banjo with me. I said "I sure do," and told him I'd be right back.

I made a beeline to the auditorium where the banjo was, being closely guarded by a group of Bluegrass Friends (Ed & Becky Betts, Reg Gallant, Tom Mason, Angela Curran, Ed and Eleanor Blackier, and my wife). I heard later that when Ed saw me coming toward them he said "Mike looks like he's on a mission." I guess Ed knows best, 'cause he was right.

I told them "Jim is waiting for the banjo" and out to the lobby we went. Jim suggested we find a place where we could talk and he could play the banjo so we headed down the hallway of the school looking for a room. We wound up sitting on a park-style bench in the hallway.

I opened up the banjo case and Jim inspected it for workmanship - it passed the grade. He opened up his own banjo case and said "let me get some picks on and we'll try this thing out." As Jim proceeded to play a few licks, the small group that was watching and listening were all grinning ear to ear as Jim played the banjo.

As I said, I had been looking forward to this moment for a long time, but it was made even more special by having a few friends around to witness the event.

I've heard many people speak so highly of Jim Mills in the past. Everyone I've ever spoken to has mentioned how personable and likeable Jim is. They've all said it's not a show, that's just the way he is. He certainly showed that side last night.

I asked if I could take some photos of him with my friends and he intantly said "yeah, I'd be happy to" in that southern accent of his. You can add me to the list of people saying "yes, Jim Mills is a truly genuine person and most likeable."

I had Jim sign my banjo head of fame which has the signatures of many fine banjo players including our very own Harvey Arbo. I also asked him to sign the head on the new banjo, which he did. It says "Keep Pickin' - Jim Mills."

It was a real thrill to meet Mr. Mills and have him play my Huber banjo. He said he thought it sounded better than his own did when it was "right out of the box" and that it was going to get even better as it was played. It sure did sound good with his hands playing it - now I know what it is capable of.

Thanks to Jim Mills and thanks to the friends who witnessed the event.

A series of pictures with Jim Mills can be viewed at http://bluegrassfriends.com/images/mills/index.html.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Concert

Where should I start? It was an awesome night!

Helen and I drove to the concert with Ed & Becky Betts and Verna, from Grand Manan.

When we arrived at the school, six friends and I were allowed to enter the auditorium through the back doors and therefore were afforded the luxury of choosing whatever seats we wanted - we were the first people allowed in the building. We chose seats in the center floor section just a little ahead of the halfway mark from the stage. I suggested these seats as I thought we would get the best sound quality in this area. I asked everyone else if the seats I suggested were okay with them and they all said yes, so that's where we planted ourselves.

The Bluegrass Diamonds opened the show and they did some great tunes. I've always liked the Diamond's style of Bluegrass. They rendered a real nice grassed up version of Merle Haggard's I'm a Lonesome Fugitive that I really liked, and I could see it also caught the attention of Reg Gallant. Hmmm... I wonder why?

The Bluegrass Diamonds put on a good show, but unfortunately, I found the sound to be extremely boomy and harsh, all at the same time. I also thought it was a bit loud, and perhaps if the volume was turned down a bit, the boominess might not have been so pronounced. Kenny Innis however, who was sitting in the balcony, said people up there were asking for the volume to be turned up. Overall, I was pleased with the Diamond's performance, but disappointed with the sound.

After the Diamond's finished their show there was a 15 or 20 minute intermission while the stage was being set up for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. When they were being introduced the crowd was thunderous, in fact, the crowd was thunderous all night long which really seemed to move Kentucky Thunder.

Several condenser mics were used and Ricky had his own sound man who obviously knew what he was doing because the sound for Ricky's show was clear as a bell and you couldn't have asked for anything better. That definitely made for an enjoyable evening.

This was my first time seeing Ricky Skaggs perform live as a Bluegrass act. What can I say? That boy is a smooth operator. He seems to talk just the right amount with just the right amount of wit and humour.

The entire Kentucky Thunder band consisting of Andy Leftwich on fiddle, Coldy Kilby on lead and rhythm guitars, Ricky Skaggs on mandolin and guitar, Paul Brewster on rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, Darren Vincent on rhythm guitar, mandolin and harmony vocals, Mark Fain on stand-up bass and of course Jim Mills on 5 string banjo are all killer musicians. In my opinion, all of these guys are the cream of the crop as musicians go.

I was sitting in an aisle seat with Helen (my wife), Reg Gallant, Angela Curran, Tom Mason and Eleanor and Ed Blackier to my left. Ed and Becky Betts were sitting in the row behind us directly behind Helen and me on the two outside aisle seats. I had to choose an aisle seat because I had my new banjo with me and needed a place to put it (in the aisle on the floor, tight against my seat) while the concert was going on. I had e-mailed Jim Mills several weeks before the concert and was looking forward to meeting him and having him play a tune or two on the banjo.

As I said before, the sound was excellent and the band just continued to amaze us one song after another. I can't believe how smooth Ricky Skaggs is. He really is a great performer. The instrumental breaks performed by the band members blew me away.

From time to time, I'd look to my left past Helen just to to see the expressions on Reg's, Toms's and Angela's faces. They sure appeared to be enjoying the show and having a good time. At one point I leaned over to Helen and said "I want to marry Jimmy." Of course I was trying to be funny and she leaned over to Reg and told him what I had said to which he replied, "that's okay, I want to marry the guitar player!" Well, that got a good chuckle, but I think Reg was serious. Could it be that both Reg and I need some kind of therapy. Yes, maybe we like good music just a bit too much. When I think about it, I don't even know why I was there in the first place since I've been quoted as saying "I don't even like that kind of music."

This Ricky Skaggs concert experience was one of the best I've ever had - I thoroughly enjoyed it to the maximum possible extent. That means I liked it. Judging the reaction from the rest of the audience, I'd have to say I don't think anyone was disappointed with the performance.

Road Trip Realized, Banjo Home Sweet Home

Photo: Ed Betts, Kenny Innis, Harvey Arbo

This is my account of how the big road trip to pick up my new Huber banjo went down. The characters in this story are real.

The Lead-Up
Ed Betts receives a telephone call from his friend in the USA at approximately 1:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 16. His friend informs him "a banjo has arrived from Tennessee" and he sounds quite excited about it. Ed calls me and we make plans to leave at 8:00 the next morning. I called Harvey Arbo and Kenny Innis, who are coming along for the road trip, and tell them of the planned departure time. All is good - the trip is planned and I can't believe it's actually time to take posession of that new Huber Jim Mills banjo after a wait of over ten months.

At 9:00 PM that same day, my wife, Helen and I were driving back from the Fredericton hospital after having a visit with her mother when my cell phone rang. It was Ed. "Things aren't looking up," he said. His friend, who now has the banjo in his posession, has been admitted to the hospital with heart troubles. "Well, there's not much we can do, we'll have to wait and see what happens," I said. "Maybe we'll have to get it Friday, or maybe we won't be getting it until after the Ricky Skaggs concert." At this point, I'm truly hoping Ed's friend is okay, but I'm also wondering how we're going to get that banjo. As it turned out, Ed made an arrangement with his friend's sister the next day and she agreed to meet us at noon on Thursday.

Our original plan was only pushed back two hours and we headed out at 10:00 on Thursday morning. The big road trip to pick up my new banjo is actually going to happen! It's a little exciting to think about - four guys that share a common interest in Bluegrass music - and three friends that want to help make my day special!

It was Ed's idea to do the road trip thing and I'm sure he was every bit as excited as I was, maybe more. Both Harvey and Kenny said they wouldn't miss it for the world and I'm real happy all three of them wanted to be a part of this time in my life. Thank you Ed, Harvey and Kenny, I really appreciate you as friends.

The Road Trip
After driving a little over two hours we arrived at the Houlton, Maine, USA border crossing. The guard on duty was very friendly but asked us several questions - you know, all the normal stuff. He decided to have a look in Kenny's suspicious looking fur-covered mandolin case and left the rest of our instruments alone. I think he felt sorry for us when we told him we were going to a friend's house to pick up a new banjo. Off we went.

We arrived at the home of Ed's friend some 30 minutes later and knocked on the door. We were welcomed into the kitchen and there it was - a cardboard box from Huber Banjos. Wanting to record the history of the entire trip, I took a picture of the unopened cardboard box. I opened the box to find quite a bit of bubble wrap and newsprint acting as shock absorbers to protect the banjo. The bubble wrap was removed and we pulled the banjo out, which was protected in a TKL brand instrument case - made in Canada no less. Inside the banjo case was more protective material holding the banjo securely in place. Another picture was taken with the banjo still in its case.

I took the banjo out of its case and we all inspected it for damage and admired its beauty. The workmanship of this banjo is flawless and the fit of the neck to the rim is superb. On the peghead is the Huber logo and at the 20th fret there it is, the inlay with Jim Mills name on it.

The Huber Jim Mills model banjo is an exact replica of one of Jim Mills' banjos; a one-of-kind Gibson RB-75 made in 1939. Steve Huber is an extemist when it comes to detail. As Jim Mills says, it's all there from the satin finish, engraving pattern, gold plating, fit and feel. The banjo features a V-neck profile, something that wasn't common on an RB-75 back in the day. Steve even used hide glue just like they did in 1939, and had special screws made to hold the resonator L-brackets in place, just like the ones used in 1939. You couldn't get a more exact replica if you tried!

Okay, it's time for a tune. I had stated in an earlier post that I was going to let Harvey Arbo play the first notes on this banjo, and he did just that, but you know what? I don't remember what tune he played first. The banjo was pretty much in tune right out of the box. Harvey fooled around a bit, getting used to the feel of the V-neck and checking out how true and clear the sounds were up the neck. We were all impressed with the tone coming out of this monster banjo!

There's always a little bit of apprehension when you order an expensive instrument sight unseen. Questions arise. What if I don't like it? Will I be able to get used to the V-neck? What if it doesn't sound the way I'm expecting it to? Is the quality that Steve Huber has buit his reputaion on really there or is it just hype? Am I going to get that one lemon in the lot?

Harvey played a few more tunes on the banjo while Ed, Kenny and I took pictures. We thanked Ed's friend and said good-bye.

Flatt & Scuggs Experience

Our plans for the day included stopping at Ed and Becky's cottage "for a tune" before heading home. We came back into New Brunswick at a Canada Customs border crossing out in the middle of the sticks. I wouldn't describe it as the busiest border crossing I've ever seen. There was only one guard on duty and for the duration of our stay at the crossing, which was about 30 minutes, not a single other vehicle pulled up.

You know how in the Beverly Hillbillies television show, Lester and Earl dropped in on a couple episodes, and they just happened to have their instruments with them? Well, we had one of those experiences. Ed knew the lady at the Canada Customs crossing and I think he suggested I play a tune for her, knowing that she liked music and would get a kick out of it.

I paid the HST on the new banjo and got a registration card for it. While I was at it, I registered my Deering banjo as well. I didn't play a tune, but Harvey did. It really felt like one of those Beverly Hillbillies episodes. Ed brought his camera out for a picture and I took off running. The customs officer thanked us and we were off to Ed's second home to "have a tune."

I'm not sure of the exact times, but I think we got to Ed's place at 2:00 PM or so and left at about 6:00 PM. While we were there, we played a good number of tunes. Harvey even let me play the banjo! I'm just kidding. Harvey did play the banjo for a bit and then handed it over to me. He's always encouraging. It doesn't matter if you're tripping all the way through a tune or picking it like a pro, Harvey is always there for you. Kenny and Ed are the same way as are some other folks I know.

Earlier in the week I had sent Kenny a version of a tune called Train 45. It has this little bendy note played by the mandolin at the beginning of the tune to intro it. He must have wanted my attention and he got it, because as I was walking away from him he played this bendy note I speak of. My ears perked up and I stopped dead in my tracks. I just love strings being choked - that's what those bendy things are called. We played Train 45 two or three times and I had a ball with it! That has got to be one of the most fun tunes to play and its got amazing Bluegrass drive. As of late, I'm especially drawn to the sounds produced by choking the strings and I try to throw them in on the banjo when I can. Ron Block, the banjo player for Alison Krauss & Union Station is the person who coined the phrase "those bendy things I do."

The day wasn't over yet. We decided since nobody had to be home by a particular time that we would stop at the Irving Big Stop in Lincoln. We had a good chat with each other and learned that our waitress was a rednceck (she said it first) who has a brother that plays 5-string Bluegrass banjo, and is currently serving in Afghanistan.

We left the restaurant somewhere in the vicinity of 9:15 PM and were home within an hour. It was a good day indeed.

About the Banjo

The new Huber Jim Mills signature series banjo has met all of my expectations and more. It has absolute "killer" tone and the playability is excellent. It's also a very pretty banjo to boot. It's got beautiful clear tones all the way up the neck, something Huber banjos are noted for, and a nice growl in the lower positions. I'm tickled to death with it and think it's worth every penny paid. I called Steve Huber on the telephone yesterday to let him know how pleased I was.

Pictures

There are 40 pictures of the road trip on the Bluegrass Friends web site at http://bluegrassfriends.com/images/road_trip/index.html.

Road Trip!

Today at approximately 1:00 PM I finally got the call I've been waiting over ten months for. Steve Huber from Huber Banjos called to tell me my new Jim Mills signature series banjo was ready to ship. That's exciting news!

When Ed Betts first heard about my plan to have the banjo shipped to an undisclosed location in the USA, he suggested a location and also suggested we make a little road trip/jam session out of it. When he read (right here on this blog) I was giving Harvey Arbo first chance to play the new banjo, he immediately said "We'll bring Harvey along with us. We can pick the banjo up, stop by the cottage for a couple of hours, have a tune, then come home." I think Ed is more excited than I am. Now that's a friend!

The banjo won't be shipped until Monday, May 14. Why a couple more days of delay? Well, it's just another example of the detail that Steve Huber thinks about when it comes to all things banjo. He doesn't want the banjo to sit in a UPS warehouse over the weekend in a location where the weather forecast is calling for high temperatures; he wants to protect the banjo from the extreme temperature.

If the banjo doesn't get damaged or lost in shipping it should reach its final USA destination by Wednesday, May 16. Ed, Harvey and I should be on the road the next day to pick it up. This will be just in time for the Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder concert in Moncton, NB just two days later on Saturday, May 19 where I'm hoping Jim Mills will autograph it and play a tune or two with it. Here's hoping all goes well!