I’ve been meaning to do the banjo part by this particular 1970s country-rock band for a while now as Bernie Leadon played a marvellous banjo part on the record.
Well, I thought, it can’t be that hard to learn even if it sounds blazingly fast.
I decided to not to do the banjo part during the guitar solo because it was difficult to make out the banjo due to the mix in the record.
The outdo was different however with no lead guitar overpowering the banjo part.
So fired up Transcribe! and learned Bernie banjo part note for note.
It took ages to fully memorise the outro banjo part afterwards however.
Constant practice just so I could play it in full during filming.
I recorded a backing track to accompany the banjo part at a very stately 51 bpm.
At 0:59 I slip up slightly for some reason. I decided to keep it in as I couldn’t face re-filmng the video after so much rehearsal and botched takes.
For those who may be wondering why banjos sound blazingly fast, like that heard on the Txxx Ix Exxx record, it’s because Bernie is playing four notes to each beat, i.e. playing sixteenth notes all through each measure at 4/4 time signature.
Some sharp eared viewers may think my banjo needs tuning.
They are of course entirely correct because only when I finished filming and editing the video did I realise I should have tuned the banjo first.
It still sounds acceptable though.
Still, the video isn’t about me demonstrating how accurate my tuning is but to demonstrate Bernie’s banjo part.
I dig playing the banjo mainly to give the thumb, index and middle fingers a good workout from time to time so I can play the right hand part on the pedal steel better.