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Banjo Pockets / Negative Picking Space
By Ryan Crist | January 12, 2008
What is negative space?
I woke up early last Sunday morning and turned on the television to a local public broadcasting show. It happened to be a painter who was painting a stormy scene and was illustrating how to design the clouds. He mentioned that he was intentionally leaving negative space in a certain area of clouds that were forming and then he explained that he left a pocket in the art to peak interest in the paint that was around it.
This is a very important concept and is often overlooked with advanced pickers. In the past I recall having a conversation with a good friend outside of a bluegrass club and talking about blank (negative) space that is intentionally inserted into an instrumental break. We spoke for a long period of time and often agreed that this style of playing really draws attention to your banjo break.
In some odd way, it peaks the interest in the audience. If you are able to see the eyes of your listeners you’ll notice a curious look when you leave out something that they were expecting to hear. I guess it creates a desire for something that’s not there, or at least is not there yet.
This is a very advanced banjo concept and will add a very dramatic effect to your playing style in a subtle way. Maybe you’re one of our students here on the blog that is starting to enter the “advanced” stages of playing. I encourage you to try this concept and focus mainly on the reaction from others. You might see a puzzled look and you simply may not observe anything at first. Overall you’ll start to notice that your banjo music becomes more like an art (very creative) and more spontaneous. Folks around you, for some reason, will seem to want more of your music.
Here’s how it’s done?
Let’s say you’re playing a through a song and are quickly approaching a transition to another chord (you know in the back of your mind that a chord change is coming). This next thought enters your mind (this occurs seemingly at light speed). How do I make the transition? This actual transition is the exact point where you will insert the negative space.
How to play with out negative space
Let’s say for example that you are rolling forward in a G chord and plan to transition to C. You first insert a 2nd fret on the 4th string, then a 2 to 3 hammer-on or slide with the third string and end up landing on a C chord. This is a standard transition.
This is how you insert negative space
Now you roll on the G chord, as stated above, while planning to transition to C. You first insert the 2nd fret briefly. Now, stop any movement for a split second with the intent of building tension in the music. Listeners may be thinking, what’s going on here. This is the point where the lady in the second row who is crocheting misses a loop. Then bend the 3rd fret to the 4th on the third string and land on the C chord. You’re done. You just inserted negative space into your banjo break. It’s that easy.
The scenario written above is simply one example of how to use this concept. Don’t get lost focusing on the lick that I described. What you should be focusing on is the concept (adding negative space, blank spots in your banjo music). I want you to think creatively with this post and not get caught up in the actual lick but try to determine how you as an individual banjo picker can take this concept and run with it.
Try it out and see what you think. It may take a period of time until you feel that you’ve got the hang of it, but it will come. Let me know what you think. I always appreciate your input.
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Topics: Podcasts |
January 13th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Very cool post! I’ve had a difficult time finding some who teached advanced banjo stuff.