We’re taking lesson requests for our next batch of lessons. We’ve started recording our lessons in batches instead of weekly. It’s just a little experiment on our end. We’ll see how it goes. We’re all about trying new things.
Add your request in the comment section below. We’re looking for your ideas!
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Ryan,
I have another lesson suggestion (hope you don’t mind). Could you do a lesson on how to put together a break for any song? My family has a little bluegrass band and I’ve always struggled with coming up with my own breaks for the songs that we do, and since I don’t have a teacher to go to, a video like this would be a lot of help.
Thanks,
Sara
Hi Ryan,
Rocky top has always been one of my favorites. Do ya think you would add it to the lesson list one of these Days?.
Thanks and take it easy.
Matt
Thanks Sara, We are thrilled to have you on the site! We will put this one on the list of lessons to record. I personally really like this song too. Keep us updated on your progress. Thanks so much for the comment! Ryan
I’d love to see a lesson on how to play “Flint Hill Special.” It looks like such a fun song to play. I’m a new member and would like to thank you for offering these lessons at such an affordable price! I’m looking forward to becoming a better banjo player.
Thanks Mark, that sounds like a great lesson. We will put it on the “to do” list. Keep the requests coming. We always like to here what banjo songs you want to learn. Thanks,Ryan
Thanks for all that you do for banjo players, great site, it has helped me a lot with my playing, when you get time could you do a lesson on Aint Going To Work Tomorrow. Earl Scruggs. Thanks Mark
Since I live in the state of Tennessee a good old version of Rocky Top would be appropriate. Also, dueling banjos and jed clampetts ballad would be fun. I’m working at summer camp with just enough time to pick daily. I’ll send a video after the summer.
How about Reuben’s Train? As I recall, this one was tuned to an Open E – might be interesting. Love the lessons! Keep ‘em coming!
I would love to learn Pike County Breakdown. Can you add that to your already long list? Great tune!
hey ryan, I was wanting to ask you if you would make a video of how to play clinch mountain backstep? I’ve enjoyed the lessons and it has helped alot! thank you
Wow, it’s like you’re speaking a different language to me. I guess I need to get educated in the Aus Folk. Thanks for the culture lesson
Keep up the banjo picking!
Gday Ryan , ever heard of Australan Folk,,do you know what a jumbuck, Billabong, swaggie, squatter, trooper, is,,,well we were born with it,,can you find Waltzeing matilda, and click go the shears,,,that will test you out old mate,,Cheers Chris
George. I’ll keep my eyes open. Maybe one of the students already has it. If so please let us know. Thanks
I was blown away by Dick Weissman’s tune BANJO ROAD , but I can’t even find where to start it. G-tuning is all I know! There is no tab for it anywhere.
RYAN, I would like to get tabs for Beulah Land.
Thanks Bruce
I’d love to learn a nice (and not too difficult) version of Oh Susanna. I haven’t managed to teach me that myself yet. It might be such a cliché tune, but I love it:-) I’d be also thankful for some more tablatures.
Thanks,
Andrea
Ryan, Thanks for the response! After reading your post, I went back and started listening to some of my favorite bluegrass tunes and suddenly realized that most of the songs were doing precisely what you mentioned. Don’t know why I never noticed that before! Thanks again!
Jason
For me, the driver buying a banjo comes from Neil Young’s “My Boy”song – banjo played by Bela Fleck. My wife is pregnant and I thought that I MUST get the banjo and learn the intro and chords of this song.
Naturally I would like to see this song intro, and also some other similar songs, where you can simply accompany yourself or other singers with banjo. I think this is one way to get used to play, then add some more tricky options when you get used to the song.
Emily, hello thanks for the question. I personally feel like that’s Earls tune so I probably won’t be teaching it but I would recommend learning it via his book which is marvelous. I basically play it note for note. If you really want work on portions of this tune then contact me via email at ryan@banjoexpert.com and we’ll set up a skype lesson for you. Thanks, Ryan
You always start with the melody. Learn the very basic melody to the song that you like and play it one note at a time on your banjo. Once you learn the melody by playing it one note at a time you then start trying to play it with the inflections of the singer. You want your banjo to sound like it is singing the song. You’ll do this with slides, pull-offs, hammer-ons, dynamics (loud and soft), and with phrasing. Make your banjo sing the song one note at a time. After you have accomplished this part then you move on to adding rolls, kick-offs, and endings to the break. Once completed you will have found yourself playing a new break to your favorite tune. Thanks for the great question!
Hi Ryan,
I’d like to learn to play Earls Breakdown, I have een browsing the archives, but haven’t found it. Maybe you can give us a lesson on this one, Thanks , you site is a great help to me.
Ryan!
Thanks for all the amazing stuff you’ve posted thus far. One question I have that makes my instructor go a little glassy eyed and slack jawed is “How can I translate a great ‘non-bluegrass song’ into a banjo tune?” Specifically I have been listening to Jack Johnson and think some of that would sound AMAZING on the 5 string, but can’t figure out how to go about making it sound right…. Any suggestions?
I love the new bluegrass sound. The Allison Kraus albums have some really neat banjo songs, but I can’t find any tabs. Just learning a lick or two from their albums would be great.
I’d like to see lessons on these songs; “Shady Grove”, “Wild Bill Jones”, “Bury Me Beneath the Willow”, and “Billy in The Low Ground”.
I signed up to your web site a short time after I started taking lessons at a local music store. Since then, the paid lessons have stopped, and now every Friday evening two of my buddies and I get together and play for a few hours. Were not all that good yet but we have a blast. I don’t think I’d be where I am now if it weren’t for your web site. Thanks for doing what you do so well- and please keep up the good work!
Thanks,
Bob R
I would also like to see a lesson about what brand of accesseries are the best to buy, like cases, picks, tuners, strings, etc., and where to buy them.
Where are the banjo straps you keep talking about? Are you still going to sell them?
Please let us know one way or another.
Here is a small list of some songs I have been trying to learn &/or find the tab for. I would like it if you would condider some of these songs for future lessons.
Look to the Sun, I’m A Bluegrass Man, I live A Simple Life, I’m Feeling Fine,
Get in the Boat, Just A Little Talk with Jesus, At the Crossroads, Mary Rocked the rock, He Arose, Anywhere is Home, I’ve Read the Back of the Book, On the Sea of Life, God Loves His Children, Foggy Mountain Breakdown.