learning standard notation

[RaiseTheHatchet]

I figure to really get into minstrel music I outta learn how to read
music. Anyone have any links where I can learn? even better if it has
minstrel examples.

in the mean while anyone have a tab for grape vine twist (tim twiss
and carl anderton, love your you tube videos playin it) and/or rose
of alabama?

[Carl Anderton]

Good for you, Mr. Hatchet! (BTW what's your name? I've seen you in
the Banjo Hangout, but I can't remember.)

READING MINSTREL BANJO NOTATION IS A SNAP.

Just force your self for a few days to read it and it'll become second
nature in no time.

Remember, EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE. Those are the lines, from bottom
to top. E G B D F.

And FACE. The spaces, from bottom to top.

I still occasionally have to refer to that after all these years. And
of course there are a few "accidentals" now and then, but they are the
exception. THERE JUST AREN'T THAT MANY NOTES IN MINSTREL BANJO. No
shame there. Sometimes less is more. Such is the case with the early
banjo style.

I've been forcing myself to read turn-of-the century "classic"
notation recently- it's written in "G" and "C" and it's a real pain in
the ass- but I'm forcing myself to do it and it's coming along
(slowly).

[RaiseTheHatchet]

thanks for the reply Carl. names Brody Rosenfeld, yea I've seen you
defending minstrel music on banjohangout in the Dr. Horsehair thread.
Got introduced to the genre via the Camptown Shakers percussionist
King when he played some of there tracks for me. Already had a banjo
that I never got too serious with (scruggs style didn't appeal to me)
but got into clawhammer then not too long ago I bought an Eric Prust
tackhead to learn stroke style on. The civil war and early American
history in general always appealed to me (being born in KY have
ancestors on both sides of the fight) so I'm really enjoying getting
into the music of the period. That being said I wanna learn standard
notation for a more "authentic" experience, maybe next I'll man up and
switch the nylgut to gut, afraid of durability and cost.

Anyway I have such a limited knowledge on sheet music and music theory
that I don'u understand EGBDF or FACE. Need some sorta "Minstrel Banjo
in Standard Notation for Dummies". Been looking at the notation next
to tabs to try to figure it out a bit using the tab for Lanagan's Ball
done by Marc Smith as a Rosetta Stone.

[Tim Twiss]

I put something up in the files section called "Early Banjo Rosetta
Staff". This should help with finding the notes.
tt

[Joel H.]

It will also be helpful to shoot over to Mr. Twiss' Banjo Clubhouse.
You will find Converse's "Analytical Guide." Perhaps the most
complete work on the banjo ever, esp. banjo notation (but it will not
help with Briggs). We are all in debt to Tim for this contribution.
Also, make your way to the local music store that caters to students.
Invest the few dollars in the tried but true flash cards. Start with
just the notes in the treble clef, beginning with A below middle C
(trust me, all this comes very easy). Just use the first five notes
or so. Go over them slowly using the EGBDF & FACE as mentioned by
Carl. Shuffle, add some more. Now this is what has helped me (I can
hear the groans). Draw a fingerboard chart. Then take blank music
stationery and make tabs from the tutors (oh yeah, buy all of the
reprint tutors). Soon you will make tabs without the chart. The
whole time you are doing this use the exercises in the tutors with the
notation. I know it sounds complicated, and it my not work for you.
Just don't let it get in the way of having fun!

Joel Hooks.

[RaiseTheHatchet]

Cool, "Early Banjo Rosetta Staff" seems like it will be useful

[RaiseTheHatchet]

So does Converses Analytical Guide. Flash cards may be the move

On Sep 23, 12:06 am, RaiseTheHatchet <RaiseTheHatc...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Colporteur]

I know I am probably going to open a can of worm here but...

You are going to find one complication in learning to sight read the
original scores. Some of the earliest books are written in a G/D
tuning - 1 sharp or two sharps (Briggs). Later books are written in
an A/E tuning (3-4 sharps). This can get confusing. Most minstrel
players I know tend to tune their banjos GDF#Ad, which means that you
are going to have to be able to transpose some things from E to D, and
A to G in the later books. This took me a while to learn to do. You
have a choice to make in getting started. You should start by
choosing one tuning or the other, and later learn to transpose the
other keys.

As to which key you should start learning to read in, I think you will
find a number of opinions. I would say that if you are going to be
playing with a number of other instrumentalists, fiddlers, etc., then
I would suggest that you start with the G/D tunes. If however you are
playing for the joy of playing early banjo music, then I would suggest
starting with the A/E tuning. There are a lot more books/tunes out
there in this tuning than in the G/D.

Don't get discouraged! We are probably talking about a month of pain
here, after which you will get the hang of it and all of this will be
a thing of the past. There is far more printed music out there than
tablature, and you can spread out in to reading period sheet music as
well.

[Tackhead]

Hi there RTH,

I have a copy of Bob Flesher's tab rendering of Grapevine Twist. Tim's
version and Bob's are pretty close (I haven't heard Carl's--I'll check
it out) I can send you a pdf copy tomorrow, if no one else has
resonded already.

~John

On Sep 22, 5:13 pm, RaiseTheHatchet <RaiseTheHatc...@gmail.com> wrote:

>