Monday, April 22, 2013
Belated lesson post
Mr McMahon brought two banjos in last week and got a space in k where we could practice and he gave me a little lesson! It's so convenient that my mentor knows all about the banjo. One thing I learned very quickly is that the basic motion of clawhammer banjo playing is very different from what I learned in violin or guitar. It takes a lot of practice of just a simple motion before I can really progress. That's something that I think is really okay and part of the learning experience but just different than my expectations because I was able to learn basic guitar and piano quicker. That being said, the banjo has such a fun sound! Mr McMahon showed me some of the tunes he knows and it sounds so awesome. He also explained to me a little about how he leaned and how he can be a proficient banjo player without any musical background. It's awesome and crazy to think about how the brain works in relation to music.
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Emma: Friendly neighborhood Ms. Gergely, here. Wanting to know more about your post! WHAT is awesome and crazy to think about with regards to the brain and music? This is a great area to focus on for research. Consider refining a research question and then seeing what you can do to find an answer. There's a book I've been meaning to get to for awhile that you might find interesting: Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, by Oliver Sachs. It might be a good one for you to take a look at since your shift in projects.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in hearing more too about what the required motion is for banjo playing and what in particular you are finding challenging after picking up a few other instruments? Have you done any background research about the history of the banjo? I wonder if there's any reason for the primary motion differing so much from other stringed instruments.
finally (phew!) don't forget about listening as an aspect of research. What banjo musicians does MR. McMahon recommend? Are there any that you like? Spending some time doing focused listening might be a great idea!
Cheers,
Ms. G