I have been playing banjo for 6 years now but my triplets have been sticking/missing completely randomnly for the last 3years but before that i never missed a triplet. Ive tried going back to the way I used to play and practiced triplets as much as possible but still the triplets wont come. They stick/miss about 2 or 3 times out of 5.
I was wondering if anyone has had a similar issue or if anyone knows a way to get every triplet every time?
I used to have this problem as well. I found that practicing different scenarios (Tunes aside) helped the most. I would also just play my scales with triplets over and over til I could play the entire thing perfectly. Then, do it in reverse. And change them up. Its all about muscle memory.
I'm wondering if you're playing at a quicker tempo now than what you were prior to this problem. And does this occur with jigs and reels or only with one tune type? And your pick thickness, has that changed? Without actually hearing you play as a general piece of advice I'd be slowing down and perhaps try some different picks.
I also run into this where my triplets "misfire". When that starts to happen, I consciously back off and just concentrate on relaxing and just clearly playing the first note of the triplet reliably over and over in the context of the tune. What happens to me is that I get "anticipation tension" of the triplet and fail to relax. If I just dial it back, relax and get that first note out clearly, then the triplets start to flow again. Relax, relax, relax, is the mantra.
I find if my hand isn't properly planted I may misfire a few triplets. Most often happens when I arrive at the pub/tune and their playing tunes I know just after I've got the beast out of the case.
I try to do a systems check before I start playing, warm up stretch tuning pick position hand position posture etc. Still miss the odd one now and again though.
As shanty mentions above:
"I tend to use my hand/wrist/arm instead of pick/fingers."
I spent time consciously sussing out just how I'm playing/generating triplets I do a hand/wrist most of the time but I also have one that seems to start quite far up the forearm especially when running them together. I don't think about it too much especially when warmed up and everything is going well. If I start missing I tend to focus in on the hand/wrist or the forearm depending where I think the problem is, but it's usually planting position thats the culprit so this is always my first port of call.
The banjo is a tough beastie to tame. As you progress you may be getting more critical of your own playing and tensing up for the next feared triplet. Relax, breath, play more slowly and most of all practise. Good luck and hope this helps!
practise over and over, ddu ddu, then udu dud, then dud dud, then udu udu, practise slowly then increase speed, use a metronome to notch up increases of about five, that is before you start playing.
practise them seperately and in the context of the phrase too
check how you are holding the pick, check your arm position, buy Enda ScahIlls tutor, check out tuiition on you tube, finally check out that your grip of the pick is relaxed.
is it relevant whether they are semiquavers or triplets, how is that going to help the OP from missing picking notes, does thinking of them as semi quavers solve the problem?just asking.
I just call them "dirls".
It gets easier as you warm up after several sets, but that's probably just old age in my case. Meanwhile I concentrate on just playing the tune, and put the dirls in when it feels right.
Banjo triplets
Banjo triplets
Hi,
I have been playing banjo for 6 years now but my triplets have been sticking/missing completely randomnly for the last 3years but before that i never missed a triplet. Ive tried going back to the way I used to play and practiced triplets as much as possible but still the triplets wont come. They stick/miss about 2 or 3 times out of 5.
I was wondering if anyone has had a similar issue or if anyone knows a way to get every triplet every time?
All help is much appreciated
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by luke01
Re: Banjo triplets
I tend to use my hand/wrist/arm instead of pick/fingers. Hard to tell what's going on with you all of a sudden...
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by shanty
Re: Banjo triplets
I used to have this problem as well. I found that practicing different scenarios (Tunes aside) helped the most. I would also just play my scales with triplets over and over til I could play the entire thing perfectly. Then, do it in reverse. And change them up. Its all about muscle memory.
Peter Corfield
CelticTurnTable
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by celticturntable
Re: Banjo triplets
It could be your banjo. Strings could be too high off the fingerboard which might make it harder for you to hit the triplets.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Patrick Murray
Re: Banjo triplets
I'm wondering if you're playing at a quicker tempo now than what you were prior to this problem. And does this occur with jigs and reels or only with one tune type? And your pick thickness, has that changed? Without actually hearing you play as a general piece of advice I'd be slowing down and perhaps try some different picks.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: Banjo triplets
I also run into this where my triplets "misfire". When that starts to happen, I consciously back off and just concentrate on relaxing and just clearly playing the first note of the triplet reliably over and over in the context of the tune. What happens to me is that I get "anticipation tension" of the triplet and fail to relax. If I just dial it back, relax and get that first note out clearly, then the triplets start to flow again. Relax, relax, relax, is the mantra.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Michael Eskin
Re: Banjo triplets
I find if my hand isn't properly planted I may misfire a few triplets. Most often happens when I arrive at the pub/tune and their playing tunes I know just after I've got the beast out of the case.
I try to do a systems check before I start playing, warm up stretch tuning pick position hand position posture etc. Still miss the odd one now and again though.
As shanty mentions above:
"I tend to use my hand/wrist/arm instead of pick/fingers."
I spent time consciously sussing out just how I'm playing/generating triplets I do a hand/wrist most of the time but I also have one that seems to start quite far up the forearm especially when running them together. I don't think about it too much especially when warmed up and everything is going well. If I start missing I tend to focus in on the hand/wrist or the forearm depending where I think the problem is, but it's usually planting position thats the culprit so this is always my first port of call.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Solidmahog
Re: Banjo triplets
They're not triplets, they're semiquavers
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by ...
Re: Banjo triplets
The banjo is a tough beastie to tame. As you progress you may be getting more critical of your own playing and tensing up for the next feared triplet. Relax, breath, play more slowly and most of all practise. Good luck and hope this helps!
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by dulahan
Re: Banjo triplets
"They're not triplets, they're semiquavers"
They're triplets, just not identical triplets.
Two semiquavers and a quaver represents it better than a conventional triplet notation IMO.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Weejie
Re: Banjo triplets
practise over and over, ddu ddu, then udu dud, then dud dud, then udu udu, practise slowly then increase speed, use a metronome to notch up increases of about five, that is before you start playing.
practise them seperately and in the context of the phrase too
check how you are holding the pick, check your arm position, buy Enda ScahIlls tutor, check out tuiition on you tube, finally check out that your grip of the pick is relaxed.
is it relevant whether they are semiquavers or triplets, how is that going to help the OP from missing picking notes, does thinking of them as semi quavers solve the problem?just asking.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Nicholas Jelinek
Re: Banjo triplets
I'll second what Michael Eskin said about relaxing. If you tighten up those muscles they'll let you down almost every time.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by shanty
Re: Banjo triplets
"is it relevant whether they are semiquavers or triplets,"
Probably not. I was responding to Mr Gill.
Mind you, if I was thinking of triplets back when my partner was pregnant, I would be fluffing notes on the banjo too.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Weejie
Re: Banjo triplets
I just call them "dirls".
It gets easier as you warm up after several sets, but that's probably just old age in my case. Meanwhile I concentrate on just playing the tune, and put the dirls in when it feels right.
# Posted on June 7th 2011 by Bren