Banjo versus TV: Week 17

A weekly check-in on the Banjo versus TV project — J.R.'s resolution to spend more time in 2008 on his banjo than on TV.

I worked on two things this last week: my pinky and my smoothness.

For the pinky, I played Rocky Top from my Easy Banjo Solos book. Its chord progression (G-C-G-Em-D-G-C-G-Em-D-G-Em-G-F-C-G-F-G) includes a little bit of the pinky-centric D and F chords. I had to play this song at a painfully slow pace, but I played it.

And speaking of pace, I worked on my smoothness by setting my metronome at a leasurely 100 beats per minute and playing all of my songs (except Rocky Top) at that speed. I kept wanting to go faster, but it was good for me to stick to that pace and to concentrate on a nice, smooth play.

Also in the last week:

• Another good article on the subject on neurology, learning and music: "Why You Make the Same Mistake Twice."