Banjo versus TV: Week 46

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. This post covers 11/11/2008 through 11/17/2008.

What we covered in this week's banjo lesson:

• The redhead says she'll get me a fancy schmancy banjo for my birthday. That's still seven months away, but still, I've started looking. I'm thinking about getting one from Tom Nechville, who I met at Midwest Banjo Camp in 2008. Dave and I discussed the various features of the Helimount banjos from Nechville, the Stealth banjos from Scott Vestal, Steve Huber's tone rings and the alloys of Gold Star banjos. Any of these would be a big step up from my Oscar Schmidt OB-5 with its aluminum tone ring.
• We discussed the low bridge on my OB-5 and if/when to raise it. Dave's Stealth banjo has a higher bridge and he likes it a lot. If I'm going to raise it, I'll do so after the beginning of the new year. Why wait? Because I've got my recital and my family jug band coming up in late December and it takes a while to adjust to a change like a raised bridge. How long? (Boy, you ask a lot of questions.) Motivational speaker Brian Tracey says it takes about 21 days to establish a new habit. That's about how long it took me to adjust to my closer-to-the-fingertip style of finger picks this summer.
• We talked about my plans for a family jug band at our holiday get-together. I ran my instrument ideas past Dave and got his feedback.
• I asked for some advice on what to play at the December recital for Flatts and Sharpe, my neighborhood music store. Dave suggested doing a medley of my two best songs: I'll Fly Away and This Land is Your Land. I like it, since This Land is Your Land would make a good sing-along. Last year's sing-along of Preamble was a big hit.

Also in the last week:

• To get into the proper mood for the upcoming family jug band, the redhead and I watched Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas on DVD. Check out the song Barbeque on YouTube.
  
  
• Went to Costello's bluegrass jam again. A fun jam. You should join us.