On A Roll: My Experience with Scruggs Style Banjo

When you hear the word “Banjo”, what comes to mind? To most people, they just think of all of the jokes told about the crazy people who play the wretched instrument.

• What’s the difference between a banjo and a chainsaw? A chainsaw has a dynamic range.
• How can you tell if a stage is level? When the banjo player drools from both sides of his mouth.
• What’s perfect pitch on the banjo? Throwing it into a dumpster without hitting the sides.
• What’s the fastest way to tune a banjo? With wire cutters.

The list just goes on and on, so why would I ever pick up this monster? For the love of music! I have always loved music and I’ve wanted to always play it. I’ve tried guitar, drums, bass, and more, but none of these instruments liked me and I didn’t like them. When I picked up the banjo for the first time, it stuck with me. It had that nice twang and a percussive feeling to the playing style. Besides that, it just looked freaking awesome. I knew that I had met my new lover.

Music is life for me. It’s kept me going when I’m feeling good, and it brings me back up when I’m feeling down. I just really wanted to be connected to that musical part of me. I’d gawk at all of my musical friends out of jealousy when they’d bust out a groovin’ song. I wanted, no, needed, that connection to the expression that I loved most. Let’s take it back a little bit though.

My dad has taken me to bluegrass festivals since I was little. Before playing banjo, I viewed bluegrass festivals as just a bunch of hillbillies getting together to play their hobo music. Now, I see these festivals as expression, friendliness, creativity, precision, and so many more traits that cannot be expressed. I have met the nicest people in the world at these festivals. All that anyone wants to do is to play music, and that’s what we do. Bluegrass festivals, for me, have become a way of life. Who doesn’t love a bunch of people in large groups, who are dirty from camping, but play the best darn music that you’ve ever heard?

So what does this really lead to? A career? A hobby? I would obviously love to get really good at the banjo and go professional in a band, but I don’t see that happening realistically. I think that banjo will just be that outlet for me to express myself. I want to go to jams and just play my heart out, and that’s what bluegrass music is about, a group of people doing what they love.

~Jordan L.