Rocket Science Banjo!

So, What is Rocket Science Banjo?

The Radical, Revolutionary, Scientific Method For Clawhammer Banjo

Radical because Rocket Science Banjo is Free, Grattis, No Charge, Pro Bono, On The House, Yours for no money down, no payments, and completely lacking shipping or handling charges. You don’t even have to leave any personal information to get Rocket Science Banjo. You just download it, and that is that.

   However, (Oh wow, I’ll bet your Scam alert antenna just went into overdrive – but it ain’t what you think). However, you can, if and only if you choose to do so, become a sustaining contributor. You will find complete details in the chapter entitled The Pitch, which also will tell you about the 200 Tabs project which will be available only to RSB contributors, and the eventual RSB ON DVD project. Remember that RSB itself is free, completely free, and always will be free. Whether you contribute or not, you will always be free to use Rocket Science Banjo, and will always be allowed to freely download any updates, upgrades and additions to the ebook for however long as this website exists.

Revolutionary because Rocket Science Banjo is the first clawhammer banjo method to fully incorporate the MIDI player found in most modern computers (PC, Mac, Linus, Schroeder, whatever). The “.tef” files you will find along with the text are tablatures you can both read and hear using the MIDI. With a bit of practice you can even “play along” with the MIDI, using it as an untiring tutor and rehearsal partner, who never gets bored, or makes a mistake, and does not stop until you tell him to.

   This last feature is also important in learning how to play with others. MIDI does not stop when You make a mistake either, it just keeps going. This means you will have to jump back in and keep going with it. Instead of getting caught up in the “Oops, I have to start over” syndrome - the quickest way I know to kill a promising musical career, you quickly learn to “play through” just as if you were playing with other musicians or a record. This is invaluable training and is the reason why MIDI is already beginning to revolutionize music learning.

Scientific because Rocket Science Banjo starts right out with Sir Issak’s third law of banjo dynamics: FOR EVERY ACTION THERE IS AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION. This is the same scientific principle that took men to the moon, and broke your Uncle Bob’s shoulder when he pulled both triggers of that shotgun he would never allow you to use. The basic stroke of clawhammer banjo is not one of hitting a string with a finger, but of allowing the finger to sound a string as it passes by - That’s correct, the frail stroke is caused by the right hand falling past the strings! This drop continues until the hand is stopped by the thumb snagging the 5th string (or one of the others). The thumb then snaps forward, against that immovable string, which throws it and the hand back up into position for the next frail. The frail and the thumb stroke are actually two parts of the one thing. This is all explained more completely in “Chapter One The Basic Stroke” and on my youtube video Rocket Science Banjo Lesson One. So, climb aboard the Rocket and start your journey to the stars.