Fretmentor’s Blog is for Everyone
Here you will find music related articles of interest to all musicians and music lovers. We provide product reviews, concert, places and event summaries, historical topics, profiles on current or past artists, music theory and more.
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Author Archives: fretmentor
The Right Way to Build a Chord Vocabulary
When an aspiring musician buys their first banjo, guitar or mandolin, they also usually are talked into buying a pictionary chord book. Such a book, lists chord after chord, in charts that are in alphabetically order. Without knowing any better, … Continue reading
Time is on a Musician’s Side
While most students of the banjo, guitar or mandolin recognize that learning an instrument will take both time and patience, there are a few who feel that they should progress further in a shorter period of time. A student will … Continue reading
Posted in Music Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged Music Practice, Practicing An Instrument
15 Comments
Digital Recorders – A Useful Tool?
Should you throw away that cassette recorder? What is a hand held digital recorder? How does a portable recorder differ from a computer’s music digital interface? These are some of the questions you may have when you start exploring recording … Continue reading
What Time is it?
“I played this much better on my own at home than in front of you.” I often hear this comment from my music students. It is their perception that they are playing well behind closed doors. In actuality, the beginning … Continue reading
My Dog Ate My Music!
As a teacher of the banjo, guitar and mandolin, I often hear the various reasons why someone is not able to practice. After earning my BA degree, I first attended law school and then moved on to graduate school. My … Continue reading
Frets & Math
In one of my guitar classes, I had a student mentioned that she never thought she’d have to learn algebra to learn music. Algebra you ask? No .. we weren’t learning algebra. We may have been applying a little geometry … Continue reading
Good Bye Les
Today the Music World Lost a Legend & Pioneer Earlier today, August 13, 2009, I received news that my friend Les Paul died at age 94. When I say my friend, I should clarify that unfortunately, I did not have … Continue reading
Posted in Guitar, History
8 Comments
Banjo Rap
Does The Banjo Get A “Bad Rap” At Times? Is the banjo and instrument that sometimes receives undeserved or critical judgment from non-musical observers? At times, I notice references made on television or in public, to the banjo or banjo … Continue reading
Posted in Banjo, History
Tagged ballad of jed clampet, banjo history, banjo music, banjo players, dueling banjos, earl scruggs, foggy mountain breakdown
10 Comments
Music Therapy
Each and every one of us experience stress in our daily life activities. Whether you have lost a love one, lost a job, are having financial difficulties, broke up with you significant other, or are facing other challenges in life; … Continue reading
Is Practicing Music Frustrating?
In 1969, I got this toy for Christmas called “Frustration Ball”. The toy consisted of a clear globe with eight cups and one ball. The object was to toss the ball from one cup to another in order, without missing … Continue reading
Do You Know Your Musical ABCs?
When I start teaching a new banjo, guitar or mandolin class, I first ask my students whether or not they know their alphabet. These students, many whom are adults, look at me with a bit of disdain, as though I … Continue reading
A Musician’s Need For Speed
When you are practicing or playing your instrument, are you patient enough to play slowly? In order to learn a piece of music correctly, you need to develop your timing and rhythm and many students are guilty of playing too … Continue reading
To Record or Not to Record
Musicians of all types can benefit from recording their music. The beginning banjo, guitar or mandolin student may cringe at the idea of listening to themselves on tape. It is sort of like listening to your own voice, which I … Continue reading
Motor City Bluegrass?
I remember that first festival as though it was yesterday. Of all places, it was held outside of the Motor City. That is right, just outside of Detroit, Michigan. The home of Motown and automobile production, was taking a back … Continue reading
Posted in Banjo, Guitar, History, Mandolin, News & Events
Tagged Bill Monroe, bluegrass festival, bluegrass music, Doug Dillard, John Hartford
8 Comments