Early American Banjo--Transcriptions from Buckley’s Banjo Guide of 1868 By Tim Twiss, 2018 by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
You may be familiar with my past venture into the world of minstrel banjo. Seven or eight minstrel banjos have passed through my hands during that time, two of which remain; a Bell Banjo Company Sweeney tack head and a Bell gourd banjo built for Tim Twiss which I acquired a couple years ago but they both pretty much went to inactive reserve after I linked up with our Church bluegrass Gospel group. Since getting my hands on Tim’s latest book though, my interest rekindled and I now plan to keep all three interests, old-time, bluegrass Gospel and minstrel in active rotation. To begin, Tim up front states that; “This book is not an instructional book, but rather intended as a repertoire collection for those with some playing experience. It contains some elementary-level pieces, while others are quite challenging and most fall someplace in between.” Tom further notes; “While this is not an instructional book…refer to the appendix included at the end of the book to clarify terminology and techniques that may be new or unfamiliar to you” so some basic level of assistance is provided. Accordingly, the music included spans the periods from the “old African down-stroke technique”; the basis for our present-day clawhammer, into the more refined, plucked “guitar” or classic style and as Tim says, the banjo was in transition from African folk instrument, through the Golden Age of Minstrelsy, and on the way to becoming a major feature in American popular music. James Buckley and others sought to document banjo materials during this period in several banjo “tutors”, recording these works in standard musical notation. There are players who presently play from these tutors or reproductions and recommend others learn and play from standard notation. Here I choose to stick to tab—standard notation has confused me since my earliest exposure at the age of 7 or 8 when Mrs. Willrett, after probably no more than a half-dozen piano lessons, suggested that her time and Mom’s money were both being wasted—probably in more diplomatic terms than this. Thinking back, I had probably drawn the ‘time-wasting conclusion’ before Mrs. Willrett did!
If you play exclusively from standard notation, this book may not be for you. For you who use tab and/or ear learning while heeding Tim’s ‘warning’ that this is not an introductory instructional book, this book will be an excellent addition to your banjo library. Citing Tim once again: “It is my desire to present music from the past with great accuracy, so the TAB transcriptions in this book are true to Buckley’s original 1868 scores. We may have the freedom, however, to incorporate our interpretative expression into these living traditions”. It is my observation that the more advanced players tend to stay true to the intent of the original material. I strive to get as close as possible to correct, so long as the time and effort don’t overshadow my enjoyment with that piece. Also, I’m old and have a more realistic view of my abilities, and a clear view of what it takes to satisfy me so my personal “interpretive expression” often results. I’m sure my wife, and audience if and when I have one, will not know or care that I’m cutting a few corners so to speak.
Without the use of Tim’s and other instructional books I wouldn’t be where I am today—reminding you that I am only a short ways beyond beginner level. My present repertoire of approximately 50 tunes with tab assistance, 5 or so without, doesn’t put me too far into the category of “some playing experience” and after a perusal of and introductory venture into the book, I find evidence of that fact by recognizing that most of the material appears at first glance to be at the upper end of Tim’s continuum of “elementary-level pieces…quite challenging” leaving only a few for me in the “someplace in between” category. This is not a bad thing. When I study some of the more advanced and confusing-to-me tabs, and then listen to the associated online audio tracks that are an essential part of Tim’s package, they come closer to making sense to me. I am not much of an ear, or tab alone learner but the combination of listening and seeing works for me, especially on those more advanced level of patterns, which I find are often repeated, in total or in part, in other works. Below is an example of two measures; parts of which may be found in other tabs, and an audio clip of those measures. Play the clip and see if those patterns now aren’t more understandable.
Tim’s book will provide reasonable challenges for me, even at my elementary level, and I won’t hesitate to attempt some of the more challenging works. I find only seven of the 102 tabs (97 works) in this book to be duplicates of my present repertoire and there are another four or five that I feel I’ll be able to add without intense listening assistance. Once again, I will stress that even though Tim includes a basic explanation of the stroke style and the markings on the tabs, having a more complete knowledge of the minstrel style, its terminology, and experience with basic exercises and songs would be prerequisite to fully utilizing and enjoying this book. For beginners I would highly recommend his EARLY BANJO Booklet and CD – Expanded 2nd Edition as an excellent starting point and his Winner’s New Primer 1864 Tab Transcriptions (free download) for additional introductory level tabs. If you are interested in viewing Tim’s many videos, just Google Tim Twiss, go to YouTube and enter Tim Twiss, or more easily, go to www.timtwiss.com and check out his books and materials there; print downloads, links, instructional videos, recordings. Check Tim’s link to MelBay or go to www.melbay.com, banjo, 5-string, for the book, EARLY AMERICAN BANJO, and a sample of Tim’s tabs and audio files. The book is available in print and as an e-Book—and don’t forget that if you are just entering into the world of minstrel banjo, be on the lookout for a period reproduction banjo—fretless for sure—so you can fully enjoy the challenge of this new and exciting adventure. Also check my web page at its new address: www.hughstrawn.net and select the Miscellaneous Stuff page link, then scroll all the way to the bottom of that page for information I’ve discovered in my travels through the minstrel/stroke style. Finally, be sure to check out the Minstrel Banjo site at www.minstrelbanjo.ning.com for loads of good music and information. This is where Tim and many of the other ‘real’ players hang out and post, and the others like me, lurk.
You may be familiar with my past venture into the world of minstrel banjo. Seven or eight minstrel banjos have passed through my hands during that time, two of which remain; a Bell Banjo Company Sweeney tack head and a Bell gourd banjo built for Tim Twiss which I acquired a couple years ago but they both pretty much went to inactive reserve after I linked up with our Church bluegrass Gospel group. Since getting my hands on Tim’s latest book though, my interest rekindled and I now plan to keep all three interests, old-time, bluegrass Gospel and minstrel in active rotation. To begin, Tim up front states that; “This book is not an instructional book, but rather intended as a repertoire collection for those with some playing experience. It contains some elementary-level pieces, while others are quite challenging and most fall someplace in between.” Tom further notes; “While this is not an instructional book…refer to the appendix included at the end of the book to clarify terminology and techniques that may be new or unfamiliar to you” so some basic level of assistance is provided. Accordingly, the music included spans the periods from the “old African down-stroke technique”; the basis for our present-day clawhammer, into the more refined, plucked “guitar” or classic style and as Tim says, the banjo was in transition from African folk instrument, through the Golden Age of Minstrelsy, and on the way to becoming a major feature in American popular music. James Buckley and others sought to document banjo materials during this period in several banjo “tutors”, recording these works in standard musical notation. There are players who presently play from these tutors or reproductions and recommend others learn and play from standard notation. Here I choose to stick to tab—standard notation has confused me since my earliest exposure at the age of 7 or 8 when Mrs. Willrett, after probably no more than a half-dozen piano lessons, suggested that her time and Mom’s money were both being wasted—probably in more diplomatic terms than this. Thinking back, I had probably drawn the ‘time-wasting conclusion’ before Mrs. Willrett did!
If you play exclusively from standard notation, this book may not be for you. For you who use tab and/or ear learning while heeding Tim’s ‘warning’ that this is not an introductory instructional book, this book will be an excellent addition to your banjo library. Citing Tim once again: “It is my desire to present music from the past with great accuracy, so the TAB transcriptions in this book are true to Buckley’s original 1868 scores. We may have the freedom, however, to incorporate our interpretative expression into these living traditions”. It is my observation that the more advanced players tend to stay true to the intent of the original material. I strive to get as close as possible to correct, so long as the time and effort don’t overshadow my enjoyment with that piece. Also, I’m old and have a more realistic view of my abilities, and a clear view of what it takes to satisfy me so my personal “interpretive expression” often results. I’m sure my wife, and audience if and when I have one, will not know or care that I’m cutting a few corners so to speak.
Without the use of Tim’s and other instructional books I wouldn’t be where I am today—reminding you that I am only a short ways beyond beginner level. My present repertoire of approximately 50 tunes with tab assistance, 5 or so without, doesn’t put me too far into the category of “some playing experience” and after a perusal of and introductory venture into the book, I find evidence of that fact by recognizing that most of the material appears at first glance to be at the upper end of Tim’s continuum of “elementary-level pieces…quite challenging” leaving only a few for me in the “someplace in between” category. This is not a bad thing. When I study some of the more advanced and confusing-to-me tabs, and then listen to the associated online audio tracks that are an essential part of Tim’s package, they come closer to making sense to me. I am not much of an ear, or tab alone learner but the combination of listening and seeing works for me, especially on those more advanced level of patterns, which I find are often repeated, in total or in part, in other works. Below is an example of two measures; parts of which may be found in other tabs, and an audio clip of those measures. Play the clip and see if those patterns now aren’t more understandable.
Tim’s book will provide reasonable challenges for me, even at my elementary level, and I won’t hesitate to attempt some of the more challenging works. I find only seven of the 102 tabs (97 works) in this book to be duplicates of my present repertoire and there are another four or five that I feel I’ll be able to add without intense listening assistance. Once again, I will stress that even though Tim includes a basic explanation of the stroke style and the markings on the tabs, having a more complete knowledge of the minstrel style, its terminology, and experience with basic exercises and songs would be prerequisite to fully utilizing and enjoying this book. For beginners I would highly recommend his EARLY BANJO Booklet and CD – Expanded 2nd Edition as an excellent starting point and his Winner’s New Primer 1864 Tab Transcriptions (free download) for additional introductory level tabs. If you are interested in viewing Tim’s many videos, just Google Tim Twiss, go to YouTube and enter Tim Twiss, or more easily, go to www.timtwiss.com and check out his books and materials there; print downloads, links, instructional videos, recordings. Check Tim’s link to MelBay or go to www.melbay.com, banjo, 5-string, for the book, EARLY AMERICAN BANJO, and a sample of Tim’s tabs and audio files. The book is available in print and as an e-Book—and don’t forget that if you are just entering into the world of minstrel banjo, be on the lookout for a period reproduction banjo—fretless for sure—so you can fully enjoy the challenge of this new and exciting adventure. Also check my web page at its new address: www.hughstrawn.net and select the Miscellaneous Stuff page link, then scroll all the way to the bottom of that page for information I’ve discovered in my travels through the minstrel/stroke style. Finally, be sure to check out the Minstrel Banjo site at www.minstrelbanjo.ning.com for loads of good music and information. This is where Tim and many of the other ‘real’ players hang out and post, and the others like me, lurk.
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