Banjo Ben

[Br1ck]

I thought I'd share a few thoughts after a couple of months use of the Banjo Ben instructional web site. I decided on going this route because I play both guitar and mandolin and figured I'd get more use this way.

First of all, there is quite a lot of content, especially for a beginner. I've found I'm, according to Banjo Ben, advanced on both instruments. LOL. But the lessons are well recorded and move from slow to fast at a decent pace. There is a good mix of songs and then conceptual licks where it is encouraged to use concepts as a jumping off point. One of my goals is to get fluent up the neck, and I'm doing just that.

The bonus is on the guitar side, mainly the licks in various keys. So I consider it Useful.

My one gripe is pretty bogus, and that is the heavily weighted toward religious tune lessons, but changing this would require asking Ben to be something different than who he is, which is something I'd not do. Still plenty other things on the site to use. All in all, money well spent.

Sorry, just realized I was in the wrong section. Feel free to move to General.

[HonketyHank]

I like Banjo Ben. I don't think I have paid him for anything (yet) but I have taken advantage of his promotional free access. And I have used stuff I have gotten from his free 'teaser' videos. He is a definite asset.

[Charles E.]

I like this guy......

https://www.mandolessons.com/

[Br1ck]

I like this guy......

https://www.mandolessons.com/

Baron is great, but not very bluegrass, which is why multiple sources is such a good thing, plus the different sites all have different ways to play fiddle tunes, so you can play one guy's way, then the other provides a variation. This is a great stepping stone to making your own, then improvising.

Banjo Ben's teasers are just that. MUCH more good stuff, and $25 a month is not much in the scheme of things. Somehow we need to get back to the notion musicians should get paid.

[Caleb]

I've never met Ben but he seems like a cool guy. He was on my favorite TV show with his sisters a few years ago. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXoUB-uTcbI

[mee]

My one gripe is pretty bogus, and that is the heavily weighted toward religious tune lessons, but changing this would require asking Ben to be something different than who he is, which is something I'd not do. Still plenty other things on the site to use. All in all, money well spent.

I have been a lifetime member for many many years and the Gospel tunes are what I love about Ben Clark. I would be sadly disappointed if he were to change, there are plenty of other teachers out their to suit every taste but he is the only one that I know of that uses old hymns and older tunes for his lessons. And as a gold pick member he has given me the best personal help that you won't get from his free lessons.

[Gary Hudson]

Ben is a genuinely nice guy. He is very responsive to email. I just missed out getting in to his camp but I became a gold pick member and I really like his versions of some of the songs I already knew. He is a tremendous resource and if you play guitar as I do his site is an even better value.

[Mark Wilson]

I’ve learned some cool material from ben during two different 3 month trials. He has a style that sounds traditional but is totally unique and original imo.

[Br1ck]

Not asking for change. I have the freedom to walk away any time. I do get sidetracked learning guitar licks though.

[Johnny60]

Can't speak highly enough about Banjo Ben. Been a lifetime member for several years.

What I really like is the fact that most of his fiddle tunes have a "basic" version followed by a more advanced version. So, you can either learn just the basic, or go advanced, use both, or develop your own hybrid.

Also love his Bag of Licks stuff - loads of interesting licks in various keys that can be inserted into improvised breaks. As long as you're not doing the same licks in every break you do, then they're a great way of adding interest. Plus, of course, after a while you work out your own varients which add further interest.

Needed to contact him a couple of times about specific stuff, and he replied within hours with a detailed reply. I remember on one occasion, a few years back, I was really struggling with improvised licks in the key of E. I emailed him about it, and a Bag of Licks lesson in E came out within a couple of months!

Plus, if you also play guitar (which I do) or banjo (which I don't), then you get double the amount of content for the same price! Triple the amount if you play all 3 instruments!

No financial interest here, just a very happy member.

Hope this helps

Johnny

[yankees1]

Another site I like really like is mandolessons.com. Totally free lessons but you can leave a donation .

[Al Trujillo]

I'm currently taking lessons from Banjo Ben through his website, and also from Joe Walsh and John Reischmann through Peghead Nation. My out-of-pocket costs for all three is $55 a month. I've taken private lessons locally and they ran $50 per hour so in this respect I believe it is money well spent. I particularly like the way Ben has his lessons set up: He uses two cameras (right hand, left hand), he moves along at a slow pace, he always lets you know which measure he is playing, he has a play along track along the bottom of his lesson, and he offers all sorts of downloadable play-along tracks with each lesson. IMO, I think his website does the best job for a starting to intermediate player. And when you've played for an hour or two one of Ben's hymns is a great way to end your session.

[Mark Gunter]

Ben's one of the good guys, I believe. Never met him in person (but I met his talented twin siblings at a Purple Hulls performance last year). Ben is a stellar talent (worked in Taylor Swift's touring band) and a good teacher, and a great resource for folk who play two or all three of his chosen instruments. I buy one-off lessons from Ben when I want them, and often use his performance videos to develop arrangements of tunes by ear.

[tmsweeney]

A lot of the great player talk about starting on gospel or other Christian hymn music. A good portion of the "rules" of Western music were formulated from early church music. So weather or not you associate with the words or ideology of the tune, learning that music can and will help you understand functions in music - resolving to the 1 or where to use a major 7th or a diminished chord, how to build harmonies etc. I'm sure Ben's idea is these are simple and generally enjoyable tunes. A strong foundation in the basics is what every great player has to some extent.

[Br1ck]

He plainly states one function of the site is to spread the word. Very upfront about that being a reason for it. I admire the transparency. I do not want and would not have him change as I support the first amendment to the Constitution. I merely point it out to those who might in some way be offended by the tilt. It is ingrained into the site. One can choose or not as one sees fit. Simply that, no more or less.

There has long been the realization of the power music has to both persuade and reinforce belief, both religious and secular. Any organization needs butts in the seats to thrive, weather that is a church or a union hall, or out in the streets. It's a powerful persuasive tool that can be used for good and evil, and we must be mindful and vigilant about that in our individual thought.

I indorse the Banjo Ben site wholeheartedly. Lots of very good information presented in an understandable format.

[ccravens]

I like this guy......

https://www.mandolessons.com/

And there is the added bonus of hearing the amazing tone from his Ellis...

[ccravens]

I have been a lifetime member for many many years and the Gospel tunes are what I love about Ben Clark. I would be sadly disappointed if he were to change, there are plenty of other teachers out their to suit every taste but he is the only one that I know of that uses old hymns and older tunes for his lessons. And as a gold pick member he has given me the best personal help that you won't get from his free lessons.

This has inspired me to take a look at his site.

That, and the many great reviews on this thread.

[Dave Hausner]

I was a member and did not care for the religious nature of the site. I have gone elsewhere.

[Br1ck]

There you go, one there because, one gone because, one there in spite of. But the beauty is freedom of choice, and that is a good thing.

I don't want any of this to obscure that there is a lot of good content to be had.

[f5joe]

Gold Member here for about six years. Incredible resource. He's got a new guitar E Bag of Licks going on right now.

Highly recommended.

[dan in va]

There's a video floating around out there somewhere of Mr. Monroe himself responding to the question of would there be bluegrass music if not for gospel music (paraphrased). He plainly said no, there would be no bluegrass without gospel. Also, he wrote a whole lot of gospel songs (a hundred or so, according to him), and in his later years said he would pray as he sang gospel music. By all means, do your own research to satisfy your own questions and perhaps any other issues that may possibly be lurking behind.

Every now and then posters have written about a personal preference that performers not talk about their personal religious convictions in concert. Well, these folks pretty much are who they are and historically gospel is joined at the hip with bluegrass and woven into the cloth...the tent shows...gospel quartets...gospel albums. It's certainly everyone's right to pick and choose. Call it buffet, spitting out the seeds or whatever suits you. The music is what it is. Just the facts, ma'm. Just sayin'.