A faster Left Hand Today

Get a Faster Left Hand today!

Is your left-hand being a slow poke on the banjo?  It just doesn’t get there on time?  It’s late yet again and your boss (your brain!) is yelling at you?

I recently posted this video detailing an exercise I have my beginners do, I call it “jumping the gun.”

With a little bit of focus and preparation, you can speed up your left hand.

You basically tell your brain to get there before it needs to, you need a strong anticipation signal.  The very act of anticipation and putting your mind on your future location will speed up your left-hand reaction time.

We use open strings to move.  Using a forward roll 2 521521, I have them often go one more note into the next measure 2 521521 5 (and then practicing rocketing into the next note with their left-hand without actually playing it).
Check out the video on beginner banjo left-hand technique if you haven’t already done so for specifics:

Here are more left hand tips:

How far do your fingers come off of the strings after they play a note?

The further your fingers come off the strings, the further you have to bring them back down to play the note.  This slows you down. You need to use something very basic; for example, two repeated notes on the same string.  Play them slow and pay strict attention to how much your fingers release. Keep doing it until your fingers stop releasing so far past the plane of the fingerboard.  The faster you wish to play, the more critical this conscious practice comes into play.  MINIMIZE MOTION.

How hard are you gripping the neck?

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see with beginner banjo students.  Do you find yourself squeezing the neck tight? STOP IT!….I know what you are thinking, hey stop yelling at me!

The more pressure you apply beyond what you need, the more you have to release before you making a movement.  This death grip you are so in love with, I hate to tell you, it’s got to go, it’s the ole ball and chain around your fingers.

How hard are you pushing the strings?

A light touch is extremely important when making large shifts. Only apply as much pressure as needed to make a CLEAR sound come out of the strings.

Try this-Put your finger on top of the string; don’t press in. Hit the string with your right hand; it will make a thud sound, then, gently increase the pressure slightly until you hear a clear sound come out of the note. That is ALL the pressure you need. No more.  Another side effect of too much pressure are intonation issues, even on a fretted instrument. FREE banjo lesson Video Demonstration here:

Where is your thumb?

While there are great musicians whose thumbs flop over the top of the fingerboard who play wonderful, I think using the best technique possible makes it all easier for you in the long run. If your thumb is way over the top of the fingerboard at say the 2nd fret, when you have to run up to the 9th, your thumb will now have to move back to the back of the neck. Otherwise, you will run it right into the fifth string; this is all just unnecessary movement. Yes, you are only making things harder for yourself there pal.

In addition, you will find as you move up to the higher frets that your thumb needs to move closer to the center of the neck so you can stretch more. A thumb can lead to a tight hand which isn’t good for flexibility or quickness of movement.

There is an imbalance in your fingers somewhere.

You’ve neglected one of those fingers and now you must pay.

By design, some of your fingers are easier to move, especially if you haven’t played music long.  The pinky is usually the most difficult for beginners to use.  This is why I recommend doing exercises with your pinky and using it as much as you can once you get a handle on some basic things. One pattern that is a real workout is to play your middle finger followed by your pinky.  Try going back and forth between the same two fingers on one string, then move it to the next string over.  If you practice this string crossing exercise enough, pretty soon you will notice an increase in speed and dexterity of your pinky.  The appropriate repertoire can also increase your finger independence.  Don’t get stuck always using the same fingers.  Challenge yourself with repertoire requiring stretches or unusual fingerings.  I find that classical music is great for this.

If you enjoyed this blog stay tuned for lots more.  Go to the front page of this website to Subscribe to my “Music Journey” email; I’ll notify you of updates as well as new product releases:

Lastly, maybe your right hand is a mess too? Don’t hesitate to check this out as well, I’ve got more FREE BANJO TIPS:

Banjo RIGHT HAND TIPS

Happy Learning!