The Brainjo Jam Tracks – clawhammer

How To Use The Brainjo Jam Tracks To Learn Banjo (at every level)

Chances are you decided to learn the banjo so you could play songs on it. And it just so happens that songs are the best way to learn!

The Brainjo Jam Tracks are designed to maximize your ability to learn from playing songs and to learn from jamming, and are designed to ensure that you can do so no matter where you’re at on in your banjo-learning journey (read on for details on how).

While these tracks were created primarily to support students in the Brainjo Academy courses, they are available for anyone to use. Those in the Breakthrough Banjo courses for fingerstyle and clawhammer banjo will find them especially helpful in learning the Bright Banjo Fretboard Mastery System. 

(click here to learn more about the Bright Banjo Fretboard Mastery System)

All of the jam track songs and tunes are in the Breakthrough Banjo Vault, and are intended to support your progress and development at every stage 

(click here for a list of songs and tunes in the clawhammer and fingerstyle Vaults). 

Additionally, you’ll note that these tracks pull from a wide range of genres, and should demonstrate that, number one, the banjo makes a great addition to all sorts of music and, number two, the banjo sounds just as good (or better!) played at slow to moderate tempos than it does played fast! 

You are encouraged to make frequent use of them in your practice, as doing so (and following the instructions below) will help you:

1. 1. Ensure you work on the right skills at the right time.
   2. Build an essential foundation of knowledge and skills.
   3. Avoid skipping over learning critical perceptual and conceptual skills.
   4. Avoid learning bad habits. 

You’ll also likely find playing along with these MUCH more fun than playing these alone, and it’ll make practicing the things you really should be practicing way more fun!

First things first, here’s what you’ll see on the screen on the banjo demo tracks:

• CHORD CHART: The chord chart on the upper left portion of the screen shows the chord progression for the song. Each grid represents one “boom chuck” of the guitar (or one “bum ditty” on the banjo 🙂 ). The blue square indicates the chord being played at the moment. The corresponding Nashville Number for that chord is shown underneath. 

• THE “CURRENT CHORD” BOX: The box on the upper right also indicates the chord currently being played, and indicates the first spot where that chord can be found on the banjo (the accompanying download will show all spots where the chord can be found). The colors used correspond to the colors used in the Bright Banjo Fretboard Mastery System, as these tracks are intended as a resource for those learning the system. 

• BANJO BOX: The box on the lower left portion will typically cycle between playing lead solos and backup. 

• LYRICS: The words to the right of the banjo box will show the lyrics (the accompanying download for the song will have all of the lyrics as well).  

• SLOWDOWN OPTION: The songs are typically played at a moderate pace, but can be slowed down further if needed. Clicking the gear icon on the controls section of the video will bring up the speed adjustment option for slowing the video down. 

Note: The banjo demo tracks will have the banjo playing along and will have the chord positions for banjo displayed. The main Brainjo Jam tracks will have the lead instrument removed (in this case the banjo) so that you can provide that role. You will see a link to the main jam track on the video (and in the video description). 

Here are the various ways of practicing along with these tracks, organized according to where you are in your learning progression (note: this progression will be covered in the live sessions in the Breakthrough Banjo courses for clawhammer and fingerstyle banjo).

14 Ways To Use The Brainjo Jam Tracks To Practice Banjo, At Any Level

EARLIER STAGES 

1) Play the chord changes.

If you’re still getting familiar with chord positions and changing between them, practicing just strumming the chords (or sounding the strings however you wish, as long as you can do so easily). Focus on making the chord changes cleanly and at the right time. Use this as an opportunity to learn the Nashville Numbering System as well. 

2) Play just the melody.

Play along by playing just the melody line without any embellishments. It is essential when playing the banjo that you know what notes you’re playing are the melody notes, and that you be able to give them appropriate emphasis. Being able to play the melody notes ensures that you know them, and also helps you build your set of “landmarks” for the song. 

3) Play basic picking patterns while making the chord changes.

Once you are comfortable switching between the chords in time, then begin by playing basic picking patterns while making the chord changes. This is a critical step in developing good rhythm and timing, which critical for developing the “solid right hand” that is the signature of great banjo playing (it is especially important for aspiring 2 and 3 finger banjo players, who often do not pay enough attention to developing this all important skill!). You should practice doing this early and often, and continue to do so regularly as your skills progress. 

MIDDLE STAGES

4) Play simple lead solos.

Begin trying to play lead solos with simpler arrangements, from memory (Brainjo level 2 for clawhammer players, 2-finger thumb lead and Brainjo level 2 arrangements for 3 finger for those learning fingerstyle). 

Note: it’s fine to utilize tab in the learning process, but do not look at tab while you’re practicing with the tracks (if you can’t do so, then simply go back to practicing the song more using the Brainjo Tune Learning Method). 

Click here for a list of songs and tunes in the fingerstyle and clawhammer Vaults. 

5) Move between chords within the Bright System Chord Clusters.

Practice moving between chords within the clusters at the various spots along the neck (while your picking hand plays a backup pattern or patterns you can play automatically). 

Click here to learn more about the Bright Banjo Fretboard Mastery System.

6) Play lead solos with more embellishments.

Begin trying to play lead solos with more embellishments, e.g. Brainjo level 3-4. 

Note: it’s fine to utilize tab in the learning process, but do not look at tab while you’re practicing with the tracks (if you can’t do so, then simply go back to practicing the song more using the Brainjo Tune Learning Method). 

7) Move between the Bright System Chord Clusters.

Practice moving between clusters (while playing backup patterns) in the Bright System. For example, the first time through the song, play at the first cluster nearest to the banjo nut. Then the next time through, play at the next cluster, etc. as demonstrated in the Bright series of lessons.

8) Transition between lead solos and accompaniment. 

Practice alternating between playing lead solos and accompaniment, working on being able to transition between them.

9) Improvise your own backup “licks.”

Improvise your own backup picking patterns and “licks” using the Bright Improvisation Maps. 

10) Play in different keys.

One the key features of the Bright System is that it greatly simplifies the process of playing in any key. Practice playing the chord changes in all the cluster positions in a range of keys. 

LATER STAGES

11) Improvise a down the neck solo.

Practice playing an arrangement of your own, either one you’ve worked on in advance, or doing so on the fly using the Bright Improvisation Maps. 

12) Improvise up the neck.

Use the Bright Improvisation Maps to create your own “up the neck” arrangements, either ones you work out in advance or ones you learn on the fly. 

13) Improvise in any key.

Use the Bright Improvisation Maps to improvise breaks and backup in any key. 

14) Work out new tunes “on the fly.”

Where possible, try your hand at the process demonstrated in the Bright System series of lessons of choosing a song you’re not familiar with and working it out “on the fly” just by knowing the key (which you can determine by looking or by ear). 

As you can see, you’ll be able to utilize the tracks to support your growth at every stage. There’s no such thing as a hard song or an easy song, but rather the things you choose to do to support that song.