In Intermediate/Advanced Banjo, or “Your Banjo and You,” we will take the skills that you have developed in your time playing the banjo and fine tune them. We will also learn new skills, ideas, thoughts, and techniques and explore what they are, how they work, and how one can put them into their own playing. In this class we will cover the common rolls and how to get the most out of them and we will learn how to take less-common rolls, put them into play, and use them to come up with new ideas. We will also discuss how to use simple moveable shapes to navigate the banjo neck. Furthermore, we will cover proper right- and left-hand technique in order to pull the best tone and be tension free when you’re doing it. Another topic that we will cover is the basics of banjo set-up and maintenance. While tinkering can be a little bit intimidating due to the number of moving parts on your banjo, learning how to do a few simple adjustments can keep your banjo sounding and playing its best. Finally, attendees of the class should also feel welcome to bring their own ideas or questions of topics that they are interested in working on. So bring your banjo, bring your picks, and bring a snack! It’s gonna be a good time!!
Instructor Bio
Gabe Hirshfeld grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of fifteen, while listening to the NPR show Car Talk, he heard the great Earl Scruggs for the first time. The sound of Earl Scruggs’ banjo playing affected him profoundly in a way that no other sound ever had. To put it simply, Earl Scruggs single handedly changed Gabe’s life. After playing and obsessing over the banjo for several years, Gabe won the Lowell Fiddle and Banjo Competition (bluegrass division) several times and was the last winner of the New England Banjo Championship at the Ossipee Valley Music Festival. Gabe has played and recorded with many bands in the Boston area and, while at Berklee college of music, became a founding member of the Lonely Heartstring Band. He has also taught many banjo and music camps including Banjo Camp North, Midwest Banjo Camp. Gabe has toured and played banjo all over the world and probably needs a nap.