Free online banjo lessons from Joff Lowson

The BIB mentioned Joff Lowson recently (15 August) as a member of the Buffalo Gals (UK) old-time band, and as one of the organisers of the old-time music workshop weeks in Spain. Thanks to Joff for the following news, received today:

I'm running a banjo instruction website offering two-and-a-half hours free video lessons. It's a great resource for complete beginners and I have many testimonies from people who've succeeded in learning to play from my materials. I was wondering if you would be interested in posting a link to my site?

Happy to oblige! NB: Joff's website holds much more than appears at first glance. It has an introduction to the 5-string banjo for absolute beginners, with demonstrations and further instruction on strumming, frailing, and finger-picking; separate sections teaching how to play 'Cripple Creek' and 'Duelling banjos' in detail (with practice audio tracks at different speeds); and over forty short videos showing how to play the melodies of easy, familiar songs. Split screens show left and right hands up close (as in the photo below). Audio examples include renditions of 'Cumberland Gap' and 'Little rabbit' (the latter with fiddle) that are well worth listening to. And both in the videos and in the accompanying text, there is a great deal of good advice.

Joff is an accredited Wernick Method teacher - the 'Dr Banjo' website features a Jamming Class he led at the Tamworth Bluegrass Festival in the UK back in June. Click the label 'Kernagis' at the bottom of this post to access what the BIB has published on the Wernick Method Jam Camp that Larry Kernagis will lead in Co. Cork in early November this year.