Tangier Sound

Billy in India writes:

Pat and Patrick,

Just a quick note to tell you how important you two have become to this stranger writing you today.  I’m in a very difficult time in my life; I got some pretty serious health issues and, though I’m American, I’m stuck in India for the foreseeable future.  The doctors here are okay, but it’s nonetheless a pretty tough situation.  I’m alone and things can be quite uncomfortable and contretemps — even a bit scary — because of culture and language barriers.

But every single day for at least two hours and usually more — even when I’m in the hospital — I pluck away at my banjo using the methods and tunes you’ve taught me.  I suppose this’ll sound hyperbolic, but my being able to enjoy this new style of music — “new” to me, of course — helps keep me alive.  I even felt a little guilty at first because I’d been struggling with Scruggs-style for years, but never really FELT it, ya know?  Now I’m progressing beautifully and I couldn’t have done it without the two of you. Even if my health were to take a real bad nose-dive at this point, I would still have my banjo to keep me smiling as I walk off stage and into the clearing at the end of the path.

Oh, and one other thing.  Self-directed learners like me have always, by definition, depended on books or other solitary learning methods to advance our knowledge in one thing or another. Though I suppose learning by watching videos of teaching sessions would fit the definition of autodidacticism, I’ve never felt alone when I’m watching one of your videos on youtube. Thank you for that.

I dropped Billy a note asking for permission to post his letter and he added this to his reply:

You’re welcome to post my letter, though I’ve no need quite yet to find other banjo players. For now, I’m quite happy with your videos and my progress. Though the nurses at my hospital aren’t real keen! I broke a violin mute and put it on the bridge so that keeps them away.

I was frustrated at first (well, just the first day) that I couldn’t remember the notes while trying to play along with lesson 5. Because I’m a geek, I captured just the play-along portion of “Aunt Rhody” from youtube, then drew the notation right over your mug so I could follow along a little. The attached photo is a screen shot. (The blue parts of the notes are where I coded an Action Script glow to move around within the notation color to wherever the black shirt background makes it to dark to see — yup, I’m just that nerdy.)

Thanks again, guys. I appreciate your work.