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Redlands Bluegrass Festival – 2006
James McKinney – Banjo player and teacher

Written by Wendy Holman of ‘Fingerstyle’
visit:  www.fingerstyle.com.au

James McKinney has a long and dedicated history on the 5 string banjo.  He describes it as the coolest instrument of all.  All his family are musical.  In addition to bluegrass James also plays the style known to Fingerstyle students as Mountain banjo.  He enjoys mixing techniques from both styles. 

James is a superb technician achieving awesome speeds, lightning scale runs and dazzling, single-string triplets.  His foundation is technical and mathmatical, as one can hear from the precision of his playing.  He is a student of the Schillinger method – the basis for the original curriculum of the Berkeley School of Music.  He practices 3 hours per day, one hour of which is rolls and hand exercises – and that’s despite working a day job – he’s a computer programmer for NASA.  James is currently beginning a new musical adventure in jazz. 

James had appreciative audiences at two Redlands 2006 banjo workshops.  Here is a summary of some of the good oil he’s invited us to share with one and all.

1. Work with a metronome.  Always.  James uses a Boss. 
2. Using the metronome, play your rolls at 4 notes per measure (ie, half a roll), then 8 notes per measure, then 16 notes per measure (ie, 2 rolls per measure).  Go back and forth between the three speeds.  Begin at approximately 60 bpm.
3. Keep a journal/log.  This should be a loose-leaf binder type.  Record your specific goals and list your repertoire.  As you master each new piece, add this to the list.
4. Before each practice session, leaf through the journal to encourage a good mind set for your practice and to remind yourself of goals achieved and of course, not achieved.
5. Be specific about what your goals are for each practice session.
6. Divide your practice time into 3 sections, Technical, (eg exercises for both hands), Vocabulary, (ie, types of music, tunes, songs), and Knowledge (ie, theory, scales, knowing how to set up your own instrument, ear training etc)
7. Buy a small notebook to write down titles of tunes and songs you hear at festivals or jam sessions.  Make sure you ask what the titles are then add these to your journal to get new ideas for expanding your repertoire.
8. James is strongly in favour of using a recording device when you have lessons or jam sessions.  He uses a mini disc player/recorder with a stereo mic’ which fits into his top pocket.  He reckons it’s the best way to steal licks at festivals!
9. Before starting jamming with a new group of musicians he recommends that you first record one of their jamming sessions without participating.  Back home, use the metronome to work on the recorded pieces to get up to the same speed.
10. James insists that all his students buy and use metronomes and recording devices.

Handouts:
an arrangement of Old Joe Clarke plus the harmony part for second banjo.
Scale positions in G up the fingerboard plus 2 scales exercises.
A sample weekly practice schedule

Although the Saturday workshop was advertised as a beginners slow jam, instead, James took the ‘teach a man how to fish and he feeds himself for life’ approach.  He gave us valuable insights into correct hand positioning, pick shaping and finger-picking economy.  Comments from participants from both workshops were very positive.  We all look forward to the publication of his new book on technical proficiency!

This summary can’t begin to describe how warm, informative, and charming James McKinney is in the flesh.  Everyone I spoke to later commented on his generosity – sharing information and answering questions.  Despite being at the apex of technical and musical achievement James has that wonderful attitude of always learning - asking other banjo players to repeat certain licks he liked. 

James loves bluegrass and everything banjo-related.  He seemed to be very impressed with Aussie pickers – and we were certainly impressed with him, not only as a picker but as a person.  We hope to see James and Angela McKinney in Queensland again – oh, and Missy too!  (Missy 2? – you had to be there!)

Highly recommended album:  ‘Mind Over Banjo’  - James McKinney with Vassar Clements, the fiddle players fiddle player.

Visit James and Angela McKinney’s website at: www.jamesandangelamckinney.com