Constant Improvement Mindset

Every year, I start out the same way. Here are a list of goals. And when December comes, I look back on how it all went off the rails. With a mental cocktail mix of imposter syndrome and an inferiority complex, I've developed an ethos of constant improvement when it comes to playing old-time music. However, as a working stiff and a family man, I've come to accept the ebbs and flows of available bandwidth to focus on the banjo and fiddle. 

Last year, was a down year. So naturally, I want to do better this year. However, I also want to be realistic. In the past, I've set somewhat rigid goals, and when I miss my target, I feel disappointed in myself. With the Super Bowl just around the corner, perhaps a football metaphor is in order. While the endzone never moves, sometimes a team winds up getting farther away from the goal line, rather than moving closer. Luckily, there is more than one way to score points. Of course, sometimes you might have to punt. 

With that garbled message in mind, I've developed my goals with multiple ways to score. Similar to how a business might set its yearly budget, my first benchmark is to at least beat last year (LY). Then, there's my reasonably attainable goal to improve upon LY. Finally, I have my stretch goal in the event that I end up having a great year.

Now, let's stop babbling and get down to brass tacks ... 

Playing Time

The biggest part of my musical goals comes down to spending time with my banjo and fiddle. I've mentioned the 10,000-hour rule a zillion times on this blog, and although many have debunked this theory, I continue to track my playing time as I work toward this benchmark. This year, I should eclipse 1,500 hours on both instruments. 

Last year, I played 41 hours on each instrument for a total of 82 hours. Therefore, my minimum goal is to reach 42 hours each (total: 84 hours). My primary goal is based on beating my 2022 total, which would mean playing 62 hours on each instrument (total: 124 hours). Finally, my stretch goal is to play 75 hours each for a nice round 150 hours total. 

As January is coming to a close, I'm happy to report that I'm on track to reach my stretch goal, along with a streak that has lasted all month. However, I know from previous experience that my playing always seems to slow down during the summer months, so I need to keep it up. 

Learning

Learning new tunes is always a good motivator to keep practicing. My focus in recent years has been on the fiddle. However, I want to keep broadening my skills on the banjo to keep things fresh. 

Banjo

I haven't learned many new tunes in recent years, and I've become too reliant on tab to expand my repertoire. This year, I want work on developing my own arrangements to tunes by ear. I just need to identify which tunes I want to focus on ... 

Fiddle 

With fiddle, I continue to work through Michael Ismerio's Online Fiddle Course. My goal this year might seem conservative, but I want to make sure that I don't go too fast when it comes to learning new tunes. Therefore, I'm focusing on the next four tunes in the course, which are: 

1. Indian Ate the Woodchuck (Key of C)
2. Saturday Night Breakdown (Key of C)
3. Got a Little Home to Go To (Key of G)
4. Saddle Up the Gray (Key of G)

I also recently purchased Tricia Spencer's book, The Fiddle Garden, which I'm hoping will help improve my intonation. In between learning tunes, I plan on working through this resource. 

Community

Since Covid, the amount of time I've spent playing with others has remained limited. I want to make a more concerted effort to get out to some jams, as well as all my local festivals.  

Jams

Unfortunately, some of the jams I used to frequent before the pandemic never returned. My current favorite jam is a 90-minute drive from home. However, there have been a couple new sessions pop up that I want to check out. At the bare minimum, I'd like to get out to a jam once per quarter. I'm happy to report that I've already met my quota for the first quarter. 

Festivals

I love my local festivals. I'm hoping to make it to all of them this year. The first one is this weekend. 

Lake Erie Folk Festival: Coming up on Feb. 3, this year's festival is at a new a location (Case Western Reserve University). I'm very excited about some of the workshops this time around. The festival organizers added several programs focused on Ohio fiddle tunes and folk music. Columbus-based fiddler Henry Barnes is giving two workshops on Learning Ohio Fiddle Tunes and Performing Ohio Fiddle Tunes, as well as another on bowing. There are two organized old-time jam workshops, and hopefully there will be good space for impromptu jams at this new location.  

Music in the Valley: Usually held the second weekend in July, this festival is always great but also always conflicts with family events. The setting of Hale Farm in Bath, Ohio, is wonderful for playing music. I'm still waiting for the official dates, but I'm pretty sure it'll be July 13-14. 

Raccoon County Music Festival: Still my favorite local festival, this mid-August event is held at Century Village in Burton, Ohio. My time at last year's festival was cut short because of thunderstorms. I'm hoping for better weather this year. 

Music Along the River: My first time at this event was two years ago, and then it was canceled last year because of construction at the festival grounds in Harpersfield, Ohio. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be able to hold the festival this year. 

Writing

I continue to enjoy writing about banjo, fiddle and old-time music, albeit in a somewhat limited capacity in recent years. 

Blogging

I average about one post per month, and that frequency probably won't change. I'm hoping to do a little more than provide naval gazing content for you this year in the form of more review and hopefully an exclusive interview or two. Let me know who you want to hear from in the comments.  

Reviews

In the past, I've written review for The Old-Time Herald. However, with the last editor leaving her position, I'm not sure what the status is for the magazine's future. I'm hopeful the publication will continue, and I'll be able to resume my relationship with the new editor. 

Other

With The Old-Time Herald currently on hiatus, I'd like to pursue writing reviews for another publication. I just don't know where ... 

Books

I've recently acquired two banjo and old-time music related books that I'm hoping to read this year. 

I finally got a copy of Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History, by Kristina Gaddy, which will soon be available in paperback. 

My to-read pile also includes Naomi "Omie" Wise: Her Life, Death and Legend, by Hal E. Pugh and Eleanor Minnock-Pugh, 

Both books came out in 2022, so it's about time I got around to reading them. 

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