Here’s some good advice from The Deering Banjo Company.
Instead of passive entertainment like TV or movies or theme parks on a regular basis, become a participant; engage in and be a part of music with the banjo. Instead of watching music videos, make your own. Instead of waiting to be entertained, create your own entertainment. It is often too easy to wait to be entertained and not be an active participant in something you love doing.
The operative word here is doing and not just watching, or just listening. When you are doing something, you are an active participant. You are creating. You are intimately involved with the magic of making music. You are no longer a by-stander; you are at the centre of the activity. Creating is one of life’s greatest experiences.Plus, playing the banjo is virtually free once you own your banjo. While we recommend new strings every month or so, many players change them far less often, as the artist, it is up to you when you want to change your strings. Even at $6.00 for a set of strings, if you put a new set every six months, that’s only $12.00 a year. $10.00 worth of finger picks will last for years with lots of playing. In fact, they are often lost, not worn out.
For the price of four or five theme park tickets, you can buy a Goodtime banjo. Think about spending your money for five days of being entertained with only memories to show for it or, spending the same amount of money for a lifetime of: personal fulfillment, mental development, improved fine motor skill, an activity in which you can actually make money and the skill to play music with friends. Which is the better buy? Not only that, your Goodtime banjo will increase in value if well cared for, whereas, your movie ticket money is gone once the movie is over. I’m not saying, never go to movies or parks. I am saying look at the benefits of spending your time playing the banjo; being engaged in a fulfilling activity.
If you live alone, there are open mikes and jam sessions all over the country that welcome amateur players, where you can meet other players and make friends who have similar interests and goals. Many churches need musicians for services and church events. If you have a family and children, what could be better than to give your children the far reaching benefits of music training with a banjo?
So, it breaks down like this: $70 of your investment will last from one to 5 years. $499.00 of your investment will last longer than you and will increase in value, and, you are going to be more skilled, happier and carry your entertainment with you when you play the banjo.
Engage your creativity; it’s in you, it’s real. Everyone is creative. This is not a wistful, unattainable dream. The reality of life is: YOU CAN PLAY THE BANJO. Get engaged.
Submitted by Deering Banjo Company.
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