I've been playing banjo for about 5-6 hrs. each day for the last few days. You get a little stiff in the wrists and fingers, and your brain feels as though it's turned into cotton, but it's pretty amazing how well musical ideas come to you after playing for that length of time.

Of course, the next day when you start playing again, you don't automatically pick up where you left off. It's kinda like three steps forward, and two back. Some of the dexterity and ideas that you had previously, sticks, but a lot is gone again.  Apparently, one has to develop callouses on the old nerve pathways in the brain.

Fortunately, I know that from going through this shit with guitar playing some years ago, you eventually reach a level of competence where you can say with confidence 'now I'm a banjo player.' The nice thing about all of that is that you no longer feel as though you wanna smash the shit outta your instrument, and that all envy of really talented players seems to fade. You (at least I do) get to a point where you really appreciate someone elses playing for what it is, and can enjoy the beauty of a nice musical piece even more. It's like your ego is almost completely removed from letting you enjoy something. A good place to be.

Of course, by then, playing the banjo bores you, and so you move onto something else…..

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