techman - Posted - 01/29/2026:  17:02:12

I just registered for the Banjo Camp in March at the Earl Scruggs Center featuring instructors Tony Trischka, Kristen Scott Bensen, and Bill Evans. This will be my first instruction camp. Looks like an interesting one with tours of Earl's homeplace and museum included. What should I expect? Any body wanna give me some 'how to do camp' tips? Do's and Don'ts ? Top ten things to do in Shelby, NC?
Thanks!!!

eagleisland - Posted - 01/30/2026:  05:18:49

quote:

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Originally posted by techman

I just registered for the Banjo Camp in March at the Earl Scruggs Center featuring instructors Tony Trischka, Kristen Scott Bensen, and Bill Evans. This will be my first instruction camp. Looks like an interesting one with tours of Earl's homeplace and museum included. What should I expect? Any body wanna give me some 'how to do camp' tips? Do's and Don'ts ? Top ten things to do in Shelby, NC?

Thanks!!!

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Have not been to this camp, no guidance on the area, but I can tell you that all three lead instructors are awesome teachers.

Having been to maybe half a dozen camps and many master classes and sessions at festivals, I've pretty much concluded that the way that I personally get the most out of the experience is as follows:

1) unless a given session is specifically designated as hands-on (and one can ask if the session description isn't clear), I generally leave the banjo in its case. I suspect that the instructors prefer this, in that when a skill is demonstrated and a room of 20 or 30 students attempts it, the result is cacophony and it's really hard for the teacher to get the room to quiet down and get the session back on track.

2) Instead, I sit with a notebook and a pen at the ready to make notes on what's being presented.

3) Bring a recording device like a Zoom H2N. The instructors have no problem with your doing so.

4) Be realistic with your expectations. You will NOT emerge from this experience a better player - only practice can do that, and class sessions don't provide the time to do that. Over time I've come to realize that if I leave each session with ONE really cool idea or ONE insight into a technique, I've gotten my money's worth.

5) The best thing about classes with Tony, Kristin and Bill isn't necessarily technique. It's actually UNDERSTANDING. I don't know if Tony is doing his "Deep Earl" presentation but if he is, drop all else and go to that. You'll gain a lot of insight into some real subtleties of Earl's technique, and Tony is a wonderful (and hilarious) guy to learn from. That said, you'll gain better understanding on a wide area of banjo knowledge - techniques, and especially why certain players make the musical choices that they make.

6) Ask questions if you have them. Not about stuff like "which picks/strings/capo/etc. do you use," but rather about the techniques and ideas being presented.

7) At camps, the instructors often eat with the students. The table talk in such situations is often every bit as illuminating as the classes themselves. Take advantage if you can.

8) Jam your butt off. Pass up no opportunity to join a jam circle - even if it's an advanced one and all you do is pass lead break opportunities and quietly vamp. Playing with others is what it's all about.

9) Have a blast.

Edited by - eagleisland on 01/30/2026 05:19:59

BobbyE - Posted - 01/30/2026:  05:40:20

Try to do an honest assessment of your weaknesses as a player before you go. Focus on 2 -3 areas and try to use the camp to improve in those areas if the opportunity presents itself. You will get more information, (and tab), that you can process in all probability so knowing beforehand the areas to work/learn on will make the camp more valuable.

Bobby