Surely you've noticed the little row of brightly-colored tic-tacks a few inches above this note - indicators that I'm trying, at least, to get myself and this twelve-year old web site into the 21st century. FB, a Blog, and a home page that doesn't look like it was developed in the Darpanet days. I have a twitter account, too, but I'm only following two people, and one of them never posts. Maybe next year.

In the meantime, though, I've made the online acquaintance of a bunch of indy musicians and indy music fans from around the world. And because I've recently been focusing on promoting banjos and doing things on and to banjos, many of them think that's my focus as a musician (if that were true, I'd be deserving of your pity, because I'm not THAT good). It's mostly a timing thing - I'm a songwriter/singer who uses guitar, banjo, bass, dulcimer, piano, and other instruments to accompany myself and my friends. But I've been trying to work my banjo back into my performances and teaching activities, so that's mostly what I've been blogging about, etc.

So on my blog I blogged a blog about why I've been blogging so much about banjos:

http://www.paulracemusic.com/musical-in ... scussions/

Does your head hurt yet?

Just added an upgraded open-back 5-string, a Goodtime Classic Special that I got cheap on a closeout – so cheap I was almost tempted to buy two. It plays as smoothly as my other Deerings, and the tone ring gives it a nice bell-like sound compared to the more plunky sound of my standard Goodtime. Plus it’s already “spiked,” which makes quick key changes easy.

It’s quite possibly the last open-back banjo I’ll ever need – it’s THAT good.

Of course, my Deering Sierra 5-string also needed a new head, so I figured while I was out it, I would buy a Kavanjo head – the kind with the built-in humbucker pickup. And of course I have to write an article describing that process, and maybe another article A/B-ing the various pickup technologies. . . . What can I say? Banjos are almost as much fun to work on and write about as they are to play. More to come.