Unlearning to play the banjo can be both rewarding and fun; however, newcomers might become overwhelmed by all of the decisions to be made when starting out.
One such decision involves choosing between an open-back or resonator banjo, though luckily this doesn’t need to be decided immediately.
The basics
A banjo is a 5-string instrument with five strings. It can be used to play bluegrass, old time and classic music styles. Resonators may or may not be present. Although this definition is broad in scope, many factors influence its sound.
One factor influencing banjo tone is the type of string being used; thinner strings produce brighter tones while thicker strings produce deeper bass sounds. Furthermore, banjo heads such as those featuring frosted surfaces offer crisp tones while black ones feature deeper bass sounds.
Size and the presence or absence of a resonator is also an important consideration when purchasing a banjo. Resonator banjos tend to be larger with an inbuilt resonator for amplifying sound, making them great for playing in bands as their sound cuts through better than open back banjos; however, beginners might find starting off on an open back banjo more suitable as this will save money and allow easier tuning.
Getting started
As a beginner to banjo, there may be plenty of information out there which may confuse or discourage you. But the good news is that your choices can have an incredible effect on your experience – therefore it is crucial that you carefully consider your expectations from day one.
First, choose between bluegrass Earl Scruggs style or clawhammer when starting to play 5-string banjo. Both styles can be played on resonator or open back instruments; the former makes your banjo louder; this may prove particularly useful later when jamming with other people; several tone rings exist that can affect its sound (generally wooden ones provide warmer tones than metal ones); regardless of which kind you select it’s important that your banjo stays in tune!
The resonator
Resonators are devices that oscillate at certain frequencies (called resonant frequencies) with greater amplitude than others due to having specific shapes (such as that of string instruments or microwave cavities) which create vibrational modes known as resonant modes or resonance modes, or vibrations. Resonators can either be electromagnetic or mechanical (including acoustic).
Acoustically, resonators add depth and enhance pitch to notes; examples include piano sounding boards, string instrument “bellies,” vocal animal mouth cavities and electronic circuitry used to generate or select specific frequencies from signals. Electronically speaking, resonators can be used to generate specific frequencies or select specific ones from a signal.
The neck
A banjo’s neck serves as the connection point between its fingerboard and strings, and determines where their notes will sound. For optimal playing experience, select one with an easy, smooth neck; one that feels good fits to your hand perfectly will also be ideal.
One of the more frequently asked questions about banjos is whether or not to get one with a scooped or non-scooped pot. Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer for this decision; rather it depends on your playing style and intended use of your instrument.
If you plan to play old time music or bluegrass with a band, a non-scooped pot would help your banjo stand out more from the mix and cut through. On the other hand, for instrumentals or clawhammer music where instruments take a more supporting role (think Irish-influenced fiddling with banjo accompaniment) then perhaps an un-scooped pot may work better as it will produce an acoustic guitar-style sound more similar to what Irish fiddlers used as inspiration (where fidd players lead melodies while banjos simply fit into ensemble bands as fiddlers lead melodies while the banjo just blends in).