Resonators-equipped banjos may give the appearance of being superior, but this misconception should not be taken literally; rather, their purpose is only to slightly dampen sound output and add additional comfort for players.
Bluegrass requires three finger picks for playing; old time players generally prefer an open back banjo with its more bassy and melodic sound.
Scruggs Style
One of the most widely practiced banjo styles is Earl Scruggs-inspired Scruggs style, which relies on his roll patterns and timing. While this banjo style may appear simple to learn at first, it requires lots of practice before mastery can occur; once mastered however, this sound will add great dimension to any bluegrass player’s set-up.
Notably, some bluegrass players prefer different setups and tones from what can be found on most modern resonator banjos. Old-timers may seek a bassier tone than typically found on modern resonator models.
Notable changes include Carl Jackson, Alan Munde and Courtney Johnson making the shift towards more of a Scruggsy sound from melodic playing (Carl Jackson, Alan Munde and Courtney Johnson are examples), though most bluegrass musicians still utilize both styles at times – as seen with musical duo Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn playing an impressive range of banjo styles using multiple banjo models.
Clawhammer Style
Clawhammer banjos are often associated with American folk tunes and old-time music, though that doesn’t limit their use to these genres alone. Although clawhammer banjos may be best utilized for slower songs where their volume doesn’t compete with other instruments’ volumes, other genres and songs may benefit as well.
Clamhammer style requires intricate finger movement similar to bluegrass, yet stands apart with one distinctive feature: when switching strings between strokes, your thumb rests on the fifth string – this ensures a unique sound without clicking or scraping sounds! Attempts should be made to strike exactly on the fingerboard otherwise unwanted clicks or scrapes could occur and lead to clicking or scraping noises from other strings on your instrument.
Some clawhammer players also advocate omitting chords, believing this to be more faithful to traditional American music and its roots. Although I can understand this viewpoint, I personally believe it to be misguided: chords add tension and emotion to melodies, as well as being instrumental in many classic songs that would not exist without them.
Open Back Style
An open back banjo typically produces a softer sound than its resonator counterpart, making it desirable for some styles of music, including bluegrass and clawhammer, where banjo melodies must blend with other group members’ sounds seamlessly.
One advantage to playing an open-back banjo without a tone ring is its mellow and bassy tone, much beloved among old time musicians. But for those seeking a brighter sound or want one installed or removed.
Keep in mind that any acoustic banjo can be tuned to various sounds, so the ideal banjo for you should fit your style and budget. In order to maintain optimal condition with your instrument, make sure it is cleaned after every use, stored in a cool, dry area and its strings replaced every three months (for best results!). Tuning it regularly will help develop better left hand skills, enhance rhythmic sense, reduce string breakages and potentially increase left-handed skills! Keeping it tuned will also increase left hand skills as well as reduce chances of string breakages! Keeping it in tune can also help develop left hand skills as well as increase rhythmic sense while simultaneously decreasing chances of string breakages! Keeping the banjo tuned will help develop better left hand skills as well as reduce chances of breakages! Keeping the strings tuned will also help develop better left hand skills while increasing rhythmic sense while cutting down chances of string breakages! Keeping it tuned will increase left hand skills as well as decrease chances! Keeping it tuned will also increase left hand skills as well as enhance rhythmic sense while cutting down chances of string breakages! Keeping the banjo tuned will develop better left hand skills while increasing rhythmic sense, decreasing chances of string breaking! Keeping tune will also develop better left hand skills while increasing rhythmic sense while cutting down chances of string breaks! Keeping banjo tuned will develop better left hand skills while increasing rhythmic sense while cutting down chances! reducing chance! Keeping banjo in tune will develop better left hand skills as decrease rhythmic sense while decrease chances! – providing more rhythmical sense and decrease chances! By keeping banjo tuned will also decrease chance! reducing likelihood and ultimately decreasing potential string breaking!!!! reducing chances while giving rise to developing.
Finger Picking Style
If you play Old-Time, Folk, or Americana banjos then an open back model without a resonator would likely produce more open and clear sounds than their resonator counterparts. Resonator banjos produce louder tones that make fast genres such as Scruggs and clawhammer easier to perform live; if volume reduction is desired however simple bridge mutes may help.
Resonators do not alter your ability to pick a string, they simply alter its tone and projection. Secured with three or four bolt-like screws (rather than screws), it takes less than a minute to put or take off the resonator – ideal if practicing in an apartment as taking it off will lessen noise pollution that travels out to neighbors. Click here for interactive ear training game practice tune your banjo by tuning up!