If this is your first time playing banjo, it can take some time to master how to play songs that sound pleasing. Don’t give up! There are numerous simple songs you can learn quickly.
If you opt for an open-back banjo, consider getting one equipped with a mutes. This will keep the banjo quieter so that you can practice without disturbing dorm roommates!
Choosing a Banjo
Your choice of banjo can have an enormous effect on its tone. Banjos typically fall into two categories – open back and resonator.
Old time players tend to favor a warmer and mellow tone while Bluegrass style players generally opt for brighter tones. You can modify this effect by tightening or loosening the truss rod nut located on top of the peghead beneath an access cover.
Selecting the ideal strings can have a dramatic impact on both tone and playability. Try different gauges until you find your ideal match.
Strings
Your banjo strings can have a significant effect on its sound, which is why it’s essential that you select an ideal set for yourself.
For instance, if your focus will be clawhammer music on banjo, an open-back banjo may be your ideal instrument. Clawhammer does not permit for soloing; therefore its muted tones complement this genre perfectly.
For bluegrass picking, however, resonator banjos can help stand out in a band setting and cut through.
Tuning
The banjo has multiple tunings that beginners should familiarise themselves with, including standard G tuning for beginners. This simple tuning makes it easy to hear whether or not your instrument is out of tune; though it may take some practice before hearing between a sharp string and flat string is discerned.
Tuning the banjo is essential, just like tuning the head of a drum; each part vibrates, contributing to its sound. Even strings not usually played can contribute to its sound; how they are tuned can make an enormous difference to how a song sounds and will set its atmosphere.
Finger Positions
The right hand should be relaxed enough that the wrist drops down gradually until your ring and little fingers rest lightly on the head of the banjo, enabling strings to sound easily and gently.
Positioning of fingers ensures that fretting hand thumb does not mutes adjacent strings. Keep fingernails short to make things simpler.
Step two of banjo learning is regular practice. Fitting it into an already hectic lifestyle may prove daunting, but online teaching makes accessing top banjo lessons simple whenever there is free time available.
Clawhammer Style
Many bluegrass banjo players choose clawhammer style when playing banjo, requiring a different picking technique in which fingers strike downward rather than upward. This also changes the way thumb is utilized.
Clawhammer style music and folk songs lend themselves well to this unique form, as its characteristics enable both picking out individual melody notes and strumming chords with precision and creating a distinct sound suitable for songs that incorporate both instrumental and vocal parts.
Steve begins this lesson by showing students the basic fundamentals of clawhammer playing through an easy rendition of Cripple Creek, before progressing onto teaching some simple hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Scruggs Style
Though many modern bluegrass banjo players have moved towards more melodic playing styles, Scruggs style still forms the core of bluegrass music. Although learning all its techniques and positions takes time and dedication, its rewards make the effort well worthwhile.
There are plenty of lessons out there to assist your journey, from Ross Nickerson’s Fundamentals of Five String Banjo book/DVD/cd set featuring Scruggs style instruction to Earl Scruggs: The Essential Collection which offers tablature for six classic Scruggs songs at two speeds as well as instructions and tips.
Other Styles
There are various styles of banjo. A 5-string open-back banjo is often found in bluegrass and folk music settings; its low, melodious sound lends itself well to this genre. A resonator banjo features an extension on its back that amplifies sound waves for even louder playing experience.
Frailing is another popular style of banjo that uses downward motion from thumb and index finger to produce chordal tones, adding melody and rhythmic pulse to any melody or rhythmic pulse. Frailing can also be played using a finger pick for even brighter tones.