No matter where you start from or have musical experience, learning banjo shouldn’t be too challenging. Beginners can easily access online teaching materials designed to accommodate a busy lifestyle.
Choose a banjo that not only sounds fantastic, but is comfortable to hold; selecting one with a shorter neck helps prevent tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome from long, marathon sessions!
How to Play
Starting a new instrument requires a steep learning curve; particularly with open back banjo. To ensure proper sound and playability as well as prevent numbness or pain in the hands, one of the first things to master is posture.
Beginners should opt for an open back (no resonator) banjo as these models are lighter and quieter, making them better suited to clawhammer and frailing styles that use fingertips instead of finger picks. As you progress past beginner level however, resonator banjos may produce louder tones which might better suit bluegrass/Scruggs style music.
Tuning your banjo properly is crucial to its enjoyment. A tuner similar to those used on guitars will make alignment simpler; beginners may also benefit from adding a metronome as this will aid them in developing musical comprehension and precision.
Getting Started
Beginners should opt for an open back banjo with a shorter neck in order to prevent tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome from long practice sessions. An inexpensive case and tuner are also necessary, while investing in quality strings such as Deering Goodtime are recommended as these are easily kept in tune.
Beginners should learn how to tune their instrument by ear, rather than using a chromatic tuner, in order to develop an understanding of when one or more strings is flat or sharp and how best to adjust the tuning peg until every string sounds in tune.
Resonator banjos such as the Deering Goodtime Two are suitable for learning clawhammer and Scruggs styles, however fingerpicking styles tend to work best on banjos without one due to traditional fingerpicking methods predating their invention. Furthermore, these larger models produce louder sound waves which may not suit all clawhammer styles while sometimes creating feedback issues.
Tuning
Openback banjos can be tuned to any of the alternate tunings used in folk, old-time and bluegrass music by simply changing one or two strings. Open G is typically considered standard tuning for five string banjos and offers an ideal starting point when exploring alternative tunings.
If you are tuning your banjo with an electronic tuner, it is recommended that it has the capacity of detecting all notes (a chromatic tuner). Guitar, bass and ukelele tuners typically include five open string notes including G D A E B.
Tuner devices such as this one are also useful if you plan to play with other musicians who use different tunings for their banjos. For instance, if your friend uses D tuning on his guitar then your banjo must be tuned to G sharp to match. Tuning can be achieved by listening closely for the first note produced when striking the middle 3rd string with your pick, which should always produce a “G.”
Choosing a Banjo
Open Back banjos lack a resonator, producing a warmer tone that lends itself well to folk and old time music genres. Clawhammering and frailing enthusiasts may find that an open back design better meets their rhythmic requirements as well.
The type of head used on a banjo also has an effect on its sound: skin heads offer a warm, round tone while Renaissance and Fiberskyn heads tend to offer brighter tones with less overtones. Experienced players may switch out their banjo head according to their mood or need.
Beginners should begin with a starter banjo that is light and easy to play. Deering Goodtime banjos are ideal in this regard as they are affordable yet offer decent setup, without suffering from the same faults found with cheaper starter models. As soon as serious players decide they want to advance their playing they should invest in an advanced instrument with 19 fret neck and more notes for them to master.