Open back banjos are typically preferred by players looking for clawhammer and other old-time styles of playing, often having features such as a scoop in the neck and higher action that produce a bassier and warmer sound.
Less loud than their counterparts, these instruments make an excellent accompaniment for jam sessions with fiddles, tubas and xylophones!
Fingerpicking
Though banjo players can create amazing sounds without using a back (known as a resonator), many prefer adding one for added sound quality. Doing so is easy enough: only three or four screws (more like bolts) hold it onto the instrument, making removal/addition effortless within minutes of playback.
Beginners to fingerpicking may benefit from placing their ring and pinky fingers on the head of their banjo; many players believe this helps mitigate some sympathetic vibration in their heads while decreasing unwanted harmonics.
Beginners are best advised to start off with an open-back banjo as these models are more cost-effective and quiet than banjos with resonators; however, they require more maintenance. If you are serious about learning the instrument though, resonator banjos provide richer, fuller sounds than open-back models while being more comfortable to play than their open counterparts.
Clawhammer
Beginning a new instrument can be daunting for any novice player. There are so many choices when purchasing, new terminology to learn and work to do; but with help from an experienced banjo teacher this experience can quickly become less daunting.
Clawhammer fingerpicking requires an open back banjo specially set up for this style of playing. I generally recommend the Deering Goodtime Two banjo model as an affordable entryway into both bluegrass and clawhammer playing styles.
Resonator banjos tend to produce louder tones and are ideal for bluegrass and clawhammer styles of music. If you prefer Scruggs style or lighter sounds instead, however, taking off the resonator and returning to an open back banjo can easily be done if necessary. In addition, adding a bridge mute helps further reduce volume levels – especially helpful when performing and helping minimize feedback!
Scruggs
Earl Scruggs may have revolutionized bluegrass banjo playing, but his rolling style is far from being the only way. Modern players such as Bela Fleck and Noam Pikelny have also developed innovative melodic and single string playing techniques which take banjo playing to new levels of virtuosity.
Scruggs’ three finger picking method (thumb, index and middle fingers on his right hand) burst onto the music scene with his Blue Grass Boys band in 1945. Through his innovative techniques and virtuosity, Scruggs transformed banjo from rhythm instrument to lead instrument.
Scruggs-style banjo is a popular choice among beginners, which requires a distinct roll-based approach to playing five strings on an instrument. A resonator adds extra volume, making this style suitable for genres like bluegrass and clawhammer; however, its basic principles apply equally well when learning this style using open-back banjos such as this Washburn Americana B8-Pack with premium Remo head and mahogany body for an authentic rhythmic sound.
Strumming
Strumming chords on your banjo will help you develop an understanding of how an open G chord relates to a C, or how a D7 chord relates to an A; developing this musical sense early will make learning new songs much simpler.
As your finger picking or clawhammer proficiency grows, the desire to explore other styles will likely arise. This is an encouraging sign; experimentation on your banjo to see what it excels at and how best it can serve you is essential in finding out its potential and using it effectively.
Many will claim that resonator banjos are better suited to one style over the next, which may be true. However, music is highly subjective and your personal taste will ultimately dictate your enjoyment of this instrument. Be wary of advice given from brand supporters – as their preference could limit your creativity!