Learning any instrument can be daunting, but mastering clawhammer fingerpicking banjo can feel even more overwhelming.
If you’re curious about learning the banjo, online lessons offer a flexible solution that fits seamlessly into your schedule. Eli Gilbert’s 30 Days of Banjo provides an excellent starting point.
The Basics
As with any instrument, there is much to be learned in order to make your banjo sound good. First and foremost is equipping yourself properly; an openback banjo works for most styles of music while Scruggs-style bluegrass requires louder tones from its instrument.
Consider alternative tunings for your banjo, such as double C (gDGAD) and Dorian tuning, which offer an eerie, haunting modal sound suitable for Celtic and mountain folk songs. Also ensure you own a quality instrument; Greg Deering makes an outstanding student model which will provide excellent sound while remaining easy to maintain.
Make sure that you’re sitting correctly and not slouching – this can have a major effect on the sound of your banjo! Also try not touching any strings with your fingers as this will reduce finger fatigue and allow longer playing sessions; although initially difficult, this effort will pay dividends in the long run!
Equipment
Openback banjo requires some essential pieces of equipment, including: (ideally a shorter neck to prevent tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive marathon sessions), case, strings and tuner; additionally capo and strap may be helpful accessories.
Alternatively, for playing bluegrass or Scruggs-style music with other musicians, a banjo with resonator would likely be preferable as this will increase its volume and make your sound louder. Folk musicians or singer-songwriters typically favor an open back banjo without resonator to produce deeper tones.
Purchase a banjo equipped with a geared 5th string peg to facilitate easier tuning. Furthermore, proper posture when playing the banjo is crucial; slouching or standing incorrectly can drastically change how sound is produced and make playing harder than necessary. Always attempt to sit comfortably with shoulders pulled back and neck held at an angle of 45-degrees or higher for optimal sound production and ease of playing.
Learning Styles
Many people prefer learning banjo online because it allows them to incorporate learning into their busy lives easily and eliminates any feelings of awkwardness when asking a teacher to repeat lessons or clarify concepts.
Your choice of banjo will depend on what genre you wish to play; clawhammer and frailing styles work best on open back banjos while bluegrass calls for a resonator-type instrument. Beginners might consider purchasing something like the Deering Goodtime banjo as it offers great sound at an economical price point.
One of the first skills you’ll need to acquire when learning banjo is how to pick at its strings, which can be done using any finger from thumb through index to ring finger and some players use even third finger for picking; but this isn’t essential when beginning. Once you’ve mastered picking, it’s time to find melodies on it; Bill begins his lesson by teaching “Wildwood Flower”, teaching its basic melody in C key with simple chords and forward reverse rolls as fills between verses and verses as fills between verses and verses.
Practice
One of the keys to banjo learning is practicing regularly, which will build muscle memory and enable you to hone musical comprehension skills. A daily practice schedule should be adhered to for maximum effectiveness; supplement this by using a metronome for timing precision and boosting speed.
Beginning the guitar is easy if you have established proper fingerings to enable you to play the strings with the thumb, index and middle fingers. As soon as you feel ready, learn to pick strings by sweeping down with fingers. Many players use thumbpicks for greater control of sound production while some prefer metal fingerpicks for their feel and sound qualities.
Beginner players have two choices for purchasing an open back banjo: either an open back model with open strings or a resonator model with an attached resonator and resonator for use as a resonator banjo is an open back banjo with closed strings, depending on personal preference and budget. While an open back may produce quieter sounds suited to clawhammer and frailing styles, while its larger range of tuning possibilities makes resonator models an excellent option for bluegrass tunes and can even come equipped with mute capabilities; college students can practice without disturbing roommates when purchasing such models with integrated mutes attached as part of its package.