Resonator banjos feature a curved back that amplifies and projects sound forward, creating a rich tone with full sound that’s popular among bluegrass musicians.
Some players opt to remove the resonator to deaden its sound slightly and reduce volume slightly. It’s quick and simple – only slightly affects volume levels!
Country and Bluegrass
The banjo is currently enjoying something of a revival, popular among Bluegrass players but also proving successful with Country music and even Jazz (some purists may argue otherwise). Although 5-string resonator banjos may be particularly associated with bluegrass music, their versatility extends well beyond this genre.
Bluegrass music can be enjoyed both solo and as part of a band setting. A resonator banjo helps project the sound out over other instruments when performing live.
Resonator banjos feature a back with a metal tone ring and flange around its neck for increased volume and robust sound compared to open-back banjos. People who aren’t keen on Bluegrass might start off playing an open-back, backless banjo with quality tuner; but those intent on playing Bluegrass might prefer the more robust sound produced by resonator models.
Country Rock
Though this song may cause controversy among purists due to its use of banjo, it does demonstrate how versatile this instrument can be when applied in other genres. Here, the banjo used was a Gibson Tenor equipped with tone ring and resonator; it is actually one of several Scruggs-style five-string banjos converted from Tenors that were left behind when jazz orchestras replaced banjos with guitars.
This classic bluegrass song showcases the incredible talents of both its mandolin player and banjo player. Rarely can a single musician display such exceptional abilities; that is why this track makes an excellent way to showcase Resonator Banjo sound and its drone notes that repeat repeatedly through out this track and create the illusion that multiple instruments are playing simultaneously – an effective technique used extensively within bluegrass music today.
Old Time
Resonator banjos feature a different sound chamber than open back banjos, making them ideal for Old Time style music, but some individuals prefer open back models. Ultimately it comes down to your musical preference and which instrument best complements that genre.
Banjos have been around since 1860 when someone introduced the concept of attaching a sound chamber to make banjos louder and projectable – particularly useful when playing in large venues or situations where you need to play quietly without disturbing neighbors. Modern resonator banjos typically feature brass tone rings, flanges and either maple or mahogany resonators – although their setup process is generally more temperamental than other mass market acoustic instruments, often necessitating more precision tuning; although taking off this part will result in less noise overall but will also reduce sound projection significantly.
Jazz
Some musicians who perform Jazz often incorporate resonator banjos into their music to add diversity. The resonator makes the banjo louder and project sound further, making it easy to hear in live performances or recordings. To start learning to play jazz songs on your resonator banjo, begin by tuning it to its desired pitch and practicing simple melodies before gradually progressing to more complex chords and harmonies.
Some players also experiment with hybrid instruments, combining the body of a banjo with a resonator with another instrument’s neck – for instance the banjo mandolin and banjo ukulele are such examples – to produce lighter instruments with different acoustic properties and different string tensions than regular banjos, such as mandolins or ukuleles. Such hybrids may be easier to play than their resonator counterparts while remaining tuned correctly due to having two sets of tension on strings on two different instruments.