Five-string resonator banjos are the go-to instruments in bluegrass music, preferred by legendary duo Flatt & Scruggs and others.
Resonator banjos are louder and can help the player stand out in an ensemble setting, making an excellent first choice for someone beginning bluegrass music. Beginners might find them easier to use as well – making this option an excellent starting point.
1. Fear of the Dark
Closed backs (resonators) banjos tend to produce louder tones and are popular among bluegrass musicians, making them easier to play than open-back models. Beginners should start out playing simple chords and strumming patterns before progressing onto more intricate melodies; regular practice will only enhance your skills while keeping the instrument clean and lubricated will reduce potential damage.
Taylor Swift featured a Deering Boston 6-string banjo in her song Mean to add country flavor without diverging too far from her guitar roots. These six-string banjos are also widely popular with mainstream artists and bands such as Keith Urban, Joe Satriani, Taj Mahal and John Fogerty as they allow guitarists to switch between traditional guitar sound and banjo sound with minimal effort, making learning an instrument easier for newcomers.
2. Mean
Resonator banjos bring an unusual sound to any musical composition, and are especially beloved instruments in bluegrass music due to their distinctive crisp sound that stands out among band members and can cut through during solo sections. But they can also add country flavor into other genres, like rock.
Taylor Swift used a Deering Boston 6-string banjo in her song Mean to add country flavour without moving too far from her guitar roots. Additionally, she uses both resonator and open back banjos during live performances; choosing one over another depends solely on your personal preferences and musical interests – there are no rules regarding which is superior!
3. Goodnight Sweetheart
The banjo has long been associated with bluegrass music, but can also be found in American folk and jazz genres. Even Eagles and Led Zeppelin have used banjos in some of their songs!
Resonators are an essential element of bluegrass banjo, helping to project sound. Constructed out of metal, resonators increase volume by contributing their unique sound signature. To maintain its integrity, make sure that it remains clean.
Many newcomers to 5-string banjos find it confusing why some models come equipped with resonators while others do not, and are under the assumption that resonator banjos must only be used for specific styles like clawhammering or frailing.
4. I’m Gonna Get You
This down-home country classic is known for capturing listeners immediately with its catchy hook, making it a crowd-pleaser on dance floors everywhere!
After its popularity was reduced in the 1960s due to folk singers switching over to guitars, Earl Scruggs revived it through Bluegrass Music. Today there is a wide range of 5-string resonator banjos available with various styles and sizes available for purchase.
Modern banjo bodies, commonly referred to as the “pot”, typically consist of metal (though wood was commonly used on older models). Their tensioned head is similar to that of a drumhead. Furthermore, most models feature tone rings to further clarify and project sound waves.
Many old timers used open back (no resonator) banjos with clawhammer style picking techniques on open back banjos without resonators – I never understood why people think clawhammer must only be played using open back resonator banjos!
5. I’m Gonna Get You
Resonator banjos produce a different sound than open-back banjos; their sound tends to be more projected, which makes them popular with bluegrass musicians. Resonators may also be more durable and sound better acoustically than their open-back counterparts.
Resonator banjos have long been used in bluegrass music; however, they’re now also used in other genres like zydeco, country and bluegrass as well as jazz, Dixieland and Caribbean genres like mento biguine and calypso.
Resonator banjos feature a neck-mounted tone ring, with various sizes to choose from and features such as resonator pots with brass rims to enhance sound, as well as colors to choose from. To keep your resonator playing its best, practice regularly and clean and lubricate it on an ongoing basis.