Resonator Banjos are often the go-to choice of bluegrass players as they project sound with a bright, twangy tone. Newcomers to playing banjo can gain much by starting off with an open back banjo and “stuffing” their resonator with materials (it only takes seconds to remove), providing valuable learning experiences along the way.
Tone rings come in various varieties; wooden tones such as those found on Deering Hartford models produce much mellower sounds than metal ones.
Clawhammer
Clawhammer banjo style offers melodic melody with rhythmic undertones that makes it suitable for beginners. Clawhammer fingerpicking can be less complicated at an entry-level than bluegrass Scruggs fingerpicking since there aren’t as many mix-and-match roll patterns that must fit seamlessly together than its counterpart, Scruggs fingerpicking.
Your first goal should be to master the basic clawhammer stroke, in which your right hand forms a “claw” shape while brushing down with one fingernail while plucking the fifth string using another for that classic bum-ditty rhythm. Furthermore, practice will include alternating single-string downstrokes with strums.
Next, Evie shows you how to play “The Cuckoo,” an easy modal clawhammer tune. She demonstrates the Galax roll and provides tips on keeping fingers stiff enough against strings while remaining flexible enough for easier hammering motion control without needing as precise movements. You will practice your new skills using an accompaniment track jam session track.
Scruggs
Scruggs style banjo playing is distinguished by fast, repetitive sequences of strings being picked with the thumb, index and middle fingers while pinky and ring fingers brace against the head of the instrument to produce an arresting syncopated rhythm with a swing or shuffle feel. The resultant music is lively yet fast-paced; suitable as both accompaniment or solo performance.
Melodic Scruggs style utilizes two-finger picking technique and features single string lead lines characterized by runs, hammer-ons and pull-offs to add complexity and variety to your sound. While easy to learn, mastery requires practice – several scale patterns as well as open strings and slides are employed within this style. Earl Scruggs passed away in 2012 but his legacy lives on through musicians around the world who continue his legacy at festivals dedicated to his memory such as Tryon International Equestrian Center’s Tryon International Equestrian Center festival featuring top names from bluegrass, jamgrass and Americana artists!
Open Back
Resonator banjos feature a metal resonator to boost and project their sound, making them louder for live performances. This makes them an excellent choice for bluegrass music as well as fast-paced genres like clawhammer and Scruggs styles of playing the instrument. Although slightly more costly than open-back banjos, their extra cost may be worthwhile to musicians looking to play this style of music.
Resonators are wooden bowls attached to the back of a banjo’s sound chamber (known as “pot”). Their purpose is to reflect sound toward an audience, thus projecting more sound. As these instruments contain an extra piece of wood, their weight may make it difficult for some beginners to handle and hold without becoming difficult when playing clawhammer-style and without fingerpicks.
Bluegrass
Bluegrass music is a genre of country and western music characterized by guitars, banjos, fiddles and upright basses. While its roots lie in traditional string band music, its main distinction lies in its syncopated rhythms and more vocal stacking techniques as well as improvisational instrumental solos.
Bluegrass musicians tend to favor banjos with resonators as the sound is louder and more distinct in the mix. When performing bluegrass music, musicians want their solos to stand out among all other instruments by projecting the sound directly toward an audience; using a resonator helps do just this.
Though open-back banjos may be played within this genre, most professionals opt for resonator models when performing for large audiences. Although neither type is superior to another, both have unique qualities which make them suitable for different styles of music and cost different amounts from various manufacturers.