Stringing open chords on a 6-string banjo may sound chaotic without fretting or deadening its lowest strings, but when fingerpicked these bass strings offer an earthy sound without overshadowing other chords.
Just like any instrument, a 6-string banjo requires some fine-tuning to reach its optimal sound. Here are a few key factors you should keep in mind when tuning it to sound its best.
Double Drop D Tuning
This tuning features a lower first string to create more symmetrical chord voicing and an instantly identifiable tone, making it popular with fingerstyle players and singer-songwriters. However, chord translation may differ when transitioning from guitar to banjo using this tuning; nonetheless it provides a great starting point if you’re searching for something new!
Some players prefer this tuning over Double C tuning; Uncle Dave Macon often utilized it when writing songs for his Blue Velvet Band. Frank Proffitt often utilized this tuning when creating old-time fiddle tunes he wrote himself.
Lower strings offer an effective means of adding power and depth to winding melodic lines — particularly those using D Ionian, Dorian or Mixolydian mode shapes (which contain all four open strings in this tuning), or for creating new sounds in existing keys such as C-E-G chord progressions.
This tuning can be played using the clawhammer technique and is suitable for all styles of banjo playing. It’s simple and accessible, making this an excellent choice for beginners. While standard guitar strings may work on 6-string banjos with this tuning, it may be more beneficial to select specific banjo strings designed specifically to meet its string gauges and tunings requirements.
Open Back
An open back banjo allows sound to escape rather than being absorbed by its wooden pot resonator, and is commonly found in bluegrass, folk and old time music. Open back banjos can help lower volume while making tuning simpler; consider buying one without resonator to reduce volume while making strings easier to tune.
Befor stringing a banjo, make sure its neck is straight. Most affordable banjos have bowing necks due to too much tension at the “pot” end of the neck, which should be fixed by tightening its adjustment screw located underneath the head with wrench or hex driver; or work your way from one end around to tighten each bracket 1/8 to 1/4 turn at a time until all screws have been tightened properly.
If the neck still won’t stay straight, try loosening up the coordinator rods under your head slightly; just be careful not to tighten them too tightly as that could break the banjo neck!
Resonator
Resonators enhance the overall volume and focus of your banjo’s sound by increasing its overall volume and dampening string vibration feedback issues. You can use them on any type of banjo; they are most frequently found with closed back models.
Resonator banjos that feature wooden rims tend to sound mellower than models with metal rings due to how the metal helps focus and sharpen sound, providing it with more brightness and crispness – ideal for many styles of banjo music such as bluegrass and old-time.
Resonators provide another advantage to banjo players: keeping the instrument in tune when changing position or angle of head. This is essential, since banjos that constantly go in and out of tune can be challenging to play when played alongside others.
Checking if your drum head needs tightening is as simple as looking out for depressions in its center. If this occurs, tightening can be done easily by turning the coordinator rod in its nut to either raise or lower the head – just remember not to overtighten; an effective tightening strategy ensures overtones remain higher than their respective note at the twelfth fret.
Strings
Many banjos include resonators to enhance the sound and make it fuller, as well as make the instrument easier for newcomers to learn to play. Unfortunately, however, they can be heavy and add strain to neck. It’s also important to remember that having a resonator may reduce volume output from a banjo, so they may not be best for bluegrass music or other high-volume genres.
Some banjos come equipped with a stand or gig bag for transporting it, which can come in handy when playing outside or in public spaces; additionally, this may help if traveling with it and protects against dust and environmental contaminants.
Use of guitar strings on a 6-string banjo may not be compatible with its scale length and bridge spacing, and may not hold enough tension to play correctly and tune.
A high-quality set of banjo strings must be constructed from a metal alloy that’s durable yet produces a warm, balanced tone. D’Addario phosphor bronze-plated strings offer smooth feel while holding tuning well; others popular choices include Elixir polyweb banjo strings with tubular poly coating that delivers rich tone while prolonging their life span.