Members whammy boy67 Posted March 6, 2004 Members Posted March 6, 2004 So this morning one of my dad's friends showed up at our house and he gave me a banjo that he inherited. It's kindof weird since about 2 days ago I was thinking about how cool it would be to learn to play. I need to get new strings and I know it's supposed to be tuned CGDA but does anyone have any advice on learning to play it? I've been playing guitar almost 6 years now but I've never tried playing banjo. It seems like it would be a fun instrument to play though. Thanks guys! - Erich
Members IsildursBane Posted March 7, 2004 Members Posted March 7, 2004 I don't know about any tips, but I saw the Preservation Hall Jazz Band play tonight and their banjo player was rippin it up pretty hard. Not even in your typical pickin-n-grinnin style either. This was like blues shred on the banjo. -Dan.
Members vote4dicktaid Posted March 7, 2004 Members Posted March 7, 2004 Originally posted by whammy boy67 I need to get new strings and I know it's supposed to be tuned CGDA but does anyone have any advice on learning to play it? Put your finger across three of the strings and you have yourself a nice power chord with an added 9th! Sounds cool as always. Banjo is a cool instrument, actually. Check out Bela Fleck and the Flecktones for inspiration. I know nothing about playing banjo, but would like to have one sometime...
Members whammy boy67 Posted March 7, 2004 Author Members Posted March 7, 2004 Originally posted by vote4dicktaid Check out Bela Fleck and the Flecktones for inspiration. :D I listened to the entire disc one of Live Art today. My dad has had their stuff for years so I've heard it around the house and whatnot but never really sat down and listened to it until the last few months when I began expanding my musical tastes even further.So no one on this forum plays banjo?
Members 335clone Posted March 8, 2004 Members Posted March 8, 2004 Here are a couple of Banjo links:http://www.unclebens.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/frames.htmhttp://www.projectsandhobbies.com/playingthebanjo.htm
Members zookie Posted March 9, 2004 Members Posted March 9, 2004 I'm assuming this is a tenor banjo? If so, you have a couple of choices: You can start learning the Dixieland styles of playing or you can learn some of the British Isles folk ways of playing. The Furey's, for example, retuned the tenor to GDAE, like a fiddle/mandolin and used it to play Irish fiddle tunes. One of the best of the Celtic players is Gerry O'Connor, and he offers a video lesson, available at homespuntapes.com. He doesn't use the GDAE tuning, by the way. I dabble in the tenor for Irish tunes. There isn't much to tell you. It's played with a plectrum. Work on right-hand technique to get those trills going. Learn some chords and you're on your way. With the 5-string banjo, there are several basic rolls to learn fingerstyle. I wasn't able to get the hang of it. homespuntapes.com offers several banjo instructional videos. That might be a viable option for you.
Members Sputnik Posted March 10, 2004 Members Posted March 10, 2004 "A real gentleman knows how to play the banjo but chooses not to" Mark Twain sorry could not resist
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