#1
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How hard is the banjo?
I'm interested in playing the banjo someday. I struggle playing fast. If you are good with guitar how hard is banjo. Do you learn chords or do fingerstyle.
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#2
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Before being able to answer that question, a few other questions need to be answered. What kind of banjo do you want to play? A four string, five string, six string? What style do you then want to play?
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#3
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Five string. With the short hi g. Bluegrass
Last edited by guitar344; 02-05-2024 at 09:27 PM. |
#4
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How hard is the banjo?
Very hard (and heavy, too ) - makes a great defensive weapon when the audience gets ugly...
FYI if you're going to be playing in odd keys they make special capos for that high-G string, that make tuning up in pitch unnecessary - so don't even think about it...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) Last edited by Steve DeRosa; 02-06-2024 at 01:54 PM. |
#5
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The frailing technique is totally different from any right hand technique you will have done on guitar. It will feel really strange at first and usually takes a couple of weeks for folks to "get it". There are loads of beginner YouTube lessons to get you going. The advantages of this right hand style (which is derived directly from the banjo's roots in North Africa) is that it is really easy to play tunes. And because of the use of drones within the tuning it's quite hard to hit a bum note! Unlike bluegrass banjo which basically sticks with one open G tuning, old time banjo is retuned for different songs to make them easier to play. This sounds far more complex than it is in reality. Get that right hand technique going and you'll be playing simple fiddle tunes in no time (Cripple Creek, Old Joe Clark, Shady Grove, June Apple, Buffalo Gals, Cluck Old Hen and the like). So if your aim is to be a solo porch player just entertaining yourself playing tunes then I would say go for a cheap 5 string open back old time banjo and learn to frail. The banjo accompanying dulcimer in the Cadair Idris Sessions clips in my signature below are in this frailing playing style.
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band. Last edited by Robin, Wales; 02-06-2024 at 03:08 AM. |
#6
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Quote:
The frailing technique is totally different from any right hand technique you will have done on guitar. It will feel really strange at first and usually takes a couple of weeks for folks to "get it". There are loads of beginner YouTube lessons to get you going. The advantages of this right hand style (which is derived directly from the banjo's roots in North Africa) is that it is really easy to play tunes. And because of the use of drones within the tuning it's quite hard to hit a bum note! Unlike bluegrass banjo which basically sticks with one open G tuning, old time banjo is retuned for different songs to make them easier to play. This sounds far more complex than it is in reality. Get that right hand technique going and you'll be playing fiddle tunes in no time. So if your aim is to be a solo porch player just entertaining yourself playing tunes then I would say go for a cheap 5 string open back old time banjo and learn to frail. The banjo in the Cadair Idris Sessions clips in my signature below are in this playing style.
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band. |
#7
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Quote:
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#8
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There is a forum called The Banjo Hangout, where you’ll definitely want to go.
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Some Acoustic Videos |
#9
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How hard is the banjo ?
The Tech that was setting up my new IT system last year moved my chair back too hard and knocked my banjo off the wall, it fell right on his head. He thought it was VERY hard!
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#10
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I got interested in playing banjo originally from watching the "Beverly Hillbillies"
and listening to the Dillards . Guitar is more involved than the banjo as far as the different things you can play but the banjo is mainly about as hard as you make with the stuff you play on it.
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |
#11
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If you know how to fingerpicking, basic five string is fairly straightforward. It’s an open cord. Like most things you can get really complicated and difficult but I found just picking it up and making some noises was pretty easy.
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#12
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On the subject and slightly off topic at the same time, while I was proficient at clawhammer at one time in my life, current efforts to pick it up again are not succeeding. It ain't like riding a bicycle, at least in my case. I suppose if I bought a banjo and put in the time, that might change. |
#13
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Whereas, as a solo instrument to play tunes or self accompany songs, well I know lots of open back banjo players who take the frailing/clawhammer direction. EDIT: Ahh. I missed post 3.
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band. |
#14
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Yes, I'm guessing next is "how hard is it to break banjo strings?".
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above Last edited by rick-slo; 02-06-2024 at 03:23 PM. |
#15
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Rockwell hardness of the frame: 168.53 BHN or 86.13 HRB
Janka harness of Genuine Mahogany resonator: 830 Janka harness of Amazon Rosewood fingerboard: 2620 Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |