Part Two: Introduction to Comping on the Banjo

New Orleans banjo master Don Vappie guides you through comping on the banjo in this two-part series! Learn more about how to take advantage of the instrument's unique sound and volume through a mixture of ringing tones, muted tones, full chords, two-note chords, and single-line runs!
Find out more at the Jazz Academy by visiting academy.jazz.org
Don Vappie - Banjo
Eric Suquet - Director
Bill Thomas - Director of Photography
Richard Emery - Production Assistant
Seton Hawkins - Producer
Recorded May 22, 2013

[@thalesofthewell]

"Sometimes space is good"
A quote for years to come

[@BirthquakeRecords]

Six feet of space at least

[@SuperTom1501]

Outstanding videos (part 1 and 2). Trying to recreate this type of dixie/jazz sound using Studio One and Native Instruments banjo VST. This video was extremely helpful. These great banjo players are a real treasure in my opinion. Thank you for sharing your talents and skills with these videos.

[@Skizze37]

Excellent word of advice at the end. I could watch a whole series of this fella

[@tapefive]

great guy!

[@MrPipex75]

Now I need a banjo

[@robertclark3258]

MrPipex75 Doesn't everyone?

[@victorsong8416]

...And a pick...

[@weastblue4233]

@@victorsong8416 picks aren't really important. I find it easier without them

[@marabeaujazz]

lindo!!!

[@keithruddell1800]

man sick tone. cool cat.

[@felipedelatorre5504]

Que maravilha! Muito bom! 🙌🤠

[@jakezonis17]

Thanks

[@mauraventurini]

Grat video, thanks!

[@vincenzomorandi973]

Great! Thanks

[@Isosceles1]

I want to play this on tenor guitar. How/where do I learn these chords and technique?

[@ised-5239]

Can also played on tenor guitar and mandola

[@tannerharrodguitar]

So when do you use a 4-string tenor banjo and when do you use a 4-string plectrum banjo?

[@TonyfromBham]

It's an either/or thing. Each of those two banjos fills the same musical role but in a different way from one another. If one is deciding which of the two to choose, he should know that each has certain pluses and minuses. Tenors are tuned much higher, so they really cut though horns and drums in a band. The tenor's fifth tuning is much more spread out than the plectrum tuning, so single note playing is easier on plectrum. Plus, plectrum tuning offers closer harmony and more overtones than tenor, but the tenor tuning is uniform and the plectrum tuning is not, which makes patterns easier to move around on a tenor. Both banjos are great in its own way.

[@jasobres]

A plectrum banjo is really more for jazz banjo soloists, such as Eddie Peabody and Cynthia Sayer. Tenor banjo is more for traditional New Orleans jazz or ragtime or Dixieland.

[@ised-5239]

Does the tenor banjo also read alto clef as a viola?

[@tannerharrodguitar]

@@ised-5239 no - tenor banjo reads the same as guitar: treble clef, sounding down an octave

[@raedians]

ned stark now playing banjo