How to Choose a Banjo Style and a Banjo
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ธ.ค. 2012
- Be sure to check out my other video about choosing a banjo for multiple styles. • How to Choose a Banjo ...
Hopefully I'm able to pass along some information to help you decide what style (3 Finger/Bluegrass or Old-Time Frailing/Clawhammer) and what sort of 5-string banjo you want to play.
Banjos used: Recording King RK-R35 and Ramsey Woody
Recording King RK-35: amzn.to/2ITNHSw
![The Wall Song ร้องข้ามกำแพง | EP.202 | ตั้ม วราวุธ / เบสท์ คำสิงห์ | 18 ก.ค. 67 [1/5]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cwIoA7XHqnE/mqdefault.jpg)
What if I’ve told you in seven years you’re going to have a great beard.
😊
Where's the lie tho 😂 excellent beard. Lovely. Thanks for bringing attention to it!
I live that he still reply’s to old videos
@Mirko Valbusa just order at thomann and try it out :) gold tone and deering are the only banjos you can get easily in europe
🤣💯
I think most folks start out suspecting they'll only play at home. Eventually, though, the banjo winds up going out. Never-the-less either open back or resonator should be just fine if you're undecided.
It's much like when I was deciding on a bicycle - MTB or Road bike. A friend told me, "Just buy one". That's my advice here. Buy a banjo in your budget - that you like. Once you start learning you'll have some personal experience to guide you, and you can then buy another banjo. :)
As a longtime bass player who has a sudden yearning to own a banjo, I very much appreciate your explanation. It was exactly what I needed to know in buying my first beginner banjo! Thank you.
My banjo obsession began in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia listening to Bluegrass Gospel music .
Jim I've played simple guitar since the late 60s when I hurt my hand awhile back I could only move 2 fingers at the time and couldn't fret or bar the guitar so I figured out 2 fingers on 4 string banjo. Toured the Deering factory and bought a goodtime plectrum never regretted it.
I feel your pain. I was a bass player pretty much my entire life till the false bottom from a lauter tun was knocked over onto my hands at work. I can't thump a bass like I use to and it is frustrating to no end. I saw someone playing clawhammer and felt it looked similar to how I would slap a bass so I bought a banjo and have loved every minute of it.
Grew up watching hee haw, and im young (18) haha, but roy is one of the best if not the best person to ever pick up a stringed instrument. Wasn't limited to just a banjo either, man could play a fiddle and a guitar too. I imagine he did many hours if practice to get that good
Thanks for explaining the difference in plain English. I just picked up a blue grass style banjo and hoping to start lessons after the new yr.
Gibson came into the banjo market very late in the four string era. After the war there were two camps. The first four strings were discovered when there were so many mandolin players who liked playing mandolin type instruments with a flat pic. There were many who were used to picking with a plectrum. At first they just removed the fifth string. Aquiring the tecqunique of playing the five string was considered to steep of a learning curve for some. So after playing five strings with the useless tuner someone started making banjos without the fifth string peg and the first four string banjo was invented. After the turn of the century a lot of these mando players started trying different scale lengths using capo on the plectrum banjo tuning to EADG that they were used to playing only with way more volume that you could get from a wood sound board instrument. So as with the five string becoming the plectrum a lot of these guys started having Vega make custom short scale instruments to eliminate the useless capo. In 1908 Vega came out with the Little wonder But they did nit make any Little wonder five strings at that time as the five string was not so popular at that time. Besides there was already a short scale version of the five string.
Hey- I am 45, just picked up a banjo last night. Jim wanted to say thanks for making these lessons available on TH-cam for the newbies like me. Any advice to help me get going??
You could start here: Learn to Play Bluegrass Banjo th-cam.com/play/PLimF2H1ED8fXabeFAr6Fnslf0ie6TRUL0.html
I definitely want to learn to play the 5-string bluegrass banjo. In fact, I've been wanting to for over 20 years, and I'm finally going to bite the bullet this year. I just hope it's not too late, and that I'm not too old. I'm 42 now, will probably be 43 by the time I'm able to take lessons.
Jeff L its not too late,i am 24,start learning 1 months ago, and i have no experiences about any instrument. i really love bluegrass music and old country songs . My english teacher,she is more older than you,but she is planing to learn mandolin,haha.just love it,so do it.
+Jeff L Hey Jeff. There used to be a book by Pete Seeger about how to play the banjo - this was back in the 60s, and I used it back then and it was great. See if you can find it somewhere, and you'll be ok to start off.
I'm 67 and just started so you can too. Just do it.
I didn't even realize it was Jim because he doesn't have the beard
Thanks for putting up a clear and concise explanation, I really enjoyed listing
Awesome sound!... strikes me in my heart .. great video+ info .. thank you!
This was a fantastic video. Very concise.
Very helpful, thanks for taking the time.
Great advice for a new guy like me, about to buy his first! Thanks!
Thank you it was exactly what I needed to know and at the right time .
Thank you for taking the time to know that people like me had these questions very thoughtful 👍
So glad I could help!
Wow. This was super helpful, thanks!
Thank you for a charming and informative video.
Thanks Jim, that was really useful advice.
Verg helpful! Thanks for taking the time to make this video!
Thanks. Very informative. I'm a big fan of dock boggs, gus cannon and papa charlie jackson so I'm thinking of starting to learn to play. Leaning more towards the open back.
nudge2626 Yay another Dock Boggs fan 🙌👍
Calvin, good to see you here!
I took clawhammer lessons once. I like open back banjos. Right now I want to learn melodic banjo.
+Julie Nielsen melodic style is a lot of fun. Check out Carroll Best.
Thanks for the videos,really informative and helpful.
Going to collect my first ever banjo tomorrow,it’s a Deering good time open back.
Really excited, thank you once again
Jim, great video. Very informative.
Good job shedding light on different styles of playing, and the banjos associated with.
Hey Jim! Great to have found you on youtube. I've been enjoying your videos very much.
Very diplomatic over view! Good job.
It is also worth mentioning that, aside from differing kinds of banjos; there are also many variations in: (1) the length of the banjo neck; (2) the diameter of the banjo pot; (3) the differing ways to capo the 5th string; and, *4) the softness, or hardness, of the strings chosen to play on the banjo; among a myriad of other customizable features.
Owning a banjo; or two; as the author of this video seems to have acquired; is, in many ways, like owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Banjo players, it has been found, are not "herd" animals; and, are quite imaginative; which remarkably, is, no doubt, why they have chosen to play the banjo in the first place.
There are also a seemingly unlimited number of ways to tune the strings of a banjo; and, more ways are always being experimented with by some backwoodsman (or, backwoodswoman).
When all the dust has settled, what is probably important to most folks is that when they open the case of their banjo to take it out and play it; that they like what they see; and, what they hear.
If a person purchases a banjo with cold, hard cash; and then, doesn't like what he or she sees or hears whenever that person saddles up the banjo on his or her knee; it won't be long before it is never played; as, in this day and age, there are many, many ways to enjoyably spend one's time; and, it don't have to be on some banjo.
There is also a lot said about not spending much money for a banjo; as, a plain, workingman's banjo will sound just as good as an ornate piece of genuine art.
But, what's wrong with buying a banjo from an independent banjo maker here in the US; and, paying him fairly for the time and effort he put in to make it?
He's just trying to make a living with his calling; just like everyone else.
If a guy spends his time ornately decorating a crafted banjo masterpiece; why not support that particularly wholesome activity?
Wouldn't it be better if people, world-wide, were making instruments of music; rather than instruments of destruction?
It never hurts to support craftsmen and woodworkers of all stripes so that a person can hand down an heirloom piece to his kids and his grandkids.
People take pride in masterful craftsmanship; and, rightfully so.
If a person gets a good banjo that he or she likes looking at; and, likes to hear when he or she sits alone in the evening and plays it; that person will end up being a grand banjo player just because of the time that banjo spends in his or her hands for the pure love of what they are playing.
Happiness doesn't come from having things; happiness comes to men and women when they accomplish something worthwhile; when they accomplish something that they are proud of; and, that benefits society objectively.
A good banjo player can do much for charitable organization fund-raising throughout his or her lifetime.
Interestingly, a person playing the banjo well does not offend any political group; nor, does a person playing the banjo well ever offend any religious affiliation.
Good banjo playing opens many doors; and, brings men and women; young and old; together in hand clapping and foot tapping.
Look at the smiles you see when a person is playing the banjo well.
It has been tried to think of something else that does that when done in public; but remarkably, so far, that something else can't be thought of.
Norwood BayBridge Yes, those are exactly the things a novice should worry about before buying a first banjo....
"A person playing the banjo well does not offend any political group"
I dunno, Pete Seeger was known to stir things up a bit, and he was pretty good at the banjo.
Honestly I'm finding a lot of these things out after the fact of buying my banjo. Bought a used one with a resonator - its great - but I'm most accustomed to punk rock and folk, so I'd figure the frailing style works. Man is it heavy..
Thanks. It's a pretty good banjo for sure!
I've always wanted to learn to play a banjo, and was wondering which one, so this was very helpful, So thank you. ;)
Have you learned? I'm in the same situation five years in the future. 👀
@@roozavelt have you learned? I’m in the same situation 1 year in the future
Great vid! Thanks for posting.
I thought about mentioning it, but as far as a style or even banjo goes I didn't think it mattered much. However, to answer your question, that area of the fingerboard is scooped out to facilitate playing over that area of the neck. Some folks seem to think it's easier if it's scooped there. Check out my review of the RK-OT25...
Thank you Jim, very helpful.
Thanks! This was an informative video!
Helpful thank you! Off to buy one now
I play the goodtime banjo by Deering. I just use it for flat picking the melodies and throwing in some strumming. It does its job very well. It has a resonator on it and it sounds real good to me. I recommend it.
Charlie The Tuna I decided to buy an open back Goodtime about a year ago, the cheapest USA made banjo available in the UK . It sounds great also 👌👍
Good video. Very informative - Thanks. I'm intrigued by your use of the words 'Style' and 'Banjo' in the same sentence.
You play very well, nice overview !
Excellent idea, and demonstrations! Thank you!
Glad I could help 😊
Whoa! Beardless Jim is freaking me out. Love what you do brother.
Spent too many years without the beard. 😅
open back is also lighter i like it for traveling and i love clwa hammer style and old timey sound
great tone on that RK
Hey! Thank you so much this is great! I am wanting to learn how to play the banjo and this is a great videos
Glad I could help 😀
although i loved listening to grandpa jones, and BTW, your openback has an incredible sound also, what really got me into banjo big time was the old bonnie & clyde movie which had the great earl scruggs playin' "foggy mountain breakdown"! it don't get no better than that!
Yeah, that Ramsey is way more
Banjo that I know what to do with. 😀
The Songcatcher movie did it for me. Appalachian style really moves me
Yeah... it's a very cool sound. :)
This clears up a lot of questions I had.
Glad I could help 😀
I wanted to learn banjo because i saw/heard Bela Fleck and Steve Martin they are amazing at banjo. Just purchased my first banjo closed back resonator
Congratulations on the banjo!
See also the article on "So You Want To Learn the Banjo?" at Blog '66 for some explanation of the two basic styles and some links. This video already covers the main idea, however.
i sure do enjoy your vids Mr. panky
Nice job, Jim.
Pretty good info. I guess I must play a third way.
Great info, thanks.
Hi I am 57 years old. Have never been able to read music and have no idea about how to form "keys" whilst playing. I have recently bought a banjo and am wondering how do I form keys and how do I remember which key to play in each song. I have started to learn rolls but that is all I have learned and I am still slow. Thanks in advance
You should give my Beginner Banjo Series a look. 🙂
Thanks Jim , this vid has helped in choice.
Hi Jim! I am looking forward to start playing the banjo, however I'm not quite sure if I should get a hollow one or one with resonator, I'm into Caribbean music, and I'd specially like to learn to play Calypso; What would you recommend me to get? And do you think I should start w/ a 4-string or a 5string banjo?
Thank you for your time and your music, blessings from Costa Rica
They're both good ! I bought both.
what banjo would creep tourists out most if i sit on the front of my boat playing whale my brother is fishing (thinking about songs like dueling banjos)
nice video, short and to the point.
Land of the Lost. Good man. Funny you mention Hee Haw. Grandpa Jones clawhammered and he played on a resonator banjo.
Yes he did. I use him, Stringbean, and Clarence Ashley as good examples of clawhammer players that use resonator banjos. Even so, the open back is the favored choice in the old time community…
this was very helpful. thx
I bought a resonator banjo and I can use it without a resonator just shows how flexible the instrument is
Thanks! very informative
Wonderful playing - Thank You - I really like both styles and so glad to hear the same song both ways. I lean towards that "clawhammer /down strumish style" probably cause it's more like the guitar I'm used to playing.I've put my 1st 30 hours into a banjo and it's really way different than I expected, and if we exclude the drone string it's tuned like the 4 high strings on the guitar, with just the highest string (E) tuned down 2 frets to D,,, sounds so comparatively simple. But it's made a bit of a pretzel out of my brain so far.
So if I'm inspired by Earl Scruggs song of the south ,I should get one with a resonator?
sepultura7771 yes
...and many players played clawhammer style using a finger pick on resonator banjos.
I play several different banjo styles, but I only picked two of the more prominent styles that someone interested in learning might have heard.
Like I said, "Yes, you can play any style of banjo on any style of banjo." The intent of the video was to give a starting point, and not give hard and fast rules about how things have to be done.
Hello,
Great informative video thank you.. I just wondered (new to banjo) whether getting a 5 string banjo with removable resonator would be the best of both worlds? Then both styles and sounds could come from the one instrument. Apologies if this sounds silly :)
Great question! It is a good option and certainly adds a huge degree of flexibility. I've never owned a banjo like that, but I've certainly considered it. Two makers that come to mind that offer that is Ome and Deering, but I'm sure there are others.
Great advice thx
You play both well. I am partial to the frailing style.
Thanks
Great stuff!!
Thanks!
My banjo, purchased in Taiwan, is called "Rally". The same banjo sold in USA would be called "Fender", and probably cost a lot more. A Korean company supplies "Fender" with musical instruments, and they're now made in China, as the sticker on the back of the neck of my banjo states. I guess they chose the name "Rally" as not to offend the "Fender" name, and since the Asian market for these things is so small, they don't have to make different banjos for different places. Mine cost about US$200, but I imagine under the Fender name, it must cost more.
I don't have any complaints about it except that one of the planetary tuners is loose, and I need to manage a network of rubber bands to keep it in tune. Once I get it stable, then I enjoy playing.
Earl Scruggs is my hero. I love the 3-finger picking sound. I've even expanded this to my mandolin and my friend's ukelele. I started improvising with his ukelele and he was surprised that he'd never heard this kind of music from his own instrument.
So, as Jim (the OP) says, research a little bit about what you want in a banjo before you buy one. Simple, and good advice.
My impression is that there are dozens of "brand" names for a handful of basic (low-end) banjo models all made by the same company or two or three companies. Light weight, tinny sound and poor tuners are hallmarks of these banjos. I would recommend to anyone seriously considering banjo to invest a few hundred dollars more for a better, if need be used, instrument.
thanks! very helpful
I really like the sound of mumford and sons banjo. What kind of banjo would you recomend
1:31
4:14
A couple of comments. The tenor banjo (four string) is usually associated with dixieland style bands. The five string is associated with Bluegrass and the the three finger picking style is also accurately referred to as Scruggs style - for Earl Scruggs the man who perfected and popularized this method. It isn't easy to learn. It takes practice. If you want the key - learn to play slow, very slow - if you can have the patience to get the timing perfect when playing slow it becomes easy to speed it up. If you get impatient and try to impress people by blazing away you will end up with a sloppy train wreck and you will never achieve your potential. If you can't play slow well you can't play fast well either. Just sayin'...
Hey thanks I’m new at this good advice
Thank you.
Been playing the one string banjo for 30 years.
Time for an upgrade.
😊
Resonator 1:31,open-back 4:14
hi Jim I play some cords on my guitar not good I never could use a pick. keep losing them in hole I just strum it do you think a claw hammer would be a better bet for me.
Thank you sir!
Gingerly way through the peer pressure comment. Lol wish I'd had a video like this for my viewing pleasure when I was on the hunt. I'm sure it'll be very helpful for prospective pickers.
Do you play four-string banjo? What considerations do I need to take account of when buying one?
Hi Jim! I am thankful (it is nearly Thanksgiving after all :D) for your video! I want to play Irish music (take a look at double dollars playing the Tamlin) on it and I am a total noob, I am thinking that a resonator banjo is what I need but I wanted to ask your opinion about that. Thanks :D
If you're interested in traditional Irish music, the tenor banjo (4 strings) might be your instrument of choice. The music Double Dollars has on TH-cam seems more old-time based. So if it's an old-time sound you're interested in then an open back will be fine (nothing preventing you from using a resonator banjo). Here's a sample of traditional Irish banjo: th-cam.com/video/XKm5dZRJIlk/w-d-xo.html
Thank
you!👍
You’re
Welcome!
Awesome, thank you
You’re welcome
Now a want two banjos! But I’ll learn one at a time.
Why have one when 12 will do? 🤪
One point is weight. My Fender FB-58, a resonator banjo, is bloody heavy because of the bronze tone ring. Standing with it for any length of time will wear you out and send you to the chiropractor. An open back is probably half, maybe even a third of the weight.
Jim I had to double take. I thought you had a guest speaker on at first 😂
Can find a lot of surprises in the archives….
@@JimPankey the yee old Jim pankey vault.
I'm wanting to get a banjo but I don't want a clawhammer I want to pick with my fingers what is the best place to get one like the first one you had
Very helpfull. Thank you:)
Hi JIm. I am a novice player. Concerning the frailing style, on some videos the players have no armrest fitted and one instructional video advises you to remove this if one is fitted on your banjo. I have one on my banjo and find it comfortable for learning bluegrass style. I see that you have an armrest on both your banjos. What is your advice please concerning armrests?
Great info thank you! Even after your video, I'm struggling with the decision about open back vs resonator. I'm basically interested in learning both styles, but the catch is I will most likely only ever play at home alone, much to the chagrin of my wife haha. Anyway, considering I don't need loud, I'm leaning towards the open back. Can you easily do 3 finger picking on an open back just the same as resonator? Any other thoughts?
I bought the gold tone AC-1 banjo. It's an open back. But then I ordered the resonator separately and added that on. They are a really reasonably well-built banjo from what I'm told. Banjo was $199 and resonator $79. Add tax and some shipping to those numbers. I didn't want to spend a lot and am satisfied. There are a few videos on you tube reviewing this banjo.
HI JIm.. thanks for a very informative Vid. I've played guitar for around 20 years or so in a range of styles (acoustic, electric, 6 string, 12 string, Uke, fingerpicking, thumb picking and with a plectrum too) and I've recently been trying to teach myself Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Tommy Emmanuel style 'boom chick' picking (which I'm slowly getting the hang of). I want to buy a banjo and I've been looking at a few for around the $350 AUD price bracket. If I want to do both clawhammer and three finger method and play accompaniment with other instruments am I best to go with the resonator? Is the trade off greater volume but increased weight? Can you play clawhammer on a resi banjo or do you have to play with picks?
Maybe this will help: How to Choose a Banjo For Multiple Styles th-cam.com/video/vDUqA072ZbA/w-d-xo.html
Why do people dislike it. Wonderfully informative. =)
It's ok. Not sure why either, but maybe I didn't say what they wanted to hear?
@@JimPankey I'm trying to decide on regular banjo or banjo ukelele. Looks like banjos cost more and might be more complicated to pick up. I've never been great at instruments. But I dig seeing frail strumming on either. I dunno, I've never understood how talented musicians actually get their start.
That start comes from hours of practice. The desire to learn is stronger than the end result.
I'm guitarist and I want to start playing a trad jazz, New Orleans style banjo. So I'm thinking about buying a six string banjo. Yes I would like to tune it like a guitar and I've some questions. First of all I'm thinking about buying another set of strings and put a thinner strings for the LOW E-A-D to avoid the bass strings and tune it for the same notes E-A-D but one octave higher to get more like traditional banjo sound. I don't like the bass strings on banjo (especially E-A) because it just doesn't sound like traditional banjo and I'm playing mostly on jams with other people which are playing bass notes. Is it possible to tune low strings one octave higher with your six string banjo?
The second question is: what kind of strings will be better for trad jazz? Nylon or Steel? I think I like more steel string and I guess it will be louder so It can be helpful during the jam sessions to mic it up or just to play unplugged.
Let’s see... I have no clue. I really can’t offer any advice on guitar. I’m just a banjo player.
Yes but im talking about changing these string in 6-strings banjo@@JimPankey
Pretty much still a guitar... So, if it’s possible to do that on a guitar then it should work.
I had heard it said that mandolin banjo's have the worst characteristics of both instruments. Of course I had to find out for myself so after having two different ones I had to agree. I have no interest in playing any of the fife string styles which combine the melody line with some cords. Kind of like the one man band style that was so popular in the early days. I never liked playing the finger style of playing as I am constantly breaking off finger nails as soon as they get a little long and the finger picks always hurt my fingers.So I like to play with a flat pic. I have found the short neck tenor banjo's have terrable intonation unless you use nylon strings.So I used nylon strings which work really good only if you have a powerfull tone ring like a mastertone. Even so the left hand requires considerable stretch. So I finally ended up with the ukulele banjo , concert scale (15") to be perfect for me. I use a chirango high E and a fiber core classical guitar E string for the A string then a baritone uke A string for my D and the guitar D string for my low G which is commonly used with standard uke tuning. All strung tensions are within one pound of being ten pounds.
Hi Jim, You play well, I notice that you are only covering the 5 string style of playing, both Scruggs style and clawhammer/frailing/wrapping. DO you know much about 4 string banjos? These would be the ones that you would here in the old Jazz band(think Louis Armstrong and his hot 5 or hot 7) or those played by Harry Reser or Eddie Peabody. I think that is the Style played by the Mummers. I think Mumford and Son play a version of 5 string and also a banolin(cross between banjo and mandolin). I play tenor Banjo as well as 5 string but was wondering if there were any other recommendations on other types of Banjo's ( including Plectrums and foreign derivatives such as the turkish one
I'm pretty much just a 5-string player. I do a variety of styles, but tried to keep the choices simple. While I could have muddied the water considerably with a lot of other 5-string styles I just didn't see it as pertinent to most folks that take up the 5-string.
As for the 4-string banjos; I've noodled, but never dedicated much time to any of those.
I have 7 banjos 5 are 5 string and two are 4 string I play clawhammer and two finger on my 5 strings and classical on the 4 strings all but one of my banjos are open back
Very cool.