[harrumph]

http://www.instrumen...p/tm-tm5-50.htm


I've never played a banjo before, so I don't really know what to ask about it. My dad got it for me cause he thought I'd think it would be fun to learn. Does this look like a quality banjo?

Maybe you could recommend me some beginner tunes to learn or something.

[GoDrex]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=icMTVV5Lwaw

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=PtsErVLpy0k

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Wi8NW29xCso - -I'm a rambling guy

This post has been edited by GoDrex: 05 January 2008 - 08:47 PM

[The_buffalo]

Go to the FAQ section at banjo.com.

[rasav]

http://www.instrumen...p/tm-tm5-50.htm


I've never played a banjo before, so I don't really know what to ask about it. My dad got it for me cause he thought I'd think it would be fun to learn. Does this look like a quality banjo?

Maybe you could recommend me some beginner tunes to learn or something.

Quality...Can't tell. Might be a dicounted frailing banjo or an over priced import.
Nice thing about banjos unlike guitars is that you going to get a decent sound no matter what you do. Downside is that setting them up can be a bit difficult.

My favorite source for tunes is alltabs.org they feature free downloads of old timey tunes for banjo,guitar and fiddle/mandoline.

Before you ask standard tuning is gDGbd
Have fun with it they're great conversation starters and amazingly easy instruments to get good at!

[dadfad]

It looks like a decent banjo. A little above entry level. Rasav is right in that almost all banjos will sound pretty decent if they're set up right. (If you're used to playing fingerstyle in open-D, or open-G, a little you're halfway there.) Rasav said it's amazingly easy to get good at. I'd slightly disagree. I'd say it's fairly easy to get sounding good to non-banjo guys. (That's kind of where I'm at myself. I sound pretty good to people who aren't real banjo-players!) Regular fingerstyle technique on a banjo sounds pretty good. There are more advanced techniques (clawhammer-frailing, etc) that you can pick up as you advance. Yeah, a banjo can be fun. For a break from guitar, or when you're jamming with a bunch of others and you're just "one more guitar" until you pull out the banjo. Myself, I'm more into Old-Time Appalachian-style stuff than bluegrass.

[tenn_jim]

It looks like a decent banjo. A little above entry level. Rasav is right in that almost all banjos will sound pretty decent if they're set up right. (If you're used to playing fingerstyle in open-D, or open-G, a little you're halfway there.) Rasav said it's amazingly easy to get good at. I'd slightly disagree. I'd say it's fairly easy to get sounding good to non-banjo guys. (That's kind of where I'm at myself. I sound pretty good to people who aren't real banjo-players!) Regular fingerstyle technique on a banjo sounds pretty good. There are more advanced techniques (clawhammer-frailing, etc) that you can pick up as you advance. Yeah, a banjo can be fun. For a break from guitar, or when you're jamming with a bunch of others and you're just "one more guitar" until you pull out the banjo. Myself, I'm more into Old-Time Appalachian-style stuff than bluegrass.

I'm like Dadfad...really into the old time Appalachian style banjo. I had the great fortune to play with Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt on a few occasions and Earl taught me the three finger style. I believe he is one of the real masters of the banjo. Another contemporary artist who can play almost anything is John Hartford. He is more into the folk type banjo and guitar.

Now for a little history, Deford Bailey who was one of the original appalachian banjo players (along with the harp and guitar) was an original Grand Ole Opry performer. He epitomizes the Appalachian music even though he was African-American. Another great that we don't really think about as being a banjo player was John Jackson. You should listen to him play "If Hattie Wants To Lu, Let Her Lu Like A Man".

Good luck with the banjo. I think you'll enjoy the instrument as a break plus you'll be surprised how it helps your fingerstyle syncopation. If you are into the blues, the ability to play bass lines independent of the higher voices will be greatly enhanced.

Almost forgot...Uncle Dave Macon was another great banjo player in the Appalachian style. There is a great site for appalachian style music that has almost all of the old 78's available for your listening pleasure.

http://honkingduck.c...a6c743415a59025

This post has been edited by tenn_jim: 08 January 2008 - 08:09 AM

[dadfad]

You were very lucky, Jim, to be able to see and learn from Earl Scruggs, one of the finest banjo players who ever lived. And you were right about John Jackson. He was very good on banjo, although most think of him as a guitarist. I'd seen him play banjo many times, but never really tried to "learn" it from him, focussing primarily on the guitar he'd helped me with for many years. He'd pull it out just for having a good time on the porch, or occassionally at a concert. I remember him doing "If Hattie Wants to Lu" and a few others like "Get Along Home Cindy" or "Little Brown Jug." And others like "John Henry" (which he usually did as a "knife-slide" tune). (Actually any old-time tune he did in an open he would sometimes do on banjo as well.)

Like Deford Baily, John's music transcended race. More like a... minstrel or songster, who could play a tune for any crowd, Black or White, for any occassion. I saw John Hartford perform once. Tremendous musician. Excellent banjo, but I think of him primarily as a fiddle-player. (No particular reason, he was good on everything. I guess it just depends on what "hit the spot" when you saw him perform!) Another good old-time guy was Sam McGee (I kind of think of him as the "Hendrix of the Banjo" of his day. ) Another good contemporary guy is Jody Stecher (multi-instrumental) (of course!). He plays excellent old-time banjo. I was lucky enough to be able to learn a little from him, especially about the old-time clawhammer technique. (Actually, I wanted to learn the technique more for old-time guitar than banjo!)

Anyway, it's great to have a banjo and be able to be able to do a little something with it. Have fun!

[harrumph]

Thanks a lot, guys. I'll have to check out John Hartford, as I'll be more into the folk side of the instrument if I can figure it out. I've been getting into bluesy type stuff a bit lately, so maybe some other things. I get it tonight in the mail, so I'll let you know how it performs from my minimal knowledge on the banjo.

This post has been edited by harrumph: 08 January 2008 - 01:35 PM

[tenn_jim]

You were very lucky, Jim, to be able to see and learn from Earl Scruggs, one of the finest banjo players who ever lived. And you were right about John Jackson. He was very good on banjo, although most think of him as a guitarist. I'd seen him play banjo many times, but never really tried to "learn" it from him, focussing primarily on the guitar he'd helped me with for many years. He'd pull it out just for having a good time on the porch, or occassionally at a concert. I remember him doing "If Hattie Wants to Lu" and a few others like "Get Along Home Cindy" or "Little Brown Jug." And others like "John Henry" (which he usually did as a "knife-slide" tune). (Actually any old-time tune he did in an open he would sometimes do on banjo as well.)

Like Deford Baily, John's music transcended race. More like a... minstrel or songster, who could play a tune for any crowd, Black or White, for any occassion. I saw John Hartford perform once. Tremendous musician. Excellent banjo, but I think of him primarily as a fiddle-player. (No particular reason, he was good on everything. I guess it just depends on what "hit the spot" when you saw him perform!) Another good old-time guy was Sam McGee (I kind of think of him as the "Hendrix of the Banjo" of his day. ) Another good contemporary guy is Jody Stecher (multi-instrumental) (of course!). He plays excellent old-time banjo. I was lucky enough to be able to learn a little from him, especially about the old-time clawhammer technique. (Actually, I wanted to learn the technique more for old-time guitar than banjo!)

Anyway, it's great to have a banjo and be able to be able to do a little something with it. Have fun!

John, I was veryfortunate to have learned from Earl. As you know, Earl was a man of little words but had a great sense of humor and made playing music fun. Like anything else, it's all about practice and since my first love is acoustic guitar, I haven't kept up with my banjo (or fiddle for that matter). I still pick a little when my fingers let me, but not anything to brag about.

Interesting you bring up Sam McGee. Sam and Kirk McGee were two of the people in Uncle Dave Macon's "Fruit Jar Drinkers". Sam and Kirk were from Franklin, Tennessee which is just 30 miles or so from Rutherford County where Dave Macon is from and is also my home town. Sam was one of the best guitar pickers I ever met. When he played the banjo, it was a 6 string and he could make it sing. Kirk was (in my opinion) a little better than Sam on banjo but couldn't keep up with Sam on guitar. Ahhh, to reminisce.

[ninjato]

I have a Hohner HB800TR (Resonator banjo) and I got into it thinking this would be an easy distraction from guitar.
It is "easy" to start and run a few rolls but quickly you realize that it is harder than you think. Fingerpicking on a guitar is a lot different than picking w/ these metal finger picks.

[Captain_Trips]

Jerry Garcia was an excellent banjo player way before he ever mastered the electric guitar.

[The_buffalo]

...Fingerpicking on a guitar is a lot different than picking w/ these metal finger picks...

Keep at it, and in a while, you'll wonder how you ever managed (on guitar) without them.

[ninjato]

"I Know You Rider" It's a great D C G F C rolling type of tune.

[rasav]

Rasav said it's amazingly easy to get good at. I'd slightly disagree. I'd say it's fairly easy to get sounding good to non-banjo guys.

Let me rephrase that... A day to learn and a lifetime to master!
Also note that I am an instrument whore and spend hour upon hour on a daily basis with instruments of many different kinds, styles, and origins so my easy may be your mountian!