Holding the Banjo

If you don't have one already, you should purchase a strap to help hold your banjo. It is a good idea to buy a strap that does not have metal on it, as the metal on the strap may scratch your banjo.

As far as knowing how loose or tight the strap should be, here is a good rule of thumb. Sit down with the banjo in the position that you will be playing. (For most people, this is with the round part of the banjo positioned equally on both legs.) Then tighten or loosen the strap to match your seated position. You will appreciate this adjustment later, because when you start to stand and play, your banjo will be at the same height it was when you were sitting.

Keep on Pickn'

Angie's Banjo.com
Banjo FAQ's
Gold Tone Banjos

How can I learn to play the banjo?

The first, easiest, and probably the most expensive way to learn how to play your banjo is to put yourself in the hands of a trained professional. Many musical universities are beginning to offer private lessons in many different string instruments, including the banjo. Also a lot of musical instrument retailers may have access to individuals who will be able to give proper lessons. Finding a private banjo tutor, though probably not all over the classifieds, can happen with a little research in the community around you. Your instructor will probably make the decision on whether you will learn by musical theory or by ear. This is a crucial decision on how you are going to learn how to play the banjo. The Banjo Teacher's Directory can help you find a teacher in your area.

Another way to learn how to play the banjo is to put this matter of training into your own hands. This opens a whole new set of decisions out there. The most used self-training way is through books. Most of these books attempt to teach you how to play the banjo through music theory books. Resource for Instructional Books, CDs, and DVDs.

Another way is to look into online lessons. These lessons are very diverse, from teaching you the basics of any instrument training through simple music theory to teaching you by ear (through midi or mp3 files online). One other way that is becoming extremely prevalent in today’s music world for any instrument is through the use of DVD training. This method is extremely useful, while allowing you to learn by ear or by music theory, because it teaches through visual and auditory means. You can actually see professional banjo instructors make the noise that you are hearing.

Keep on pickn'
Angie
Banjo FAQs

Using a Metronome

Using MetronomesMetronomes are generally set to click once for every beat in a measure. So, if you have a tune in 4/4 time, there would be four beats per measure. Each quarter note lasts for one beat; a half-note for two beats; and a whole note for four beats. It also means that there are two eighth notes per beat.

Most fiddle tunes are played between 200-240 beats per minute. That's at the upper limit of what most metronomes can handle, and it's also very hard to hear the metronome that fast. In this case, set the metronome to play at half speed - say 100-120 beats per minute - and then play two quarter notes per click.

Angie's Banjo.com
Gold Tone Banjo Site
Banjo FAQ's

How hard is it to learn the banjo?

This is one of the questions most frequently asked by someone who is considering taking lessons. There is no set answer to this question as it depends on the following factors.

1. Previous music experience. A person with previous music experience might find it a little easier to learn to play the banjo since they may have already gained experience in timing, rhythm and reading musical notation.

2. Psychomotor skills, aural discrimination and natural rhythm. The first is just a fancy way of describing the ability of getting your body to do what your brain wants to do. The second means that you can hear and tell the differences between the notes and lengths of notes. The third refers to getting the feel of timing and rhythm of a song. Everybody has these skills to a different degree. Playing will come easily to those who have a high degree of these skills. However, most people must work a little bit harder to develop them. This is where the next two factors come in.

3. Practice. There is no magic sign that any teacher can give to a student to help him/her play better. Practice is the only way. A minimum of 1/2 hour per day is required if you expect to make progress. If you do not practice, it is a waste of money every time a lesson is taken. Also, it is very difficult to give a full lesson if no practicing has been done to prepare for it. If you do not practice, you are cheating yourself and you are not fooling anyone. An experienced teacher can usually tell when someone has really been practicing.

4. Desire. Ask yourself: "How much do I really want to play this instrument?" It doesn't matter what your abilities are. If you want to play the banjo, you will. You may not become an Earl Scruggs or Alan Munde but you will learn to play it. If the desire is there, you will find time to practice. If if is not there, you will find a hundred excuses for not practicing.

You can find more answers to your questions Banjo-site.com

Banjo Frequently Asked Questions

There's a new web site at Banjo-site.com which helps to answer your banjo questions from "am I to old to learn the banjo" to "what's the best banjo for me."

Angie

Metronomes

Metronomes are an essential practice tool. While it takes a little effort to learn to play with one, the results will be worth it. A major key to successful playing is having rock-solid timing, and the best way to learn that is by using a metronome when you're practicing.

Modern metronomes are electronic. Look for models with a flashing light and which can be run with and without an audible sound. The lights may be LEDs (light emitting diode) or LCD (liguid crystal display). LCD displays are much easier to see outdoors than those with LEDs, but LEDs are better indoors or in darker environments.

For metronomes and other banjo gear and accessories go to Angie's Banjo.com

Banjo Jokes

How can you tell if there's a banjo player at your door? They can't find the key, the knocking speeds up, and they don't know when to come in.

How is playing the banjo a lot like throwing a javelin blindfolded? You don't have to be very good to get people's attention.

How do you improve the aerodynamics of a banjo player's car? Remove the Domino's Pizza sign from the roof.

Why are all those banjo jokes so simple? That's so fiddle players can understand them too...

What the difference between a Bluegrass musician and a large pizza? A large pizza can feed a family of four.

What do you call a banjo picker in a suit? The defendent.

(If you have a banjo joke you would like to share please email it to me at angiesumpter@aol.com)

Angie's Banjo.com
Resource for folks starting to learn the banjo later in life.

Left Hand Pressure

A big factor in fretting pressure depends on the position and stability of the instrument. If it's in place, you need a lot less pressure.

As an exercise, you should be able to fret a chord and strum it cleanly, without using the left thumb at all. Stick that thumb out in the air, and if the banjo moves when you fret, or you can't fret at all, there's a potential problem. Note: you wouldn't play that way, it's just to check your stability.

Now once you have that, you won't need the left hand to hold the instrument. The thumb does not wrap around the neck -- it lays along the back, so you can move it when you change chords.

In short, the left hand is for fretting, not holding, IMO.

Garry in Stone Mtn.

Angie's Banjo.com

Tips on Tuning the Banjo

Learning to tune the banjo properly is a skill that must be developed as you train yourself what sounds right and what doesn't. Just as your playing will improve over time with continued practice, your ability to tune the banjo will develop over a long period of time as you develop an ear for the proper sounds.

Always listen to the note you are going tune along with first, and then pluck your string and match up the sound.

When tuning a string, be sure to pluck the string with your right hand as you turn the tuning peg so you can hear the sound. Be sure to continually sound the string to ensure you are not tuning it too high, thus possibly breaking the string.

If you can't tell whether the pitch of the string is too high or too low, tune the string down to a point you know is LOWER than the correct pitch, and then tune up until you reach the right pitch.

Angie's Banjo.com - Banjo Accessories - chromatic tuners