Banjo help needed!

[redbaron]

I´ve been very well-behaved this year. That's why the Weihnachtsmann, as we call that white-bearded fellow in red over here in Germany, was kind enough to put a real live 6-string BANJO under the Christmas tree for me!!

However, this is where complications seem to start. I kinda thought that if you can play one stringed instrument, you can play them all. This, however, does not seem to be the case. Frankly, after trying some tunes on my shiny new instrument, I have no idea how those Banjo masters unleash this wall of sound, this ultra-fast picking, those driving bluegrass rhythms.

I guess you tune that thing differently from a guitar, don't you? But how? Does one need those finger picks? What's the secret of those picking patterns? I need some tutorial here - "Banjo for Guitarists: The Top 10 most common mistakes and how you achieve to be a Banjo God in no time".

I hope I'm not the only Banjo player in the RW community...

[Wedgebill]

Hey Red, go here and ask Doug


http://forum.gator-studios.com/

[JouniL]

RB, I'd consult the following source of information:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

Yiiiiiiiihaaaaa!

[pooterpatty]

The main secret to playing the banjo is learning the "banjo roll". It'll take you 5 minutes to learn, years to master. Here's a good video I found on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfVwQGin-FY

[JouniL]

That's so cool!

[vad1er]

I thouth a banjo had 5 strings atleast mine does.. btw I never did learn to play it.. I was thinking once of buying a banjitar... A gitar made to sound like a banjo lol..

[yahsteck1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M19-b35cNA

[redbaron]

The main secret to playing the banjo is learning the "banjo roll". It'll take you 5 minutes to learn, years to master. Here's a good video I found on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfVwQGin-FY

Great advice. I notice that the guy here uses a different string setup, doesn't he? A G string instead of the low E or something?

Will hit the music store today, enquire some more and get those picks, too. Banjo roll, here I come!

[trikloretylen]

red heres how to tune the banjo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NQzYeRSYsA&feature=channel

[redbaron]

OK, I'm back from the music store up at Kulturbrauerei. I got not only those finger picks but a Piezo PU as well. I retuned the Banjo as in Trik's video - no idea what to do with the 6th string though; I tuned it to D. I just laid down my first track in Riffworks and I have to say that those finger picks drive me crazy. They hurt (despite being size L), and it is impossible to properly pick with them.

At least that's the status at the moment. I'll spend the weekend practising. Plan is to throw the first bluegrass tune into Rifflink by sunday. So you guys better get out your fiddles and skiffle-boards!!

[strat]

Is this a Dean backwoods banjo? if so you tune it like a guitar...A standerd jo has 5 strings and the low string tuner is half way up the neck ... http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=6+string+banjo&st=

[Sandman]

I gotta get me a real Banjo. I got a Dean 12 string banjo that's tuned like a guitar. Absolutely love it. It puts out alot of sound. But... It doesn't give you the classic banjo phrasing because of the guitar tuning.

That roll in the vid that pooter linked is a lot like the alternating thumb travis pick. I agree those finger picks are really hard to get used to.

That 6 string may be tuned like a guitar.

[vsalvati]

I used to have a 5 string banjo. yes there is all kinds of banjo rolls there is also a six string banjo and I think a 12 string. It is a little different from playing a guitar. I have been thinking of getting one chords are pretty simple to learn but try to play those rolls at hyper speed is not that easy. I bought a workstation instead I just started to put my keyboarding in riffworks but have a long way to go. I can play banjo on my workstation but nothing sounds as good as a real one. If you are a good fingerpicker on guitar that will help. I heard a guy in a music store once was so freakin good. Ill be waiting to here you. Good luck! Vinny

[vsalvati]

Thought Id add one more thing.a 5 string has that g drone string that every one thinks of in bango I don't know how long you have had it but you should listen to a 5 string before you spend the time to master it. Just an opinion and those picks help your fingers and the sound hell take em off and try it you will see