Calling banjo players

[Tom]

I have several banjo-related goals, each of which will take some time and a lot of practice:

• Participate in jam sessions such as this recent impromptu event at our house, but playing a banjo.
• I'd like to informally engage folks in a singalong. See this message for more explanation.
• Join the Wineland Banjo Band. I've previously had some email dialog with Jim Bottorff, their band leader, when I was trying to figure out what to buy.

 

[Tom]

Had my first 1-on-1 banjo lesson today, and it was a lot easier than my first ukulele lesson. The uke was the first stringed instrument I'd played, and 2 years of playing the uke has at least taught me something. OTOH one disadvantage is that my fingers occasionally (often?) want to go to uke chords  :-[

I left today's lesson with the belief that I'll be able to play the banjo, given some determination and sufficient practice. I also left with my practice assignment for the next week  ;D

 

[Tom]

I'm still practicing chord switching in a couple of simple keys (C and G), and occasionally play a few songs.

My banjo tutor called a short while ago to schedule my next class (tomorrow). Meanwhile, he's eager to have a banjo player accompany him (playing guitar) and another guy playing fiddle. Gotta exercise & train those fingers!

 

[Tom]

Today the fiddle player stopped by, mentioned he'd heard I had new banjo, and said he's eager for me to.play in a fiddle/guitar/banjo trio. I'd better get practicing!

 

[Ned]

Your fame is spreading

 

[Tom]

LOL Ned, now I have to learn some fiddle tunes 

 

[PancakeBill]

Angeline the Baker.  Great fiddle tune.  Played it with the granddaughter of Pete Seeger one time, back in RI.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Bill, I'll check it out on iTunes. I continue to practice the banjo daily, and play a few simple tunes. Haven't graduated to fiddle tunes yet, but hopefully I'll get there.

We're about to re-start the ukulele group after our summer hiatus, so we've been getting a bunch of music ready. I'm the "test driver" for all new and revised music, so had to pick up the uke. Amazingly, muscle memory took me right to the uke (GCEA tuning) chords, quite different from the plectrum banjo (CGBD tuning) chords. Yesterday I was switching between the two instruments, and going to the uke was more 'automatic' than going back the other way.

 

[PancakeBill]

Picking both ways will eventually become automatic.  The normal ;-) banjo is open G tuning,  but I now forget the drone string tuning.  I think the other 4 are dgbd.  So drone is likely a G. 

I know if the banjo player wants to trade I can bar chord and pick along. 

 

[Tom]

Aye, hope you're right about picking Bill. At my current rate, I'm predicting it will be a year before I'm as comfortable playing the banjo as I currently am playing the ukulele.

Plectrum banjo (4-string), which I have, is tuned CGBD and, when I picked up my friend's 5-string a few days ago, the 'other' 4 strings were tuned the same as my plectrum. Don't know if that's normal for a 5-string (I've seen mention of gDGBD), but my plectrum banjo is tuned the same as the nearby Wineland Banjo Band has their 4-string banjos tuned; The chord chart I'm using came right from their Band Leader's web site.

More options for banjo tuning on the Deering Company web site.

 

[SeilerBird]

And then there is Joni Mitchell. She uses a different open tuning for just about every song. She has so far recorded about 50 to 70 different tunings. If you watch a concert video of her playing it will melt your mind.

 

[PancakeBill]

No matter which stringed instrument you play there can be alternative tunings.  On the Dobro there are a bunch, but I am challenged enough with the standard open G. 

How are you strumming, like the uke, or roll picking?

 

[Tom]

How are you strumming, like the uke, or roll picking?

Mainly like the uke, with some roll picking; For me, the latter needs a lot more practice, concentration and patience 

 

[GuitarPicker]

I played with a banjo player in Tennessee about 2 years....have missed the rolling banjo sound for years...then I got a Yamaha and started sequencing the banjo and play my guitar with again.....

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

 

[Tom]

Nice one Cliff. That PSR9000 is sure an impressive piece of equipment.

 

[GuitarPicker]

The old S9000 is gone. I upgraded a few months back to a S950 http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/psr-s950/?mode=model .... It beats dragging around a 5 piece band... banjo sound is better than the 9000.... Uses a flash drive... Can play and call up 16 sequenced band members..... play and put in memory to call up for a live performance. The flash drive will also record my vocals and guitar as they are plugged into the keyboard. On board mixer and effects with digital memory.....  Sounds like a live band on stage through the Bose L1 PA.... Compact enough for a small RV...

 

[GuitarPicker]

This was sequenced and recorded to the flash drive in the S950 keyboard..... Camping World Jingle  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZjIJXqQNcc

 

[DoubleDee]

Earlier in your conversation you mentioned a harp.  Did you perhaps mean the autoharp as played by Mother Maybelle Carter?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVBtvKqJoUc
I took up banjo lessons after retiring.  Always loved the sound.  Things went along pretty well until I had to learn the A minor chord.  Might change my name to Fat Fingers Fred.  Challenging but fun.  It seems the answer to all questions is "You just need to practice more."  Let's see, an hour a day practice, need at least 2000 hrs, maybe 3,000...my goodness I'll be in the ground!

 

[Tom]

Earlier in your conversation you mentioned a harp.  Did you perhaps mean the autoharp as played by Mother Maybelle Carter?

I was referring to the Welsh triple harp played in the homeland.

I can see that A minor could be a challenge on a 5-string banjo, but is easy on my plectrum banjo and even easier on a tenor banjo.

 

[AlGreg]

I would go with a 5 string banjo even if you don't want to play bluegrass.  A Deering Good Time would be an excellent choice and can be had new for about $500.  They can also be usually found on Craigslist for $300 or $400.  They are tuned in open G.  All strings open is a G.  The  C chord is an easy chord to play and beginners can substitute a D7, which is real easy to fret with only 2 fingers, for  D which is a more difficult chord to master.  You would need to get a thumb pick and 2 finger picks and learn some basic roll patterns (3 or 40 basic patterns).  You will be playing some easy 3 chord songs in a couple of hours.  Beginner DVDs such as The Murphy Method series and Pete Wernick's Lets Roll are excellent to learn from.