[Martinswede]

Hi!

While doing my best avoiding any have-to:s on my spare time
and just trying to relax yet another pointless task was presented
to me in the form of a gift. My daddy got me a pawn shop banjo
and I have this slight, slight urge to learn to play it.

So, are there any banjo players here who have some good advice
in general?

The chords are very easy to understand. My major concern is at the
moment the thin strings loosing pitch if I just press a bit too hard
towards the fret board.

Cheers,
Martin

[pompeyjazz]

Hi Martin.  I have absolutely no advice whatsoever but what a brilliant  song title 

[Skub]

Two words Martin.

Bela Fleck.

[PopTodd]

Two words Martin.

Bela Fleck.

Two more words:
Earl Scruggs

[The S]

Two words Martin.

Bela Fleck.

...and his wife, Abigail Washburn.

Martin, I've got one but haven't gotten 'round to playing it much. I've had a long stretch working on my guitar playing but hopefully come vacation I'll put a few hours in on my banjo playing. Let me know if you find some good resources around. Looking forward to hear your rolls! 

[Binladeda]

 Yeah.....I got one too

 BUT.  I find it difficult to get my hands around it. (big/clumsy hands)
 To be honest, I haven't given it much time. Since going digital, I've spent
 all my time trying to learn Logic etc. But, like everything else, it's all
 about practice/motivation/dedication etc.  Ideally you'll need to use finger
 picks.....thumb pick, at least.  Also, you'll have to get used to all the off
 pitch/out of tune stiff....it's part of the charm of the beast

[Skub]

Defination of perfect pitch = throwing a banjo out a third story window and landing it in a skip. (Dumpster for you Tranatlantics)

Or..if you are driving along and you see a banjo and an accordion lying on the road,which do you run over first?
Answer,the accordion. Business before pleasure!

[The S]

I can tell you're a true to-the-bone banjo lover there Skub. Good to hear! 

[Martinswede]

Thanks for the help... 

My only regret is that I've already made and posted a recording for the
Summer Competition.

[Skub]

Perhaps to give you some encouragement Martin,instead of pisstaking,here's a short vid of the son of a friend of mine who took up the banjo about 9 months ago.

It's worth listening to the end for the cat part. 

[Jenna]

What a nice gift. I'd love to be in your shoes. Clawhammer style doesn't need the picks. That boy sure can play for only picking it up nine months ago. He must have a knack for it. But I do recall learning the guitar was much easier at a young age.

[Martinswede]

Yes a great gift. It's always good to get a new angle
at music. I have some metal picks but the idea of using
them seems wrong. I don't use a pick when I play guitar.

Now I have played for a week and really come to like it.
If you can live without the tonic as the bass note and
have some understanding of chord relations and the
major scale, playing in C or G is really simple if you already
know the guitar.

At the moment I have no interest in instrumentals but I
have a notion girls would like it if they didn't have to hear
me singing AND the sound of a banjo at the same time.

[Jenna]

Ha! I'm sure the girls are into it either way. Banjo is only in C or G major? How nice. That would make things easier. Agree on using picks. I prefer fingerstyle playing myself and would love to someday be proficient at it. Clawhammer style looks a little awkward, too, but like you say, it's all just a matter of adapting to something different. It's what we're made for, after all!

[Martinswede]

Well it's not only in two keys but since the open chord is G
and that little extra string is tuned in G a key with as many
Gs in it is what I prefer. Obviously you can tune it differently. 

[Jenna]

I haven't played with alternate tunings much, but do love open D on the guitar.