Banjo Lessons
You can hear the Banjo in many different genres of music from folk to bluegrass and even in pop.
Banjo Lessons can be a very enjoyable and intriguing experience. Whether you're a fan of the classics, like Foggy Mountain Breakdown, or newer music featuring the banjo, like Mumford and Sons, we are here to help you achieve your Banjo goals. The banjo can play a wide array of roles in different style of music: it can be the fast, energetic, and rhythmic time keeper as well as a beautiful lead/solo instrument. The options are endless and the room for creativity is great.
New to Banjo Lessons?
If you’ve played banjo before, there are some basics you should be aware of before purchasing an instrument or starting lessons. Banjos typically come in two variations, the 4 string and the 5 string. You can also find 6 string variations that are tuned and played more like a guitar. Regardless of the amount of strings, you will see some banjos (usually less expensive) have open backs, while others (more expensive) have a closed-off wooden resonator head. The banjos with a closed-off resonator head tend to project more, the volume is louder and the tone is usually a bit richer. All type of banjos can be finger-picked, use a guitar pick, or use a thumb pick.
The 5 String Banjo
The 5 string banjo is commonly heard in bluegrass, americana, folk, and indie/alternative music. The 5 string banjo has a “drone” string as it’s 5th string. The drone sting is a string that only stretches over 3/4s of the neck, making it the highest in pitch. This type of banjo is usually tuned to an open G tuning (meaning if you play all of the open strings, it creates a G major chord). The notes of the open strings (from 5th/drone to 1st string) are G - D - G - B - D. You may notice the top 4 strings are very closely related to the top 4 string on a guitar- the main difference being the 1st string is a D instead of an E. Guitar players may find it easy to switch over because of this similarity.
The 4 String Banjo
The 4 string banjo was very popular in early jazz and swing music and is still used in those settings today. The 4 string banjo lacks the drone string of the 5 string banjo. The strings were originally tuned to C - G - B -D (from low to high) but more recently, 4 string banjos are tuned to the top 4 strings of a guitar, D - G - B - E, which is known as Chicago style tuning. The 4 string banjo, especially when using Chicago tuning, is a very straightforward transition for guitarists.
If you have questions on which type of banjo is right for you - please reach out!
