The one (well one of many I suppose) things I have never done is learned to play any musical instrument. I’m 50 years old.
I’d like to learn the banjo. I would like to do it by purchasing learning software. I don’t ever intend to be great through this method, but I would love to learn half a dozen songs or so that I could play around campfires and such.
If anyone has had any experiences with learning software, I’d like to hear about it. I’m a self taught programmer, and learning by example works very well for me. Though, I’m not sure how that would translate into music.
My cousin has offered to loan me her banjo, though I might just buy one up front.
Thanks for any insight or suggestions.
I don’t know anything about this software. I will suggest finding some local group of amateur musicians to help you along. (This is usually very easy for bluegrass music, but other genres are out there.) You’ll likely find someone who has been there/done that to give you guidance and tips. There’s also the benefit of some social interaction, but perhaps most important is that playing with others makes a huge difference in how good you get and how fast you get there.
I would suggest borrowing the banjo for now. It’s almost always a mistake to buy a cheap musical instrument. It’s a common beginner’s strategy, the idea being not to spend a bunch of money before you’re certain you want to stick with it, but it usually causes more problems than it solves. When you’re ready to buy one, advice from other banjo players in the music group will be very helpful in getting adequate quality at a fair price.
ETA: Also, steel yourself against ever-prevalent banjo jokes – they won’t go away. Seriously, though, the root of those jokes is that banjos tend to be LOUD, and can be irritating even when played well (but not with appropriate restraint). A good thing to keep in mind.
The banjo is a very complicated instrument to play. It will take years of practice to become half-way decent. I highly recommend getting lessons from a fellow player. There is a lot of technique involved that would be difficult to teach without a human tutor.
Not to scare you off, but my dad played fon and off or 20+ years and got to be OK, I played for a couple of years and got to the “not extremely irritating” stage. It is not an easy instrument by any means.
I understand that the banjo is a bit loud. It’s a percussion instrument after all. That is one on the things that draws me to it.
Good info about the resonator. The softer tone is what I would be looking for. It’s just me and my Wife in the house, and for the most part, winter is 9 months out of the year so outside is not much of an option for playing it.
My cousin has offered me her banjo to work with (it’s a resonator, and I think a very expensive one). But she is 100 miles away, so as much as I would like her input (and I will ask for it) we don’t get to hang out as much as we would like. I may borrow her banjo, and she is completely cool about it, but I think I would be better, and more focused if I had my own.
Any recommendations for a non resonator 5 string banjo? Say $500 or less?
I’m not a banjo player, but I know several and see good quality vendors at a major music festival. From that perspective, I believe that something from the Deering Goodtime series would be a good choice.
You might want to check out some jam sessions in your area. Try searching for old time music jam or bluegrass music jam or folk music jam. Even if you are not near a big city you will probably a few regularly scheduled nearby.
Listeners are always welcome at jams and most are pretty tolerant of beginners as long you learn and follow the etiquette. One of the great things about old time music is that most songs use only two or three chords; if you can play a D, G, A, and maybe a C, you can strum along.
Jams are a great way to hook up with people who can advise and help you, and lots of times there are people with instruments for sale.
for a good cheaper banjo, check out the Deering Goodtime and the Goldtone OMB series.
It’s not the resonator that makes it loud, it’s the tone ring. Entry level banjos often omit the tone ring - they’re expensive to make (spun alloy) and no need until you know what you’re doing.
Banjo is the easiest to learn of all the instruments I teach (piano, guitar, bass, mandolin) by far. I tell my students you need 6 months of practice and from then on you’re good to go. The mando, for example, is the opposite, you’ll sound okay after a few weeks and no significant further progress until a year or so of dedicated practice.
I teach out of the following books, and recommend them highly
Backup Banjo by Janet Davis. It covers everything you need, is spiral bound and will be your go to resource for several years. It’s not just backup, really. There is a companion DVD that’s quite good as well.
The Banjo Pickers Fakebook. several hundred tunes, arranged for banjo. the canon, basically. includes scruggs, keith, reno, drop thumb, galax and frailing arrangements.
I bought an old banjo for $60 off craigslist last year. I don’t know if it’s a “good” one, but I doubt it I am seriously no good at it, but have been enjoying video lessons in the “clawhammer” style on http://www.ezfolk.com
Which reminds me, I should do some banjo practice this afternoon.
I ended up purchasing a Gold Tone CC100R+. I’m having a great time learning to play it. I’ve had it for a week and am spending at least an hour a day on it, often longer. Wish I had more time.
focus on rolls - forward, backward and alternate to start. The books I mentioned will help immensely.
The first song I have my students start with is usually Cripple Creek, which is fairly straightforward. Other good starter tunes are Cumberland Gap and John Hardy.
Those songs are all banjo tunes…that is, they are arranged and written for the banjo as a solo instrument. Equally important is learning to roll through chord changes, starting with simple 2 or 3 chord songs in the key of G. I usually start students off with New River Train, as those changes are also the changes to She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Red River Valley, Mama Don’t Allow and several other.
Initially, just use the open G, open C and open D7, then add other versions of the chords as you get comfortable.
I know you’ve already bought your banjo, but I thought I’d throw this in as a recommendation to anybody else: The Epiphone MB 200 is a great little starter’s banjo. I bought one for my wife for Christmas a couple of years ago, since she wanted to learn to play. For $250, it has a ton of clarity, snap, and projection. I love to play it. It has that super-clear, edgy banjo tone.
I am seriously no good at it, but have been enjoying video lessons in the “clawhammer” style on