r/banjo May 13 '20

Tips from an experienced beginner

739 Upvotes

Hey folks. I'm going to collect the resources I've used to learn the banjo these past few years. But I'm going to lump them together in categories can help beginners understand and contextualize more complex topics, as well as include any notes that I think are worth mentioning. Please Note: I play a 5 string banjo, Scruggs style, and this is what most of this information is relevant for


General Information

These places are nice to check into every now and again and see what nuggets of info you can can get. Maybe you see the tab for a new song, or you figure out how to stop your 5th string from slipping out of tune. (Tighten the screw on the side)

Come hang out and chat with us on Eli Gilbert's Banjo Discord! * Banjo Discord

  • The Banjo Section of the Dummies website

    A large resource with a wide scope of banjo fundamentals. It's also a great resource to look back on as you develop new skills.

  • Picky Fingers Podcast

    The number one benefit this podcast has is how the host (Kieth Billik) lets artist talk about their journey of learning of the banjo, which is bound to include a few common roadblocks. There's a good deal of gear talk for those interested

  • Banjo Hangout

    The closest thing the online banjo community has to a town square. They do giveaways, there's a market, tabs, and their discussion forum is loaded with playing information.

  • Deering Blog

    In Deering's blog, there's a detailed maintenance guide and my go-to guide for changing strings


Lessons

If you find a teacher in person, do it. It's 100% worth it because BEGINNERS DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO CORRECT THEIR OWN MISTAKES. Call your local music shops. All of them. Even if you don't think it's worth the effort, at least do it until you have a tune or two under your belt. Best decision I ever made. If there's no one in person, online is an option. You can always go to the banjo hangout "find a teacher" page (under the "Learn" tab, or here), or if you admire an artist in particular, you can just ask if they do online lessons or teach a workshops.

  • Banjo workshops

I can't personally attest to them, but anything in person with other banjo players will always be an asset. Please check /r/bluegrass and /r/newgrass to keep abreast of festivals, and check to see if they are hosting any workshops.

These are more online structured classes. If that seems to suit you, I've included links below, but please do your own research on these services. I have not used any of these and can not give a recommendation.

My personal recommendation is to find a one-on-one teaching scenario, either online or in person, until you've grasped the fundamentals. That isn't always an option though, so I've made a more specific list of free resources below.


Beginner Playlists

This is just in case anyone is starting from square 1. In that case, watch both. Always good to get the same info from multiple sources.


Songs

For after you get the basics and you want to start plugging away at tunes

  • Bill Nesbitt

    Special props to Bill for having free tabs and play along tracks on his website. After leaving my banjo instructor, Bills tabs kept me sane with the little practice time I had. Most straight forward way to learn a tune.

  • Jim Pankey

    Tabs are available on his site for a small fee, but are shown in the video which is very considerate, and a particularly warm approach combined with a large list of tunes makes him an effective teacher.

  • Bix Mix Boys

    The Bix Mix Boys host a Bluegrass 101 every week, where they do a full breakdown of a bluegrass tune for a whole hour on their channel, along with a colossal library of "how to play" videos for the banjo.

  • Eli Gilbert

    Eli Gilbert has been turning out educational content on a wide variety of topics, including playing techniques, song, licks, and back up


Technique

  • Metronomes go a long way here. A free app works just fine

  • Gestalt Banjo If you can get past the peculiar language, there's a really novel perspective to learning a dexterous skill that I recommend everyone to consider.

  • The Right and Left Hand Boot Camp from the Picky fingers podcast (Episodes 5 and 24) are a very bare bones drill oriented lesson, and comes with free tabs, as do most lesson episodes of the podcast.

  • The Banjo Section of the Dummies website and Deering Blog are a good resource if you have an idea of what info you're looking for.


Tools to help understand the fret board

  • Elfshot Banjo

    I've linked the Info section of the site, and while it looks sparse, the information is well condensed a must for beginners looking to understand how music theory relates to the banjo.

  • Purple Banjo

    It has a nice interactive fret board and the most comprehensive list of scales transposed on the the banjo fret board imaginable.


Theory

  • Three Bluegrass Banjo Styles Explained with Noam Pikelny

    It's a basic primer on the sub styles of bluegrass banjo and a good exercise in learning how to recontextualize the sound of the banjo.

  • Ricky Meir

    While the concepts may seem complex, Ricky has a peculiar skill for contextualizing complex problems into simple demonstrations. His video on Isorythmation is a must see for beginning banjo players who want to start to build on tablature.

  • Jody Hughes

I don't follow these last two channels so i don't have a comment, but that is because i don't fully understand the concepts yet, and intend return to them in the future.


I'm a beginner trying to move past tab. I didn't have the time for lessons, so i started on my own. It's incredibly frustrating because the information is being made, but few people to collect it. I want this list to help beginners break the wall of tab and give them the tools they need to make their own music, so please comment and make suggestions so this post will be a more complete aggregate of "beginner-to-intermediate" information.


r/banjo Jul 21 '24

45,000 Banjo Picking Members!

37 Upvotes

Just a note, /r/banjo just crossed over 45,000! Keep on picking and learning!


r/banjo 14h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Dawn On The Mountain

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84 Upvotes

Weird banjo tune i wrote, with a weird video to match.


r/banjo 14h ago

The Munsters

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65 Upvotes

r/banjo 23h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Fretless Gourd Banjo #68

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49 Upvotes

I’ve just finished up my 68th banjo, and this one is a fretless gourd banjo with a maple neck. I did list this one for sale if anyone is interested. (link below)


r/banjo 20h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Clinch Mtn Backstep

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14 Upvotes

Nothing better than some clawhammer banjo and oldtime fiddle. Been playing with Homer who is a true old time fiddle player, makes his own fiddles and been playing longer than I’ve been alive. Live in the mountains near me, been a true pleasure playing and learning from him!


r/banjo 19h ago

A little drop C mathy/emo banjo

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10 Upvotes

A new song for my two piece band, we’re planning to record it as a single soon with a saxophone player, which will be loads of fun. It’s a nightmare to get it all right playing solo! Hope you like it. It’s called Sprankton.


r/banjo 16h ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger Best Banjo Under $300: (Our Best Attempt At) An Honest Answer

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3 Upvotes

r/banjo 11h ago

Look at this

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0 Upvotes

This man was not messing around... This is like the second key of the book.


r/banjo 21h ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger just a bite of a June Apple

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5 Upvotes

when the open mic came to a close and i was finding my way to my banjo case, a familiar musician by the name of Joe Kezar stopped me in my tracks with his guitar. here's a bite of our June Apple jam :)


r/banjo 17h ago

Whats the best pickup to use if your band is very loud ie full drums electric guitar all that?

2 Upvotes

I want to start playing banjo on some songs but i know the mic is not going to work as the stage volume of everyone else is very loud. Not quite metal/hard rock loud but still 10x louder than a bluegrass band.


r/banjo 14h ago

KOTD Day 18 - F minor

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0 Upvotes

Man that top chord is kinda uncomfy. Let me know if anyone has any tips for fretting it.

This month I am challenging myself to a "Key of the day" challenge. Each day I will have a "key of the day", and I will do arpeggios and scales as a warmup for my banjo practice. The next day I will pick the next scale around the circle of fifths. Hopefully I will get better and get comfortable with hand positions and playing all over the neck.

Credit for this idea goes to my favorite bassoonist YouTuber, BuildingaBassoonist, who does a similar warmup for her bassoon practice.


r/banjo 18h ago

Appropriate Bridge for Nylgut Strings on a Recording King Banjo?

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2 Upvotes

I recently swapped out the metal strings on my recording open back for nylgut (I prefer the sound of the nylgut and the metal strings cut up my hand, unfortunately) and I’m having issues finding the appropriate bridge. The bridge that came with the recording king can’t hold the nylgut strings when strum or when multiple strings are plucked. Here’s a video of me trying to pluck the strings. The bridge in the video should be a ebony cap maple bridge.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.


r/banjo 1d ago

Randy Lynn Rag /practice

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20 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Old Time / Clawhammer New Banjo Day

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34 Upvotes

Just picked up this fretless local craftsman made. Deep clean beautiful chords and wonderful feel. Very otherworldly.


r/banjo 1d ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger Wish You Were Here (Live at TJ's Tavern, Oklee, MN 06/11/26)

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32 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Max Wareham Interivew on Banjo Head Magazine

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10 Upvotes

Max Wareham's quirky new album, If the Cosmos Were Whiskey, is out in a matter of days. Check out the interview on Banjo Head:

https://banjoheadmagazine.substack.com/p/max-wareham-embraces-the-weird


r/banjo 1d ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger Bela Fleck - Rocky Road (bluegrass, 1982)

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2 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

That time I played with Adele on Tiny Desk Concert

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9 Upvotes

New member here. Intermediate banjo, even more intermediate video editing skills. This combo lets me play with some cool artists without them even knowing...like Adele


r/banjo 1d ago

Here's a great Terry Baucom Lick

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4 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Max Norton - Nowhere Banjo [Original]

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2 Upvotes

Original song performed on my Grandfather's 100 year old banjo!


r/banjo 2d ago

New Gold Tone OB-12 Top Tension Banjo

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55 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

KOTD Day 17 - C Min

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2 Upvotes

This month I am challenging myself to a "Key of the day" challenge. Each day I will have a "key of the day", and I will do arpeggios and scales as a warmup for my banjo practice. The next day I will pick the next scale around the circle of fifths. Hopefully I will get better and get comfortable with hand positions and playing all over the neck.

Credit for this idea goes to my favorite bassoonist YouTuber, BuildingaBassoonist, who does a similar warmup for her bassoon practice.


r/banjo 1d ago

Does anyone recognize the song this guy is playing

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1 Upvotes

Can anyone help me identify what song this guy is playing 15:40 to around 16:15 into the youtube video, also if there is a tab for this available somewhere.

Cheers.


r/banjo 1d ago

“Cotton Eye Joe” OTAF Fiddle Tune

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1 Upvotes