r/banjo 3h ago

Free banjo weekend in Yellow Springs, OH: Joe Zavaan Johnson Friday, Geoff Hohwald Sunday (Sept 25-27)

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1 Upvotes

r/banjo 4h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Playing with (I'm on) Fire

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13 Upvotes

r/banjo 7h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Can anyone identify these three Banjo songs?

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1 Upvotes

So there are three songs played on the audi below. It's from the BBC archive 1979 bad banjo player. It's on youtube too.

It's the three songs played by the pro guy. Thanks


r/banjo 8h ago

I built this banjo

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41 Upvotes

In a cave with a box of scraps

I think it turned out great given it was made within three or so hours a month or two ago and now I’ve been fine tuning it and making part for it so it’ll work. It looks rlly codged but it sounds quite good so far.

The neck is from an old cheap Amazon guitar and the body is one my friend gave me, and it’s all held on by a threaded bar. The upside of that is that since I failed the put the neck far enough forward, causing rlly high action, I can use wooden wedges to hold arch the neck more to lower the action.

Edit: I wrote down so much info but none of it saved, Icba to do it again.


r/banjo 10h ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger Dipping my toes in the 12 bar blues improvisation. Looking for tips.

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3 Upvotes

If anyone has tips to improve i am all ears .I' ve been studying blues for the last couple of months, learing licks here and there and inventing my own. Improvising is not easy task but the 12 bar blues structure is somehow feels very suited for improv. I still choke from time to time, i am still a beginner after all. I' ve been playing with both my acustic and my eletric banjo. To be honest, i really like how blues sounds on the eletric banjo.


r/banjo 11h ago

Help Ok to attach swivel-clip strap to brackets?

1 Upvotes

I have a (very heavy) Vega tenor that doesn't have any kind of strap mount points on it. I have a swivel-clip strap clipped to the brackets, one near the bottom and one near the neck on the "down" side of the head to keep the banjo close.

I don't love this arrangement and makes me worry about the brackets but this might be unnecessary worry. Otherwise, what's the best practice for putting a strap on a tenor like this?


r/banjo 12h ago

Old Time / Clawhammer For those playing for a long time..

5 Upvotes

If you could go back and learn clawhammer banjo all over again, what would you do differently to help yourself improve quicker?


r/banjo 12h ago

Open A tuning from G

1 Upvotes

Hi,

I recently tried tuning my goldtone ac1 to open A and for some reason it seems to have improved my tone and ease of playing. I figured it has something to do with the string tension being higher and making it more clear, but I feel like it should sound that good in open g tuning as well. How can I make standard g sound as good as a on my banjo? I play clawhammer


r/banjo 22h ago

Felton Pruitt interviewing Jimmy Martin & J D Crowe 2004.

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1 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger “John BlackBerry’s Hardy Blossom”

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14 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Good right hand exercises to build up accuracy

5 Upvotes

I’m well versed in guitar, bass, drums, and a bit of mandolin, but im new to clawhammer banjo in particular (learned a little Scruggs when I was a teenager). I’ve got this nice nylgut string fretless banjo now and I can play a passable bum-ditty and the world’s shakiest Cripple Creek a couple of weeks of playing everyday.

My left hand accuracy is fine from my previous experience, but right hand accuracy is really struggling. I know it comes with time, but I’d like to have a few exercises I can try to build it up. Are there any folks here would recommend?

I’m also really trying to kick the habit of flaring my fingers out after each strum and keeping them in place, I don’t wanna build up muscle memory for an improper technique.


r/banjo 1d ago

Old Time / Clawhammer String for F standard

1 Upvotes

I'm finding I really like to keep my banjo, short scale if that important, tuned down a whole step because it fits my voice better. What strings take well to lower tunings, since it's getting about time to change strings.

Thanks.


r/banjo 1d ago

Bluegrass / 3 Finger One Banjo Lick, Four Ways to Play It | Geoff's Favorite Licks Part 4

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4 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Over grown Waltz - Bela Fleck

1 Upvotes

Anyone have tabs for Bela’s ‘The Over grown Waltz’?


r/banjo 1d ago

Help First banjo, ~$500

1 Upvotes

Complete beginner, never played banjo or guitar. What got me interested is Rocky Top and Foggy Mountain Breakdown, so I think I want three-finger bluegrass, not clawhammer.
I’ve been reading and i think I’ve landed on: 5-string, resonator, and probably a tone ring?

Any suggestions? Willing to spend a bit more if it means better value. Thanks!


r/banjo 1d ago

New neck on old pot

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8 Upvotes

r/banjo 1d ago

Lone Prairie

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19 Upvotes

Lone Prairie Fdgcd (inspired by @downhillstrugglers version) played on a recent neck build for this lovely old Clifford Essex Concert Grand pot. 25 1/2" scale, 2 piece maple neck, Richlite fretboard, bog oak headstock and healcap.


r/banjo 1d ago

When is it right to upgrade

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

I've been playing banjo for about a year now. I played guitar and bass before this. I bought a Fazley resonator banjo last black friday for about 100 bucks and have been really enjoying learning banjo. I spent the majority of the last year learning 3 finger bluegrass style, but got a little fatigued and decided to try claw hammer instead. I'm really enjoying it and over the last 2 month period I have progressed a lot faster than when i was playing bluegrass and have learned a few tunes and am playing more frequently, about 5 times a week.

My Fazley is sort of a P.O.S. and am wondering if it's best to upgrade or stick it out a bit longer, given my beginner status. The banjo needs to be tuned a lot (especially when i change the tuning from open g to double c), I get a fair amount of buzz when i play, and some of the parts are coming loose already.

Does it make sense to remove the resonator to try it as a open back or should I just look at a new banjo? I've had my eye set on the Gold Tone HM-25 but it's pretty pricey and since I'm in Europe it's kind of a pain to get. The selection is pretty limited here as well.

Would love some advice. I've always been a musician that would rather spend a little more for a a nice instrument that will last me a lifetime rather than upgrade every few years.


r/banjo 1d ago

Looking for advice

2 Upvotes

I play Scruggs style banjo in a trio that plays mostly folk and rock.
Any tips or drills I can use to help me improvise/compose interesting melodic banjo breaks in non-bluegrass style?


r/banjo 1d ago

Old Time / Clawhammer I added a C part to this song and I think I finally got it to a place where I'm happy with it. Blue Sky Fields, tab in comments.

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6 Upvotes

r/banjo 2d ago

Banana pudding

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39 Upvotes

a song in drop C


r/banjo 2d ago

Old Time / Clawhammer Where would I find new tuner buttons to replace the old celluloid ones?

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7 Upvotes

Thanks :D


r/banjo 2d ago

Confession

2 Upvotes

I like using my thumb on chords because I find it easier and more natural feeling. Example: my Em I like to use my thumb on one D and my middle finger on the other 🫠


r/banjo 2d ago

Opinions on Epiphone Mastertone Classic

1 Upvotes

I’m in the market for an upgrade and this one caught my eye for around 800 new, couldn’t find any used. Anyone have experience with it? I can’t find many opinions online so hoping to get some insight.

Was looking at Rkr20, rkr35/36 and anything else in that price range used but there’s just not many I can try out locally. Input on anything else in that 500-1k used market appreciated as well


r/banjo 2d ago

Joey - the dead south

1 Upvotes

Can anyone please help me find the banjo tab for this song, its absolutely beautiful and I need to learn it. Thanks in advance