• Registered: 2008-06-20
  • Posts: 139

Topic: Any Good Advice or Sites I could go to for Tenor Banjo.

Hi to all,
              As well as learning the guitar, I have a four string Tenor Banjo by Oazark.

I have tried many sites but they all seam to be for the five string Banjo, so any advice would

be welcome, plus any sites I could go to.  Also could anyone explane what rolling means

I read it all the time, also what kind of Picks would I need, I don't use a flatpick when

playing the Guitar, I use my thumb, I have a Lady- -friend of mine who cuts my right hand

thumb nail at an angle and I have worked up a nice little callous on my thumb.

Is it possable to play the Banjo by thumb.  I have a book of chords for the Tenor Banjo, but

to stop myself getting confused while learning the Guitar I tuned the Banjo ( D G B e ) and

play Guitar chords for now, but I would now like to move on and learn the Tenor Banjo the

right way.   I await any advice or help.

Luck and Health to all!!!

  • From: Belfast
  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 330

Re: Any Good Advice or Sites I could go to for Tenor Banjo.

Hi Headcase,

Sorry I didn't see the question, or I'd have come back to you.

How are you tuning the banjo? Irish tuning is GDAE and if you are looking for chords, you can use the Mandolin chords on chordie as they are the same. You can also tune it CGDA and use the same chords, though they'll be a fifth below the Irish tuning.

You can also tune it to the bottom strings of the guitar, but I wouldn't as the mandolin tuning is much easier to learn - and if you learn GDAE you will be able to play the mandolin, mandola, mandocello, bouzouki, tenor guiitar and tenor banjo - all for the price of one.

The tenor is mainly used in Irish music. you should be able to pick up a lot of teaching materials off the intenet. One of the better one's is at http://www.folkofthewood.com/Tenor_Banjo_Lessons.html . though it's in CGDA.

As for rolls - they're finger picking patterns. The theory of rolls can be seen on this 5 string lesson - it shows forward, reverse and alternating rolls ( http://www.folkofthewood.com/5-String_B … ssons.html ).

But do try just melody playing - Black Velvet Band, Tell Me Ma and so on - that's what the tenor's for.

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there." Miles Davis

StranSongs's Website

3 Reply by Headcase (edited by Headcase 2009-05-25 22:27:19)

  • Registered: 2008-06-20
  • Posts: 139

Re: Any Good Advice or Sites I could go to for Tenor Banjo.

Thanks for the advice, I'll look up the internet, again many thanks.

Luck and health to all!!!!