Banjo For Dummies

Bill Evans is an internationally celebrated five-string banjo player, teacher, historian, and recording artist, who has helped thousands of banjo players globally get the most out of their instruments. He's also performed throughout the world and his CDs have topped both folk and bluegrass charts.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 3Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: The Amazing Five-String Banjo 5Chapter 1: You Want to Play What?: Banjo Basics 7Getting into Banjo 7Loving that amazing sound 8Becoming a true believer 8Identifying Different Kinds of Banjos 9Five-string banjo: The subject of this book 9Tenor and plectrum banjos: Look for another book 10Knowing the Parts of a Banjo 12Looking at the neck 15Checking out the pot 16Picking up string vibrations 17Becoming a Banjo Player 18Making wise purchase choices 19Tuning and holding your banjo 19Fretting chords with the left hand 19Playing authentic right- and left-hand patterns 20Practicing some real tunes 20Jamming in good company 20Meeting other banjo lovers 21Keeping your banjo sounding great 21Chapter 2: Tuning Your Banjo 23G Tuning: Getting Your Strings in Order 24Relative Tuning: Tuning the Banjo to Itself 25Reference Tuning: Getting a Little Outside Help 27Using an electronic tuner 27Tuning with an electronic tuner at a jam session 30Using another instrument as a reference 30Chapter 3: Starting to Play: Fretting and Strumming 35Talking Banjo Talk 36Positioning Body and Banjo 37Strapping on your banjo 38Sitting down to play 41Standing with your banjo 42Fretting with the Left Hand 44Fingering G, D7, and C Chords 46The G chord: Real easy 47The D7 chord: A little harder 47The C chord: More challenging still 47Checking Out Chord Diagrams 48Reading a chord diagram 48Interpreting up-the-neck chord diagrams 50Chord Progressions: Playing Your First Song 51Chapter 4: Playing by the Rules: Songs and Tablature 53Breaking Down the Parts of a Song 54Feeling the rhythm 54Finding the melody 59Reading Tablature 65Finding notes 65Tracking down the rhythm 66Playing Pinch Patterns 68Being a Great Team Player 71Lead playing: Shining the spotlight on yourself 71Backup playing: Allowing others to stand out 72Part 2: Let’s Pick! Basic Banjo Techniques 75Chapter 5: Getting Right with the Right Hand 77Clawhammer and Bluegrass: Down-Picking and Up-Picking 78Clawhammer Right-Hand Basics 79Finding a good right-hand position 80Playing your first clawhammer notes 81Using clawhammer banjo as accompaniment 85Bluegrass Right-Hand Basics 87Choosing and fitting thumbpicks and fingerpicks 87Acquiring a good right-hand position 92Playing roll patterns 97Using bluegrass rolls as accompaniment 100Chapter 6: Sliding, Hammering, and Pulling: Adding the Left Hand 103Slipping into the Slide 104Getting down the slide: The basics 105Trying 3rd-string slides 106Undertaking 4th-string slides 106Focusing on 1st-string slides 107Nailing the Hammer-On 108Playing open-string hammer-ons 108Giving fretted hammer-ons a chance 110Pulling Off the Pull-Off 111Digging into open-string pull-offs 112Mastering fretted pull-offs 112Sizing up special clawhammer pull-offs 114Bending the Chokes 114Playing the Foggy Mountain choke 114Experimenting with choke variations 116Putting Your Hands Together 116Making sure your clawhammer right hand is ready 117Double-checking your bluegrass right-hand skills 118Joining forces: Using both hands in clawhammer banjo 118Keeping both hands busy in bluegrass banjo 123Chapter 7: Working Up Your First Tunes: Clawhammer and Bluegrass 129Stylin’ It: Playing Real Banjo Music 130Starting with the right hand 131Adding the left hand 133Tackling a Few More Tunes 136Part 3: Playing Styles Past, Present, And Future 141Chapter 8: Playing the Old-Time Way: Clawhammer and Traditional Styles 143Digging Deeper into Clawhammer Banjo 144Fretting 1st-string clawhammer pull-offs 144Stretching out with double thumbing 145Discovering Four Clawhammer Classics 146Playing “Old Joe Clark” 147Turning on to double C tuning 148Playing “Soldier’s Joy” 149Moving into modal tuning 150Playing “Cluck Old Hen” 151Discovering Pete Seeger–Style Banjo 153Syncing with the Seeger stroke 154Playing “Swing Low” and “Little Birdie” with the Seeger stroke .155Fingerpicking the Old-Time Way 156Exploring Dock Boggs’s style with “Pretty Polly” 156Picking “Coal Creek March” 158Chapter 9: Playing Three-Finger Styles: Scruggs, Melodic, and Single String 161Playing Scruggs-Style Banjo 162Flowing with the rolls 162Making your music hot with some licks 165Progressing to Scruggs-style songs 170Making Music with Melodic Banjo 172Discovering how to play melodic scales 172Getting a feel for melodic banjo songs 175Playing Single-String Banjo 179Using the right hand 180Taking a crack at single-string scales 182Exercising single-string techniques in songs 186Combining Three-Finger Techniques 190Chapter 10: Playing Up-the-Neck Backup: Chords and Vamping 195Playing Movable Major Chords 196The barre shape 196The F shape 198The D shape 199Moving from the F shape to the D shape 200Playing Movable Minor Chords 200Converting F-shape major chords 201Converting D-shape major chords 202Converting barre-shape major chords 203Using Vamping in Backup Playing 205Working out the mechanics of vamping 205Using F and D shapes with vamping 206Knowing When to Use Vamping 207Chapter 11: Playing Historical Styles: African, Minstrel, and Classic Banjo 209Exploring African-American Banjo Roots 210Converging Cultures: The World of Minstrel Banjo 211Uncovering the historical background 211Getting into minstrel banjo 212Discovering drop-C tuning 212Mastering minstrel technique 213Trying some minstrel tunes 214Branching Out with Classic Banjo 215Understanding classic banjo technique 216Introducing yourself to the classics 216Chapter 12: Networking into Banjo Culture 221Taking Private Lessons 222Overcoming lesson anxiety 222Finding the right teacher 223Playing Music with Others 226Finding a good jam 226Getting ready for a jam session 227Joining in a jam 228Observing good jamming etiquette 230Attending Workshops and Camps 231Workshops: Fine-tuning your techniques 231Banjo, bluegrass, and old-time camps: Rubbing elbows with the pros 232Heading to a Bluegrass Festival 235Discovering what festivals are all about 235Finding a festival that’s right for you 237Part 4: Buying A Banjo and Keeping It In Good Shape 239Chapter 13: Finding Your Banjo Bliss: A Buyer’s Guide 241Establishing Your Banjo Boundaries 242Making the Leap: Resonator or Open-Back? 243Pumping up the volume: Resonator banjos 243Going the old-time way: Open-back banjos 245Finding a Great Beginner’s Banjo 246Knowing what’s in the pot 246Getting good string action 246Finding bridge height 247Measuring string spacing 249Checking the tuners 249Taking the plunge 252Stepping Up to a Better Banjo 253Budgeting for a quality banjo 254Knowing a quality banjo when you see it 255Plugging in: Electric banjos 259Going vintage 261Finding the Right Music Store 263Buying from an acoustic specialty store 263Buying online 264Getting you started: A banjo store directory 265Chapter 14: Getting the Right Stuff: Banjo Gear 267Picking Up the Stuff You Really Need 267Cases: Becoming King of the Road 268Strings: You can’t pick without ’em 273Picks: Giving your fingers playing power 277Straps: Take a load off! 278Capos: Playing easily in different keys 278The 5th-string capo and spikes: Going along for the ride 281Electronic tuners: Getting by with a little help 283Collecting More Cool Tools to Help Your Playing 285Metronomes and drum machines 285Your computer and the banjo 288Chapter 15: Taking Care of Your Baby: String Changing and Basic Maintenance 291Replacing Banjo Strings 292Deciding when your strings need a changin’ 292Changing strings 1 through 4: A step-by-step guide 293Replacing the 5th string 299Setting the Bridge 300Discovering harmonics 301Using harmonics to set the bridge 301Adjusting Head Tension 303Relating head tension to banjo tone 303Tightening the head 304Keeping Your Banjo Looking Its Best 307Knowing When to Consult a Professional 309Part 5: The Part of Tens 311Chapter 16: Ten Tips to Make Practicing More Fun 313Practice Regularly 313Set Goals 314Warm Up 315Use Tablature Sparingly 315Get the Right Hand First 316Gradually Increase Your Speed 316Take Songs One Measure at a Time 317Play the Right Repertoire 318Listen Actively 318Keep Track of Your Progress 319Chapter 17: Ten Great Banjo Players You Need to Hear 321Earl Scruggs (1924–2012) 321Pete Seeger (b 1919) 322Béla Fleck (b 1958) 322Bill Keith (b 1939) 323Mike Seeger (1933–2009) 323Don Reno (1927–1984) 323J D Crowe (b 1937) 324Tony Trischka (b 1949) 324Alison Brown (b 1962) 325Jens Kruger (b 1962) 325Part 6: Appendixes 327Appendix A: Banjo Chords and Notes 329Chords 329Notes on the Banjo in G Tuning 332Appendix B: Audio Tracks and Video Clips 335Discovering What’s on the Audio Tracks 335Looking at What’s in the Video Clips 340Customer Care 342Index 343