Wanted - Banjo

[Mr. Woolery]

I play clawhammer banjo, too! I'll jump in with a little advice as well.

Either style can be played on either type of banjo (Reed Martin is a fantastic Old-Time player and his banjo on the cover of his album is a resonator; one of the better bluegrass pickers I have met uses an open-back banjo). The difference in type of banjo often has to do with its place in the music. Bluegrass resonator banjos have that metalic, pinging "bright" sound that cuts right through the guitar and bass in a bluegrass band, so those staccatto notes are like marvelous little sparkles all through the melody. But on its own, it tends to be overpowering. Almost painfully so, at times.

Clawhammer (Old-time, Frailing, and a host of other terms that all refer to down-picking) generally suits a voice better and is easier to sing to. If the banjo is likely to be the only instrument played, I think an open-back is better, as it is mellower (not always quieter) and the bump-ditty rhythm (sorry to Dan Levenson, but I do believe in the bump ditty) gives a nice driving backup without the metallic sparkles that work well with a band and poorly with an ensemble. I think clawhammer blends better with a group that doesn't want to sound bluegrassy, but often needs amplification to be heard.

If your friend wants a banjo for playing around a campfire or in the living room, I'm going to suggest an open back. It is friendlier to the ears of neighbors and family who have to endure his learning curve.

A good free resource for learning to play clawhammer banjo is Patrick Costello. He has videos on YouTube under the name dobro33h and his blog is at www.tangiersound.wordpress.com if you want to see what's new with his videos. He makes a living (ostensibly) from his folk-music materials, but makes them available for free as well. Personally, I want a couple of his DVDs that he no longer sells, just because I watched the free online videos from the DVDs and now want the more convenient format I can watch in the bedroom. I will warn you that Costello is not always liked by other banjo teachers. He is sort of an abrasive cuss and people will spend hours in banjo fora talking about how annoying he is. But he's a heck of a good teacher.

Anyway, sorry I don't have a banjo to pass on, but if your friend is handy in the workshop, you might also consider a banjo kit. Then, there's the additional satisfaction of playing an instrument he made himself. I built the kit here: http://www.songsea.com/banjo.htm and my experience with it is detailed here: http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/akboreal/banjossea1.html

-Patrick

[string]

I have to say, you have not lived until you are sitting around at night at an 18th century eastern Kentucky reenactment and there is a shawnee warrier in scalplock and full body black and red warpaint playing a banjo and drinking moonshine. What a sight.

[RowdyRed]

Banjo joke told to me whilst painfully plucking a tune....


How do you know when the floor is level?

The banjo player is drooling from both sides of his(her) mouth.

[Jeff_MacDonald]

Hey, Colin, how the banjo search go? Folks with itchy pickin' fingers wants to know!

[Colin]

Sorry, I should have updated. We figured he was such a good guy that we bought him a brand new Gibson banjo. He has apparently taken to it very well and is having a lot of fun.

[Frank McGrath]

Try House of musical traditions in Takoma Park, Md. Or Appalachian Bluegrass in Baltimore, Md. Two good places just off the top of my head.

[Jeff_MacDonald]

Sorry, I should have updated. We figured he was such a good guy that we bought him a brand new Gibson banjo. He has apparently taken to it very well and is having a lot of fun.

Excellent! I wish him well. I just passed my first anniversary playing banjo. I'm playing way better than I thought I would at this milestone and I'm still having a blast.

[AL-58]

Silly me, thought it would be easier with just 4 strings. I didn't take into account no one hereabouts teaches 4 string tenor banjo!

Have the same trouble with Clawhammer here, the only instructors I have found locally are Bluegrass players.

Going to visit a good Clawhamer player in Tasmania in January.

Al