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Hi all,
I know I've been posting often - that's been my personality - deeply into things for 3 to 6 months, then out and 'doggie paddling' along until the next thing of interest.
So I'm finally connecting all the equipment I've acquired over the years (and played with a little bit item by item) into a working studio where EVERYTHING is plugged in and can work at the same time - with help from you guys on the previous Power post. That's going well.
Onto the next bucket item - I've had banjo, mando, bass, sitting unused for quite some time. A few of you have just shared some great websites for learning mando and banjo.
Finally my question - if you're a guitar player that is very comfortable with the fretboard and music theory - and you've transitioned to any of the 3 instruments mentioned (mando, banjo, bass), please share your approach and insights gained in transferring your music skills over to the next instrument - in particular, things like:
1.) Aha moments
2.) tricks or practice routines that helped you transfer your knowledge quicker
3.) what you found most challenging or different about the new instrument with respect to the guitar
As always - thanks to all who generously share their expertise and experience.
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Joe:
This summer, I "transitioned" from guitar to banjo.
Not your regular 5-stringer, but a vintage (although not expensive/valuable) tenor banjo, that I was given by an elderly friend of mine who didn't play it anymore.
After a bit of searching on the 'net, I tuned my "new" 4-stringer to "Chicago tuning" which is exactly the same as the 4 high strings on a guitar.
That made finger positions and chord names very easy to learn, although my fingers still tend to "look" for those 2 missing strings.
I did the same thing for a ukulele.
I bought a baritone so I could tune it the same as the banjo.
One set of chords, 3 instruments. <grin>
Good luck!
LLOYD S
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Lloyd - just curious - isn't the 'hallmark' sound of the banjo based on the more common open G tuning ? I would think the Chicago tuning would lead to voicings that make it sound "more like a guitar with banjo strings" ...
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Joe:
That's what I thought too.
What I've found is that it sounds like a banjo regardless.
It's likely to be "dissonant" to "real" 5-string banjo players or even "real" tenor banjo players, but I'm only using it in casual settings and it sounds uniquely "banjo-ish" enough so that it adds some flavor to the sound of all the guitars in jam sessions.
LLOYD S
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Personally, I think you ought to learn banjo chords - as a standard banjo is strung. It is not hard. It's like chords on a guitar... just different. If a guy hands you his banjo and you start to retune it like a guitar... he's gonna clock ya.... banjo players are a nasty group. It is best if you know how to finger pick - and wear picks.... http://banjochords.net/chords/chart/It ain't hard. It's a banjo. Learn a song. Then... move on to the next song... Mandolin... A mandolin is strung/tune BACKWARDS from what a guitar is. (So is a fiddle). So all you have to do is think about playing guitar chords backwards. Start with the basics. G - C - D. Three chords and the Truth. It ain't rocket science. http://mandolinchords.net/chords/chart/
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Floyd:
Thanks anyway, but no thanks.
I had no intention of learning to play a banjo.
I only play it because the guy that gave it to me likes to hear it once in awhile.
So I play a few tunes, mostly strumming, and if I decide to pick out a tune or two, I just use a thumb pick, and bit of claw hammer-ish playing.
I also play bass, harmonica and I've done a bit of country drumming.
I really have no inclination to learn a new set of "standard" banjo chords.
I gather from your comments that you play guitar, banjo and mandolin.
My hat is off to you.
As for me, I'll leave banjo playing in the "hobby" category. <grin>
LLOYD S
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Personally, I think you ought to learn banjo chords - as a standard banjo is strung. It is not hard. It's like chords on a guitar... just different. If a guy hands you his banjo and you start to retune it like a guitar... he's gonna clock ya.... banjo players are a nasty group. It is best if you know how to finger pick - and wear picks.... http://banjochords.net/chords/chart/It ain't hard. It's a banjo. Learn a song. Then... move on to the next song... Mandolin... A mandolin is strung/tune BACKWARDS from what a guitar is. (So is a fiddle). So all you have to do is think about playing guitar chords backwards. Start with the basics. G - C - D. Three chords and the Truth. It ain't rocket science. http://mandolinchords.net/chords/chart/ Ditto to what Floyd said. Learn the scales, chords and arpeggios in the tuning that's supposed to be used for that particular instrument. No shortcuts, just basics.
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Lloyd S, play it and tune it however you want! More power to you for doing it your way!!
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Never learned the fretboard well on guitar until I started playing bass. In demand much more than guitar playing, so this might be your route to performing?
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I played bass in some bands many years ago.
Took it up when there became a plethora of guitar (rhythm) players in the family.
Mostly play for my own enjoyment/entertainment now,
and a bit of "donated" music at the RV resort that we snowbird to in the winter.
That and the odd jam session at Legions and other RV resorts is just enough to
keep my hand in it, without it becoming onerous.
Ahhh, the retirement life !!!
LLOYD S
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Thanks for all the great comments and sharing....I never thought about reversing guitar chord fingerings because the mando is strung oppositely, so to speak - that's a little gem : )
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Tricks?
There are no tricks..... just experience that comes from practice.
New players call them tricks because they all want to learn that one really cool lick.... or trick.... it's not a trick. It's just another hard earned lick.
Practice....practice....practice. Get to know the new instrument. I think guitar to bass would be the easiest since the lower 4 are the same on both.... unless you have one of those 5, 6, or 7 string basses. In that case.... Why? (Rhetorical... don't answer that)
Mando.... I bought one and tuned it up.... much smaller fretboard....and yeah... tuned differently.
My suggestion is to take the time to learn some chords first.... with chords, you can chop-chop through a ton of country and bluegrass songs.... pick up some passing notes.... then start working on some lead stuff. practice and take your time......
Banjo... I got nothing for you on this one other than.... practice. And if that doesn't work, you can always use it for a hammer.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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A very interesting post.Firstly I believe that playing any second instrument is good for you, regardless of the tuning. Personally I am essentially a guitar player but I play the uke, mandolin, a tiny bit of fiddle, and bass guitar all in their respective tunings. Initially I found it hard to get my head around the chord shapes and the style "venacular" for those instruments. But what I did find was the refreshing and astounding difference in the note intervals of the chords. One of the first songs I did on the uke was San Francisco and singing the melody against the different chord "texture" was a blast. It improved my singing, and my guitar playing the more songs I learned. I did play what I called Bulls**t banjo by tuning the banjo to the last four strings of the guitar. I playing in the pit orchestra for the opera "Oklahoma" and I didnt have the time to learn all the chords(Eb, Bb, etc) because the music isnt written for Banjo. But the essence of the sound was there and added the right flavour to the play. So back to you in doing what works.DennisD
There are only 3 kinds of musicians: those that can count, and those that can't!
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Guitar to bass was about a 10 year effort for me, with only the past 3-4 years being able to play in a modern rock band with confidence. I play some funk/gospel, but with a pick - so it's not really legit, but holds the bottom end down enough to continue to be asked to play. I own a 4 string, but have borrowed a 5 string Ibanez SR505 (got one for sale, I'm in the market), and it's really not a difficult transition to add in the lower B-string, because of the consistent tuning interval string-to-string. For some songs, that lower B-E availability just hits the spot. When I learned, I used a book called 'Teach Yourself Bass Guitar' or something of that nature. What I recall very specifically was where the book suggested to begin learning the fretboard - and it was unexpected. The book picked the d note on the A string, or the 5th fret on the A string as 'home base'. I didn't question it, and after putting the time in, I realized the wisdom of picking this specific starting location: 1. It's somewhat centrally located on the fretboard. No long stretching to start off all the way down to fret 1. It's a very natural place to hang your fretting hand. 2. It allows one to learn the 'pattern' across the fretboard both at higher/lower frets and higher/lower strings. 3. It breaks one free from 'middle C' keyboard training thinking if you are a keyboard player. 4. It is a bit easier than starting in a flat key. 5. It makes you realize that as a bass player, it's time to give up the idea of open string key signatures as being preferred. I fear no key as a bass player; something I can't really say as a guitar player - I rely on capos when I play guitar; a Kyser for acoustic, and a G7th for my electric. I would say that I fear key signatures even less than when I play keys, and I've played piano since 1976, and rock/gospel keys since about 1990 or so. I'm not fancy on bass, but I get the job done, and stay out of the way of the rest of the band. And it's fun. Another tip is to make yourself flash cards. I made a deck of flash cards of every note on all 4 strings, at open through 12th fret, and I kept them in my work bag. For many months, a couple times a week, I quizzed myself through that deck. It's only 48 cards. I think now there are apps for your phone which will do the quizzing. Then the big one - I played with a band that was infinitely more gifted than I was. They let me. You'll find that with bass, there's very few of them to go around. Don't be afraid. You are going to make mistakes. But for the most part, if you can even just hit the root note of the chord on the right beats, or the right side of slash chords at the right beat, you're in. With very rare exception, simple playing works just fine. That might be offensive to some who consider themselves proper bass players, but if you ask any of them about their first gigs, what I just typed above tends to be true. What I have to yet learn after 10 years: 1. I need to learn finger plucking. 90% of my playing is with a pick, but there are some styles which just never sound quite right played with any combo of pick, mute, you name it - and need that other tone. 2. I would like to learn thumb popping/slap technique, but it's not been a need so far, and trying to teach myself this has been unsuccessful. 3. A whole bunch of stuff I don't even know I should know! But above all, take ye the story of the invention and purpose of the bass guitar written by none other than Tony Levin - he of worldwide bass and Chapman Stick playing: https://papabear.com/product/bassbook.htmlWhile it is a funny and tongue-in-cheek parody, it is generally true as to guidance and purpose of playing bass.
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DennisD:
I love your term "Bulls**t banjo"! It sounds so much more redneck than "Chicago tuning". Also, you completely nailed the point I was trying to make in my post, when you said "the essence of the sound was there and added the right flavour to the play". That's EXACTLY why I pick up that BS banjo now and then, especially when I'm jamming with a half dozen guitar players.
Thanks for your post!
LLOYD S
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DennisD:
I love your term "Bulls**t banjo"! It sounds so much more redneck than "Chicago tuning". Also, you completely nailed the point I was trying to make in my post, when you said "the essence of the sound was there and added the right flavour to the play". That's EXACTLY why I pick up that BS banjo now and then, especially when I'm jamming with a half dozen guitar players.
Thanks for your post!
LLOYD S If you play single notes or two notes at a time then a BS Banjo works, i.e. you want a banjo sound without learning a banjo. That is how I use my BS 6-string banjo. However if you start playing chords on a BS banjo then a lot of people will know it is not a real banjo. Chords on my 6-string banjo sounds more like a resonator guitar than a banjo. One secret I use is to get a note chart for the banjo you want to emulate then only play the harmony notes that can be played on the real thing. Of course learning to play the real instrument is the absolute best way to proceed, however I still keep learning my guitar, even after 56 years of playing it! I am also struggling to learn the bass, wind controller and keyboard controller. My brain is not big enough to start another instrument.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia.
She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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I had a banjo, but had to use it as a paddle. Hey, it was an emergency, OK??? 
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