PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Woodshedding - Learning to Play! Learning to Play Bluegrass Banjo

Bluegrass banjo is a very structured style of playing of what is often designated as the only "original American instrument." Bluegrass banjos have 5-strings, with the 5th string being a drone (seldom fretted)and tuned to a high G. The standard tuning is G,D,G,B,D. However, there are other tunings.

There are other styles of banjo playing known by various other designations such as frailing banjo, old-time banjo, and clawhammer banjo. These latter styles are beautiful with a great Americana feel and are generally played with the unaided hand and/or fingers i.e no picks. For more information on these styles you might want to do a little research on the web. There are also four-string banjos, known as Tenor banjos, that are used primarily in the older jazz groups or as some call it "riverboat banjo." Tenor banjos are not considered bluegrass instruments. But for now let's get back to Bluegrass banjo.

Bluegrass banjo is most often identified with music in the style of Earl Scruggs which is often called "Scruggs style". The major hallmark of the style is the use of four and eight note picking patterns called "rolls" that are mixed and matched and often repeated randomly in a song. While Scruggs style does incorporate a melody line, the melody notes are often surrounded, if not literally buried in a flurry of "fill" notes. An additional hallmark of the style is the use of three finger picks, usually metal picks placed on the index and middle fingers, and a plastic or Delrin finger pick for the thumb. This combination of "rolls" and "finger picks" gives Bluegrass banjo, or Scruggs style, it's unique and recognizable sound. It's is also often referred to as "three-finger style."

There are other styles of Bluegrass banjo that incorporate picks such as Reno style, which is characterized by single string melody notes, and Chromatic or Keith style (named for banjoist Bill Keith) which is characterized by melodic or chromatic playing which sticks more closely to the melody of the song, frequently without all the fills associated with Scruggs style.

Learning to play bluegrass banjo requires extreme dedication to the instrument and the style to achieve that "bluegrass banjo" sound. It takes daily practice with a metronome to achieve the speed and smoothness necessary to play the style well. I had been playing acoustic and electric guitar for over twelve years when I got my first banjo. It was a five-string, long-neck or "folk banjo" ala Pete Seeger. Not exactly the best banjo for bluegrass, but it got me started. I spent many nights and weekends with the banjo and a metronome learning "bluegrass standards" that are considered must-know songs for the genre. Even with that extreme level of dedication it took me about seven years to achieve the speed, feel, and smoothness usually identified with the bluegrass banjo sound. Only after such an extensive woodshedding tenure was I able to bring the instrument to the stage. Not a small commitment by any means.

If after reading this, you'd rather learn to play bluegrass banjo than use the wonderful and amazing banjo sounds found in BIAB Real Tracks here are my suggestions for getting started.

1. For at least the first month, get a banjo teacher, to be sure you're starting out with the correct hand position, picks, etc. to avoid any bad habits right up front.

2. Learn to play as many bluegrass standards as you can stand, starting with "Cripple Creek" and "Eight More Miles to Louisville" etc all the while using the metronome to keep you honest. Trust me when I say that NO ONE will want to play with you if you have bad timing. The metronome will help insure that your timing is solid.

3. Practice every day, for as long as you or your family, roommates etc. can stand it, again with the metronome. Making some backing tracks of well-known bluegrass songs with BIAB is a great way to practice.

4. Try to find some other bluegrassers to play with. Like any other instrument you have to get out there with other musicians to really get a feel for the genre, and to develop your chops.

5. Get a few good bluegrass banjo books and study them. I recommend:
-Bluegrass Banjo (Pete Wernick)
-Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo (Earl Scruggs)
-Melodic Banjo (Tony Trischka)
-Bill Keith Banjo (Bluegrass Masters)

Most of these books are available at good folk/acoustic music stores or from Amazon.com if you don't have a store nearby.

6. Like learning any other genre of music you have to listen to a LOT of bluegrass music to get a feel for the genre and how the banjo fits into it. CDs, MP3s, whatever you can find that have some of the top players will get you going.

7. If you're REALLY serious, get yourself to a Banjo Camp with other bluegrass players and play your butt off. Pete Wernick aka "Dr. Banjo" and author of "Bluegrass Banjo" (referenced above) has a great banjo camp in Niwot, Colorado just a few miles up the road from me. It's a fabulous learning experience. You might also check with your local folk music store to find out what opportunities are available near you.

8. And finally, you can hardly learn to appreciate bluegrass music and the banjo without attending some of the wonderful bluegrass concerts and festivals around the country.

You've probably noticed that I've mentioned nothing about purchasing a bluegrass banjo to get you started. Prices and models vary quite a bit. Gibson Mastertone banjos, the holy grail of bluegrass banjos, are expensive and worth it. But few people are willing to ante up $2,000+ for an instrument they know nothing about. So check out the alternatives, talk to some other banjo players, and get educated about the instrument before you buy one. Too cheap is almost always bad. You'll probably have to spend at least $500-$1000 for something decent to play. Look around and make your best deal.

Send me questions if you feel the need. I've been playing and teaching banjo now for well over thirty years, so if I don't have an answer I can point you toward someone who does.

Thanks,
Rob