banjo questions

banjo22

Hi,
I have recently received a 4 string banjo as a gift.

I wish to play traditional music but I cant really afford lessons at the moment.

I feel there is a lack of sites and info(such as chords and songs) on the internet that I can learn off.

I am very enthusiastic and could just use some pointers on what the first steps are.

Thanks

trad

There seems to be plenty on youtube.

However, a few hands on lessons from a good teacher could save you months of frustration.

Shoot2kill

Can anyone recommend a brand/type of banjo that would be good enough to do a beginner for the first few years of learning?

KathleenMcCabe

banjo 22 - you could try purchasing the gerry o connor book and dvd for learning banjo. He gives a polka for using as an excercise on the banjo and helps with techniques etc


shoot to kill - the likes of goodwins, mc collough piggots and mc neills have a nice selection of banjos.
I was choosing a banjo for my dad to start off on and it was a close call between the honer countryman and the tanglewood tenor. I chose the countryman and the setup has never really been perfect on it. There's always a buzz/twang on the D string when it's played and never seem to have mangaged to get it properly sorted. I got it in goodwins on capel st by the way.

Shoot2kill

KathleenMcCabe wrote: »

banjo 22 - you could try purchasing the gerry o connor book and dvd for learning banjo. He gives a polka for using as an excercise on the banjo and helps with techniques etc


shoot to kill - the likes of goodwins, mc collough piggots and mc neills have a nice selection of banjos.
I was choosing a banjo for my dad to start off on and it was a close call between the honer countryman and the tanglewood tenor. I chose the countryman and the setup has never really been perfect on it. There's always a buzz/twang on the D string when it's played and never seem to have mangaged to get it properly sorted. I got it in goodwins on capel st by the way.

Thanks for that. I'm starting lessons next week. (excited & nervous)

KathleenMcCabe

Best of luck with it. Enjoy!

dancingqueen

KathleenMcCabe - sounds like it could be a problem with the action.. have you looked along the banjo from the bridge up towards the neck to see if it is lying too close to the frets?
A new bridge could sort this out for you, to heighten the string?

imasmeasmecanbe

KathleenMcCabe wrote: »

banjo 22 - you could try purchasing the gerry o connor book and dvd for learning banjo. He gives a polka for using as an excercise on the banjo and helps with techniques etc


shoot to kill - the likes of goodwins, mc collough piggots and mc neills have a nice selection of banjos.
I was choosing a banjo for my dad to start off on and it was a close call between the honer countryman and the tanglewood tenor. I chose the countryman and the setup has never really been perfect on it. There's always a buzz/twang on the D string when it's played and never seem to have mangaged to get it properly sorted. I got it in goodwins on capel st by the way.

That's definitely a good call, I started out with one of his books myself many moons ago now.

sellman

there are lots of trad banjo tabs up on www.mandolincafe.com its a site for mandolins but as they are stringed the same the tabs work for banjos too. Best of luck with the banjo playing:)

Pat the Ratbastard

banjolin.co.uk