The goal of this page is to cover some general topics on the 5 string banjo and include some banjo music and examples in a variety of styles including standard Old Time, Bluegrass, Melodic picking, Irish jigs, Balads, etc.

The page is still in its early stages - and is now ready for some serious banjo picking tunes and examples!

	The banjo, together with the accordeon, is probably the musical instrument most subject to ridicule - partly due to the weird and wonderful personalities often found playing the instrument and partly due to that historically, the banjo was accessible to the lower classes so that much of its repertoire could be relegated to the class of 'simple folk music'. Most people associate the 5-string banjo with Country and Bluegrass - but musicians are gradually (though slooowly) venturing beyond these realms. Bela Fleck, being the most famous example of this, plays classical, funk, jazz, and contemporary music with equal dexterity. The sound of the banjo is something special, the conduction of sound vibration through the bridge and the skin (which is tightened around a metal or wooden Tone Ring) creates a unique tone which is very different from the tone created by wooden string instruments. Old Time banjo is played with the back of the fingernail(s), creating a mellow plucky tone, while Bluegrass is played with metal picks, giving it a more driven, mercyless, ring-like tone.
A 4-string gourd banjar in one of the oldest known depictions of an early gourd banjo in America. The Old Plantation (detail), anonymous folk painting, circa 1790. Courtesy of The Abbey Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, Williamsburg, VA

	The people having the greatest influence on my banjo playing were/are Art Rosenbaum [Old Time] who had a great album The Art of the Mountain Banjo. The album included all the tablature which I learned by heart. He also wrote a beautiful book, The Mountain Banjo which he illustrated with his own drawings. Taj Mahal [Old Time] The albums Oh so goodn blues, The old folks at home, and Sounder (soundclip from the movie) Tom Paley [Old time + Bluegrass]. I love his melodic finger picking in Old man papa (BrownFerry blues) John Hartford [Bluegrass]. Also an accomplished singer, guitar and fiddle player. His songs The Julia Belle Swain and Let him go on mama from his solo album Mark Twang feature his low-tuned Eb banjo (which he actually tuned a half step lower to D). His picking style has a great swing drive to it and is often improvisational. Also recorded 2 instruction DVDs for the banjo, published by Homespun Bela Fleck [Bluegrass] (of course) For everything he and his funky band The Flecktones did. Bela also produced material resulting from his trip to Africa while investigating the roots of the banjo. His latest album Throw down your Heart, Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Africa Sessions is discussed on His website's biography page.
My current banjo, a Triumph, is an early English Zither Banjo. The fifth string runs partly inside the neck so that its peg is located on the peghead, with the other 4 pegs, thus eliminating the need for the protruding 5th peg halfway the neck. Its resonator is not detachable.

I currently prefer playing the banjo tuned a fourth lower (with heavier gauge strings). It gives me a fuller sound, having the punch of the tenor banjo combined with the harshness of the 5 string. Each time I revert to an originally tuned banjo, it sounds rather thin.

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Jola musician Bouba Diedhiou playing the entofen form of the akonting folk lute.
Casamance, Senegal, 2004. (Photo by Nick Bamber)

The banjo as an instrument went through quite an evolution since its proclaimed introduction in America by the African slaves. Africa boasts many instruments made from gourd (dried shell of a fruit) and animal skin - one of the most famous one being the kora which stems from Mali in West Africa and has 21 strings. Other instruments that are more banjo-like are the Kontingo, the Xhalam, and the Ngoni from Mali, and the Buchundu which is played by the Manjog people in Gambia. But the one instrument that has most in common with the modern banjo is most likely the Akonting, which is played by the Jola people in Gambia. Though it only has three strings, it sports a major feature of the 5 string banjo: the short string on top of the neck - the so-called 5th string. And what makes it even more likely to be the father of today's banjos is the playing style - very much like the old-time clawhammer technique, also called frailing.

The frailing technique involves playing individual notes with the back of the index or middle finger or brushing with the back of the hand on the downstroke and plucking a string (often the fifth string) with the thumb on the upstroke. It's an unusual technique to learn.

Some years ago, a Sudanese friend of mine played me a recording of some Sudanese music. It really caught my attention because it sounded so much like banjo, not only the sound but also the manner it was played in. You can hear an excerpt of this recording here.

A reference to the origin of the word banjo can be found in Thomas Jefferson's notes on African American music in Notes on the State of Virginia (1781):

The instrument proper to them is the banjar,
which they brought hither from Africa ....

Bela Fleck who went to Africa in 2009 to research this topic and recorded with various African musicians including the great acoustic guitarist D'Gary, singer Oumou Sangare, kora player Toumani Diabate, and Bassekou Kouyate has this to say:

The akonting could very well be the original banjo. Everyone around Banjul certainly seems to
think so! Huge numbers of slaves came west from this area. We were told that the musicians were
allowed to play these instruments on the slave ships, and that many lives were saved due to it.

Ref - Biography on Bela Flecks's website.

Some great articles on the subject of banjo ancestors and the Akonting can be found on the shlomo music website

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Following are the 5 standard tunings for the banjo. Each has a characteristic sound, mainly due to the 5th string which is tuned to a different interval in each case. The tuned strings are listed from fifth string (the short one) downwards.

• Open G - [g D G B D]
  Standard Bluegrass and Old Time tuning - key of G - fifth string is root (g).
  Sometimes the 5th string capo is set to different pitches (such as a or b) to facilitate playing in different keys.
• C tuning - [g C G B D]
  Bluegrass and Old Time tuning - Key of C - Fifth string is Fifth (g)
• Open D - [a D F# A D]
  Bluegrass tuning - Key of D - Fifth string is Third (F#) or Fifth (a)
• Double C - [g C G C D]
  Old Time tuning - Key of C - Fifth string is Fifth (g)
• D dorian - [g D G C D]
  Old time tuning - modal - pentatonic

The standard string gauges I use are, from the 5th string down: .010 .023 .016 .012 .010
As stated previously, my favourite setup now is Open G tuned a Fourth down. For this you need heavier gauge strings. From the fifth string down, John Hartford uses .012 .024 .020 .014 .012 with a wound third (the 20 gauge) string. Ideally you use a '24 fret banjo' such as the John Hartford Deering Banjo. I would too, if I had about 5000 dollars spare :(

You would think that using heavier gauge strings puts more strain on the neck - but that is not so, it's all relative... Given the following 4 variables:

• T = tension in pound force (lb_f )
• UW = Unit weight in pounds per linear inch
• L = Vibrating length of the string in inches
• F = Frequency in Hz

Then the relationship between these variables is : T = (UW*(2*L*F)²)/386.4

UPDATE: I derived this equation on a separate page, see Calculating String Tension. The value of 386.4 used here is slightly different from my calculated value of 386.088 probably because it takes other factors such as stiffness into account.

The Unit Weight (UW) can be derived from the manufacturer's datasheets. I used the values given in D'Addario's datasheet. I derived the respective frequencies (F) from Seventh String. With all this information I constructed following tables:

Standard G tuning

G tuning tuned Fourth down to D

The results show that quite the reverse is true, though the strings are heavier, they don't need to be tightened as much. It probably is a case for slightly increasing the gauges for the lower tuned (D) banjo strings - until the total tension roughly equals that of the normal (G) tuned banjo. This will probably improve the sound while maintaining the instrument's mechanical integrity, the only downside being that it will be a little more difficult to play.

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People get all worked up on the topic of music notation - claiming it affects the music. But I suspect that's just because they're not very good at it. Notation is just a means to an end, a tool. The trick is not to become dependent on it. My advice would be to use notation to learn or notate stuff, but relegate it to memory as soon as possible. That way you get the best of both worlds. Just as books enable the masses to read, so does music notation and tablature make music available to everybody that's willing to learn it, and that can't be a bad thing.

The music I will publish on another page will be in the TEF format. These files can be opened with freely available software, called TEFView. With this you can display the notation (both music and tablature) and play the files as MIDI, meaning you can transpose, alter tempo, and all that good stuff. If you want to be able to edit, create or alter the files yourself you can get TablEdit from the same page at a low cost (around USD 60). The TEF file format is widely used and appears on many websites that feature tablatures.

While the result is generally good, the software takes some getting used to. For reference purposes I'm adding some notes here on TablEdit, because one tends to forget ...

• F4 → F9 whole note to 32nd note
• . = rest
• TAB = Advance cursor
• Form (da capo etc): Midi → Reading list (right column displays song list)
• LH fingering: Notes → Picks strokes + Fingerings (use bottom T,I,M system)
• J: revert back
• M: Mute
• Pull-offs, Hammer-ons, etc: Note → special effects
• Break beam horizontally (along time): select area in between 2 and press 'X' then move the dot to the first note
• A, Z: Force stem up or down
• L: Tied note (highlight last note in the tie)
• Bar numbering not displaying: Time signature window → fill in from /to measure and untick 'pickup measure'
• Triplet: highlight 3 notes, click triplet icon, click F7 for 8th note triplets
• Add Chord diagrams:
  • Select position in tab (highlight non-occupied area)
  • Edit → chord manager → new
  • create chord
  • click 'insert chord' to insert into chord catalogue
  • in previous window, click 'insert' to insert into tab
  • enable in File → Options → Display → tick 'chords as diagrams' 'into the tablature' 'vertical'
  • Expand space between tab and notes if needed.
• remove '3 4' on repeats: Edit → insert → endings + repeats. tick 'endings' and set combobox to 0
• Delete instrument: Score → instrument → delete module
• Add double bars:
  • Highlight empty space before double bar
  • Edit → insert → endings + repeats
  • Tick '2:Double' and 'End'
• Add Trill: Alt + G (Note → Grace). Set position to the fret to start from (1 or 2 frets above the given note)
• To start a new section on a separate line, add a line break in the last measure on a section by pressing [K]. Then double-click on the marker to set your options. Generally, you will want to check-mark "Double Bar" to add it to the end of the section. Select truncate current bar.
• Score stuff:
  Change note stem direction: up = 'A' down = 'Z'
  General: in File → options → preferences, stem up when <B1
• Vertically adjust text with + and - keys
• Edit text: higlight and Edit→Format
• File → Options → Display → Automatic Reading Guides must be turned on in order to display the Reading List repeats etc.
• File → options → Display → tick 'Effects in Notation'
• All stave occupied at a paricular chord? Display → 64. Add marker 64th after another marker.

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After making some enquiries regarding a low-tuned banjo on the Banjo Hangout forum, see my post and replies on should low tuned banjos use 24 frets?, I used the diagrams posted by Uncle Fogey on this thread to create a CAD drawing with accurate dimensions and scales. To this end I did a little more research and deviced some equations for spacing the frets on the fretboards, see Scaling the Fretboard. The equations I found on the net were either pre-calculated or approximated. The Fretboard page also has a spreadsheet you can use to calculate fret spacings for any Scale (distance between nut and bridge).

Some interesting facts arose from this thread which I can summarize as follows:

• The standard banjo has an 11' Head (pot)
• There are 2 main scales, The Gibson and the Vegas
  • The standard 22 fret Gibson has a 26.25" scale and a 19.9" fingerboard
  • The standard 22 fret Vegas has a 26.9" scale and a 19.65" fingerboard
• There are 2 types of 24 fret banjos
  • First type
    • the 2 extra frets are placed at the bridge-end
    • bridge moves the distance of 2 frets to the center
    • the scale remains the same
    • e.g. the John Hartford 24 fret Deering banjo
    • last 2 frets are smaller than the smallest one on a 22 fret banjo
  • Second type
    • the 2 extra frets are placed at the tuning pegs - end
    • bridge remains at the sweet spot
    • the scale increases
    • E.g. the John A'Angelica model uses Vega Tubaphone and 30.35" scale
    • last 2 frets are larger or equal to the smallest one on a 22 fret standard banjo

The following diagrams (images from my CAD drawings) illustrate the 2 types of banjos. The first image shows a standard 22 fret Gibson with a 26.25" scale, the second a First type 24 fret Gibson banjo also with a 26.25" scale. The third image shows a standard 22 fret Vegas with a 26.9" scale and the last one a Second Type 24 Fret Vegas banjo with a 30.35" scale.

After consideration, I believe that the Second Type 24 fret banjo would make the best sound for a low tuned banjo, but I am worried about the extra length, it is quite significant. The First Type 24 fret banjo has very small frets at the end which will be difficult to play, especially since the strings will be heavier gauged.

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Banjo Construction

If you put a little water in the cracks before gluing, it will help the glue to get far down into the crack.

Fret height

... I usually measure at the 12th fret wire and set it about 3/32" or a bit higher. The measurement at the 22nd fret is typically about 1/64 (a lot of relief) to 1/16 (very little relief) higher than the measurement at the 12th fret.

When I put a straight edge on top of my frets,there is .015 clearance between the straight edge and the top of the 7th fret.

... Our banjo measured 3/32" under the 4th string, 5/64" under the 1st string, and 3/64" under the 5th string

... Now you can measure at the 12th fret to see if the string action is correct. The correct action is a gap of 1/16" to 3/32" between the bottom of the strings 4 through 1 and the top of the 12th fret. The 5th string will be a little lower

Dulling the 5th string tone

You can put a piece of paper or electrical tape under your 5th at the bridge to dull it out.

Gauges

Bill Evans set from American Made Banjo company. They are .010, .011, .013, .020 & .010 with the fourth being the JD Crowe "fiddle wrapped" one.

Fingerpick adjustment

Color the fingerpick blades with a felt tip pen and observe how the color wears off after some playing. Adjust the picks so there is still color near the edges but none in the middle of the picks.

Fingerpick noise

Occurs when picking an already vibrating string. Pick with the tips of the picks, don't dig into the strings. The attack should be short.

Old Time

rampi rampi - turkish tune using 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 (9/8)

Rocket Science Banjo - Site dedicated to Clawhammer banjo

The Zither Banjo

Zither Banjo.org
Zither Banjo at Shlomo Music

• Late 19th century, early 20th century English banjo - played classical style
• The reference to "zither-style" has to do with the pot construction
• "Invented" by Brooklynite Alfred D. Cammeyer (1862-1949), a concert banjoist
• Uses a tunneled string
• The 1st, 2nd and 5th strings are plain steel; the 3rd is gut; the 4th is either gut or nylon wound in silver
• The back is entirely enclosed
• The skin surface is quite small, 7 or 9 inches
• There are six tuning machines. One is a dummy.
• Note the absence of a 5th-string tuner. Instead, the string enters a tunnel at the fifth fret, emerging at the nut. Although this feature appears on some regular banjos, it is a common feature of zither banjos.

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Tablature Pages

• ABC Notation
• Banjo Hangout
• Bluegrass Banjo
• Traditional Music
• All Tabs
• Banjo Tablatures
• Tony Rice Tabs

General Banjo sites

• Banjo Hangout - very active banjo forum
• Banjo Brothers Australia - not very active, but useful if you're in Australia

Banjo Stores

• Eucalypt banjos - May be out of business (did get no reply)
• The Acoustic centre
• Fingerstyle Productions

Great Banjo Players

• Dave Hum website - American busker, has an incredible sound, playing in an unusual style - great examples on Celtic bluegrass also.
• Watch Dave Hum's countless videos on his YouTube Channel

Banjo's African Heritage

• Shlomo Music: The Akonting - The Akonting & Other Folk Lutes of West Africa's "Rice Coast"
• Akonting playing by Remi Jatta. 2003 - Intermediate Akonting playing
• Sana Ndiaye performs on the Akonting - Sana Ndiaye plays "Children"
• Adapting the akonting style to the modern banjo - Akonting player playing banjo. Sounds rough but gives you some idea ...
• Basic Akonting playing by Daniel Jatta - demonstrating the Akonting playing style
• Akonting playing by Ekona Jatta.Gambia. 2003 - demonstrating the Akonting playing style

Banjo Setup and Lutherie

• Banjo Construction Tips - See also the other pages on this site
• Building a 5 String Banjo
• Musical Instrument Makers forum
• Wood Strength Table
• Stewart Mc Donald Trade Secrets
• liutaio mottola - instrument plans, etc
• Savart Journal - Science and Technology of stringed musical instruments
• Guild of American Luthiers
• Luth.org - instrument plans
• Finishing oils - great discussion on Banjo Hangout on Finishing Oils
• Woodgrain identification
• Tasmanian Tonewood
• info on specific types of wood
• Demonstrating difference in tone rings
• Banjo Setup - Banjo train website, many articles for setting up a banjo.

Banjo Kits

• Rickard banjos store - beautiful kits and individual parts, mainly for old-time
• Rickard Banjo kit construction notes
• Rickard banjos Blog page
• Goldtone OB250 kit

Banjo Paraphernalia

• Propicks fingerpicks
• Propicks thumbpicks
• Complete book on Irish Celtic Five String

Video clips

• Scruggs and Co on David Letterman Show - Great rendition of Foggy mountain breakdown by Steve Martin, Pete Wernick, Charles Wood, Tony Ellis and Earl Scruggs (from left to right) on the David Letterman show. Charles Wood's solo gets my vote on this.
• Throw down your heart - Bela Fleck solo
• Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate @ Bonnaroo 09
• Steve Martin, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka Banjo HDTV The Crow - Michael Daves on guitar (David Letterman show)
• Flecktones - Celtic Meddley
• Bela Fleck with New Grass Revival - Deviation
• Bela Fleck Jams with Marty Stuart - Sept. 2007
• Sammy Shelor
• Sammy Shelor - sitting on top of the world
• Ricky Skaggs (mandolin)& Ky. Thunder with Del McCoury Band - Rawhide
• Rob Ickes - Angeline The Baker (Dobro and Mandolin)
• Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck - "Freeborn Man"
• Tony,Rice, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck
• Cold on the shoulder
• Vassar Clements, Tony Rice, John Hartford, douglas, connor - Kissimmee Kid
• LONESOME RIVER BAND - WHO NEEDS YOU (SAMMY SHELOR, RONNIE BOWMAN, DAN TYMINSKI, TIM AUSTIN 1993 FERRUM, VA)
• Shenandoah Breakdown - IBMA Award Winning Instrumentalists (Tom Adams, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, David Grier (guitar), & Roy Husky)
• Leather Britches - My favourite female banjo player Kristin Scott Benson with the Grascals
• Ricky Skaggs & Super Pickers - Wheel Hoss - Pumping Electric Bluegrass
• John Hartford, Aeroplane - Tony Rice guitar, Vassar Clements fiddle, Mark O'Connor mandolin, Jerry Douglas dobro
• Bela Fleck--Freeborn Man--Tony Rice--All- Star Jam
• Tony Rice - Old Home Place - Tony Rice, JD Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Bobby Slone, The New South 1975
• New Grass Revival - Revival - Sam Bush, John Cowan, Pat Flynn, & Bela Fleck. Jamaican style bluegrass!
• New Grass Revival - White Freightliner
• New Grass Revival - Love Someone Like Me
• Allison Brown playing John Hartford's Steam Powered Aereo Plane - Backstage at 'Tennessee Shines'
• Sierra Hull - Salt Creek - A young Sierra playing with banjo player
• Sierra Hull Interview
• Sierra Hull with Mark O'Connor - Berkeley Session
• Peter Rowan - Cold rain and snow - with Tony Rice. Has Bass solo
• Musicians switching hands

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