Tablature question, 5 string banjo
dmus...@pacbell.net
just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
when you pluck them). She's a guitar player and it's been quite a while
since she studied the banjo and she couldn't remember which string was
which in the tablature. Is the bottom line in the tablature
correspondent to the top string on the banjo (i.e. the high G)? At first
she said it was the other way around but she changed her mind. Before I
attempt this I'd like to be sure about this.
Dan
Email: dmusicant at pacbell dot net
Ken Blake
> A friend really wants me to get into the banjo and join her band. She
> just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
> handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
>
> She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
> Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
> when you pluck them).
Just as when you start anything else, you should start with the
easiest possible things, and build on the skills you develop. It's
absolutely crazy to begin with anything near as difficult as Foggy
Mountain Breakdown.
> She's a guitar player and it's been quite a while
> since she studied the banjo and she couldn't remember which string was
> which in the tablature. Is the bottom line in the tablature
> correspondent to the top string on the banjo (i.e. the high G)? At first
> she said it was the other way around but she changed her mind. Before I
> attempt this I'd like to be sure about this.
Yes, the bottom line is the short string, the fifth string (it is
*not* necessarily high G; what note it is depends on how the banjo is
tuned, and there is more than one tuning). The lines are in the same
order as the strings; the next line up is the lowest note, and so on.
--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
dmus...@pacbell.net
<kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote:
:On Sat, 16 May 2009 13:14:09 -0700, dmus...@pacbell.net wrote:
:
:> A friend really wants me to get into the banjo and join her band. She
:> just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
:> handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
:>
:> She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
:> Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
:> when you pluck them).
:
:
:Just as when you start anything else, you should start with the
:easiest possible things, and build on the skills you develop. It's
:absolutely crazy to begin with anything near as difficult as Foggy
:Mountain Breakdown.
Hmm. So even though there's lots of open strings, Foggy Mountain
Breakdown isn't very easy then. She also handed me a book called Banjo
Songs Volume 3 by Geoff Hohwald: "B5 String Bluegrass Banjo the way the
pros play." I suppose that Volume 1 and 2 are more geared to the
beginner. It includes a cassette and it's in tablature.
I know something about music notation but it's been decades since I used
it at all and I never used it much. Anyway, it will be easier for me to
get used to "regular" musical notation than for a complete beginner. I
understand things like 1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, etc., the key of C minor,
etc.
I don't know exactly where to start. Are there any places online that a
beginning 5 string banjo person can get some footing?
:
:
:> She's a guitar player and it's been quite a while
:> since she studied the banjo and she couldn't remember which string was
:> which in the tablature. Is the bottom line in the tablature
:> correspondent to the top string on the banjo (i.e. the high G)? At first
:> she said it was the other way around but she changed her mind. Before I
:> attempt this I'd like to be sure about this.
:
:
:Yes, the bottom line is the short string, the fifth string (it is
:*not* necessarily high G; what note it is depends on how the banjo is
:tuned, and there is more than one tuning). The lines are in the same
:order as the strings; the next line up is the lowest note, and so on.
Thanks for clearing up that confusion. The tuning she has me using is
like this, looking at the strings from bottom to top. I think she called
this G tuning:
D
B
G
D
G (the high G, the short string)
Thanks for the help.
Ken Blake
> On Sat, 16 May 2009 14:17:09 -0700, Ken Blake
> <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote:
>
> :On Sat, 16 May 2009 13:14:09 -0700, dmus...@pacbell.net wrote:
> :
> :> A friend really wants me to get into the banjo and join her band. She
> :> just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
> :> handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
> :>
> :> She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
> :> Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
> :> when you pluck them).
> :
> :
> :Just as when you start anything else, you should start with the
> :easiest possible things, and build on the skills you develop. It's
> :absolutely crazy to begin with anything near as difficult as Foggy
> :Mountain Breakdown.
>
> Hmm. So even though there's lots of open strings, Foggy Mountain
> Breakdown isn't very easy then. She also handed me a book called Banjo
> Songs Volume 3 by Geoff Hohwald: "B5 String Bluegrass Banjo the way the
> pros play." I suppose that Volume 1 and 2 are more geared to the
> beginner. It includes a cassette and it's in tablature.
I don't know that series, but I can't imagine that a beginner starting
with Volume 3 makes any sense. If you're good, you can likely go
through the first two volumes quickly, but don't skip them.
Not quite. You're close to G tuning, but you have the G and B strings
reversed. But again, G tuning is only one of several tunings, but the
most common for bluegrass banjo.
Bear in mind that when you hold the banjo to play it, the short string
is the one closest to your eyes, and that's the one on the bottom line
of the tablature. Going down the fingerboard, starting with the short
string and away from your eyes, the strings are gDGBD.
> Thanks for the help.
You're welcome. Glad to help.
dmus...@pacbell.net
<kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote:
:On Sat, 16 May 2009 16:21:22 -0700, dmus...@pacbell.net wrote:
:
:> On Sat, 16 May 2009 14:17:09 -0700, Ken Blake
:> <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote:
:>
:> :On Sat, 16 May 2009 13:14:09 -0700, dmus...@pacbell.net wrote:
:> :
:> :> A friend really wants me to get into the banjo and join her band. She
:> :> just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
:> :> handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
:> :>
:> :> She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
:> :> Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
:> :> when you pluck them).
:> :
:> :
:> :Just as when you start anything else, you should start with the
:> :easiest possible things, and build on the skills you develop. It's
:> :absolutely crazy to begin with anything near as difficult as Foggy
:> :Mountain Breakdown.
:>
:> Hmm. So even though there's lots of open strings, Foggy Mountain
:> Breakdown isn't very easy then. She also handed me a book called Banjo
:> Songs Volume 3 by Geoff Hohwald: "B5 String Bluegrass Banjo the way the
:> pros play." I suppose that Volume 1 and 2 are more geared to the
:> beginner. It includes a cassette and it's in tablature.
:
:
:I don't know that series, but I can't imagine that a beginner starting
:with Volume 3 makes any sense. If you're good, you can likely go
:through the first two volumes quickly, but don't skip them.
I figure you're right there.
:
:
:>
:> I know something about music notation but it's been decades since I used
I think that's the way I have it, actually. Like I said, the vertical is
reversed.
:
:Bear in mind that when you hold the banjo to play it, the short string
:is the one closest to your eyes, and that's the one on the bottom line
:of the tablature. Going down the fingerboard, starting with the short
:string and away from your eyes, the strings are gDGBD.
:
:
:> Thanks for the help.
:
:
:You're welcome. Glad to help.
I'll talk to my friend and try working up a new strategy. Thanks again.
Michael Hofer
Foggy Mountain Breakdown is not an easy song to learn.
Aside from note reading, playing the instrument is also about mechanics.
There are left hand techniques involved in FMB that take some time to
aquire.
Hammerons and chokes are used.
The best program I have found in teaching others to play bluegrass banjo was
using a book written some 30 years ago, and still available, Peter Wernicks
Bluegrass Banjo.
He starts with chords, then goes into rolls, reading tab. Then he starts
with a simple song almost everyone knows, "She'll Be Comin Round The
Mountain"
He then introduces left hand techniques, such as hammer ons, chokes and pull
offs.
He also has a few melodic pieces in the book. The only complaint I have
about the book is back up banjo is totally ignored, and when you are playing
in a band or group, thats about 80 or more percent of what you will be
doing.
Its a tall order for your friend to expect you go from zero to FMB. Despite
the yee haw image of the banjo player being simple and backwards, there is a
great deal in playing bluegrass banjo. You need to give yourself a year or
two to become strong enough to play in performance. Thats if you are an
exceptional learner, and you may well be.
Bluegrass banjo is five strings, played with 3 picks in 2/4 time at an
average speed of 130 bpm. Can you do the math for that?
Comes out to nearly 9 notes per second, and thats an average. Heres a link
to a song I wrote and recorded a few years ago, thats at 130. Whirlwind.
Mando trak from a good friend Dale Farthing.
http://banjobasics.julieferris.com/Whirlwind.mp3
This is not even considered fast.
The fast stuff goes at 160 bpm or better. Wernick points out the 12 to 15
notes per sec is common.
A great place to learn how to play bluegrass is at local jams. There are
almost always places to go, nearly every weekend if you know where to look.
Ask your local music store personal and keep an eye for flyers. And in the
summer there are bluegrass festivals all over the place and almost always
jammers.
Learn some jam rules, and go and attend all you can. There will be other
banjo players in various stages of learning. Gleen what you can from each of
them.
And if you wish, check out my website, link below for more information on
basics.
Everything is totally free. I have a list of books you can purchase about
playing the banjo from several sources on a page and I also have a links
page with more banjo websites that are worth a look.
good pickin to you
Michael
http://banjobasics.julieferris.com
Over 150,000 served.
<dmus...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:ott215d446nkb268h...@4ax.com...
dmus...@pacbell.net
On Mon, 18 May 2009 12:33:51 -0500, "Michael Hofer"
<michae...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
:Ken is right,
:
: Foggy Mountain Breakdown is not an easy song to learn.
:Aside from note reading, playing the instrument is also about mechanics.
:There are left hand techniques involved in FMB that take some time to
:aquire.
:Hammerons and chokes are used.
Thanks! My friend showed me how to do a hammeron, and I don't think
I'll have problems with that. I have some experience with guitar. Don't
know what a choke is.
:
:The best program I have found in teaching others to play bluegrass banjo was
:using a book written some 30 years ago, and still available, Peter Wernicks
:Bluegrass Banjo.
I'll look for it.
:He starts with chords, then goes into rolls, reading tab. Then he starts
:with a simple song almost everyone knows, "She'll Be Comin Round The
:Mountain"
Funny you mention that song. I'm a DJ of many years at a college radio
station (KALX, Berkeley, 90.7 FM and streaming at
www.kalx.berkeley.edu), and a few months ago I wanted to play that song
on my radio show and I couldn't find a version. I think there must be
some (we have almost 100,000 records of one kind or another), but I
couldn't find one!
:He then introduces left hand techniques, such as hammer ons, chokes and pull
:offs.
:He also has a few melodic pieces in the book. The only complaint I have
:about the book is back up banjo is totally ignored, and when you are playing
:in a band or group, thats about 80 or more percent of what you will be
:doing.
Yup, I'll obviously have to be doing backup banjo to participate in this
group!
:Its a tall order for your friend to expect you go from zero to FMB. Despite
:the yee haw image of the banjo player being simple and backwards, there is a
:great deal in playing bluegrass banjo. You need to give yourself a year or
:two to become strong enough to play in performance. Thats if you are an
:exceptional learner, and you may well be.
:Bluegrass banjo is five strings, played with 3 picks in 2/4 time at an
:average speed of 130 bpm. Can you do the math for that?
: Comes out to nearly 9 notes per second, and thats an average. Heres a link
:to a song I wrote and recorded a few years ago, thats at 130. Whirlwind.
:Mando trak from a good friend Dale Farthing.
:http://banjobasics.julieferris.com/Whirlwind.mp3
I just love the banjo. The sound itself thrills me, and there's so much
humor and spunk in it.
:
:This is not even considered fast.
:The fast stuff goes at 160 bpm or better. Wernick points out the 12 to 15
:notes per sec is common.
12-15 seems daunting!
:
:A great place to learn how to play bluegrass is at local jams. There are
:almost always places to go, nearly every weekend if you know where to look.
:Ask your local music store personal and keep an eye for flyers. And in the
:summer there are bluegrass festivals all over the place and almost always
:jammers.
I'm sure there are lots of local jams around here. I know some people
who are into old-timey music and bluegrass, and they go to some things.
They jam at their houses, too.
:Learn some jam rules, and go and attend all you can. There will be other
:banjo players in various stages of learning. Gleen what you can from each of
:them.
:And if you wish, check out my website, link below for more information on
:basics.
:Everything is totally free. I have a list of books you can purchase about
:playing the banjo from several sources on a page and I also have a links
:page with more banjo websites that are worth a look.
I'll be checking this stuff out.
:
:good pickin to you
:Michael
Thanks!
Dan
:http://banjobasics.julieferris.com
:Over 150,000 served.
TetTereTeT
http://www.banjohangout.org/
--
CPM O=='=::
Happy Pickin' on www.bluegrassmidisound.eu
<dmus...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:6a7u05pn3v6bh29oi...@4ax.com...
Michael Courter
neck view that displays the fingering and the music moves along the staff.
can start, stop, repeat at will.
pretty cool....
http://www.tabledit.com/tefview/index.shtml
Father Haskell
> A friend really wants me to get into the banjo and join her band. She
> just lent me her pretty nice 5 string banjo and gave me a lesson. She
> handed me some tablature and a book of banjo songs, a tape and a CD.
>
> She recommends starting off by getting into playing an easy song, being
> Foggy Mountain Breakdown because it has so many open strings (unfretted
> when you pluck them).
It's the right hand that makes a great FMB, not the left.