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| can I play a four string banjo? - Beginner Questions - Banjo - Banjo - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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gardner321 Approved
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I have learned to play a baritone uke which so far is the only instrument that I have been able to play. I was doing pretty good learning the guitar, but because of Arthrittis cannot make a chord w/o buzzing adjacent strings. The reason that I am doing well on the uke is that the string spacing is wider than the guitar. I know nothing about a banjo other that I love the sound of one playing. Would I have the same problem as I had with the guitar? Tom
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Will Approved 
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gardner321 wrote: I have learned to play a baritone uke which so far is the only instrument that I have been able to play. I was doing pretty good learning the guitar, but because of Arthrittis cannot make a chord w/o buzzing adjacent strings. The reason that I am doing well on the uke is that the string spacing is wider than the guitar. Tom: It just so happens that I play a 4-string banjo tuned just like your baritone uke, to DGBE. That tuning is known as Chicago tuning, and it has a long historical precedent. Bob Shane of the Kingston Trio, who normally played guitar, played 4-string banjo tuned that way; most famously, the banjo part on "Tom Dooley." You will have a lot of fun playing it. If you buy a 4-string banjo, you will most likely be looking at a tenor banjo, which has a shorter neck than a 5-string banjo, but has a completely different tuning, CGDA. (There also exists the 4-string plectrum banjo, which has the same size as a 5-string banjo, but is less common; it can also be tuned DGBE with its existing strings.) You will need to purchase a set of standard strings for a 5-string banjo and replace the CGDA strings with the new set; they will tune easily to DGBE. You can play the 4-string banjo with your bare fingers or with a flat pick. Please be aware, however, that the string spacing of a banjo neck will be very narrow compared to a baritone uke, and there aren't many options available for changing that. Here are some examples of what a DGBE-tuned tenor banjo sounds like (these were played by me and other band mates). Just click on the links below to hear the tunes: Redwing http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/song_player.php?mode=song_hifi&type=song_id&a=true&id=9009 Take Me Out To The Ballgame (Dixieland style) http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/song_player.php?mode=song_hifi&type=song_id&a=true&id=1008 Father O'Flynn/The Dingle Regatta/The Tar Road To Sligo http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/song_player.php?mode=song_hifi&type=song_id&a=true&id=1126 Sloop John B http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/song_player.php?mode=song_hifi&type=song_id&a=true&id=1007 Jingle Bells http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/song_player.php?mode=song_hifi&type=song_id&a=true&id=3333 Here's a dealer that sells a $229 package that includes a professionally set-up 4-string tenor banjo, training DVD (it only works for CGDA tuning, however), song book, picks, tuner, strap, banjo bag. They're out of stock at the moment, so call them to ask when they'll be getting more of these banjos: http://www.banjohut.com/tenor_banjo.htm  If the tenor banjo neck appears to be too narrow for you to play comfortably, then perhaps a banjo uke (also called a banjolele) might be the right instrument for you; I know of some banjo ukes, such as a Gold Tone, that have a wider neck than most 4-string banjos. The major difference is that a banjo uke is much smaller, is tuned to gCEA like a regular ukulele and has nylon strings, while a 4-string banjo has steel strings, and can be tuned to DGBE. http://www.ezfolk.com/mf/ukulele/Goldtone_Banjolele.html  Last edited on Thu Feb 28th, 2008 04:59 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > Beginner Questions - Banjo > can I play a four string banjo? | |
