Hi Phil, my name is Rob Palamar, I’m from Canada and I recently started watching your videos. I’ve started to try and learn the Banjo. After watching dozens of different people I found your videos the best for novices like me. I’m using a Banjo that was left to me from my grandfather, I have many fond memories of him playing it. In fact most of that side of my family is musical but I feel the gene skipped a generation lol. My Daughter is getting married next February and my wish is to play her a song on my grandfather’s Banjo. I’ve been working in it for weeks but I can’t seem to get past your second lesson because I can’t find a proper placement for my hands. I watch your videos, but I can’t seem to get my hand/arm placement to look like yours. I feel that it’s something simple that I’m missing, but I can’t seem to figure it out. Do you have any suggestions!
Hi Rob, the first thing to check would be what sort of banjo you have. If it has 17 or 19 frets, then it's most likely a tenor, it it has more, then you're looking at a plectrum banjo, which has a different tuning. The next thing would be to look at how high the strings are from the frets, older banjos often end up with a bowed neck, or simply have a replacement bridge of the wrong height, making the strings very difficult to press down. Also, depending on how the banjo was originally tuned, it might have the wrong gauge string on it for CGDA tuning (some players tune to the lower pitch of GDAE, and those strings would be too heavy to tune up to CGDA). I'd love to see the banjo! CGDA tuning does involve some pretty big stretches, so it's important to find a relaxed position, with a reasonably straight wrist, and it will take some time to build hand strength. You might also consider using a different tuning, such as DGBE (often called 'Chicago tuning'), which is the same same as a baritone ukulele (you would need a set of strings designed for that tuning). The string tension is lower, and the chords are such big stretches (plus there's lots of baritone uke material available!) Do let me know how you get on, I'd love to be able to help you play at your daughter's wedding, and with almost a year to go it's defintely acheivable!
Excellent series, I’m on the verge of purchasing a tenor banjo but I’m not quite sure which one to get. Any recommendations? Never played banjo only guitar
Thanks. I love my Deering Goodtime, mine is the slightly shorter neck 17 fret version (there's also a 19 fret longer scale one). If you're in the UK, check out Eagle Music (or even if you're not!)
I love your lessons Phil, but finding the chords from lesson 3 really hard to access with my fingers! With practice hopefully it comes, but seems impossible right now.
@@crawford8able If you have heavy strings they'll feel much tighter and hard to press down, especially on those chords where your little finger is trying hold down two strings! The action height is how far your strings are away from the strings, a higher action means further to press down those strings, Combine those two things and the banjo will be really hard work to play. I have a shorter scale scale banjo (17 frets as opposed to 19 frets) which makes for lower tension anyway, and I use gauge 9 strings.
@@PhilDoleman Thanks for the further detail. Gauge I don't know (I'll have to look it up) I have a 19 fret Gold Tone. It's been my dream since age 6, so now I'm learning with you.When I grow up I want to be able to pick instead of strum. I love Blue Grass and am a fan of Willow Osbourne. Unfortunately I'm not the natural musician, but my wife is(clarinet & piano). As work winds down I hope my music life can wind up. Just turned 58.
It is a tricky one, but it'll come. My hands really aren't very big at all. A good thing to try is to play the same shape higher up the neck at a point where it feels comfortable, then gradually work your way down to the C chord. Your instrument will make a difference too, my banjo is a 17 fret, and a lot of banjos out there are the longer scale 19 fret, which means bigger stretches and higher string tension. As well as the shorter scale I use, I also have very light strings.
Great lessons! Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you!
Wow this is really good
Wonderful Lessons!
I've played plectrum for 40+ years and am thrilled to learn this new tuning and find the similarities between the two tunings.
Really enjoying these with my brand new custom built beautiful tenor banjo!!
Thanks, lucky you!
I wish I had found phil a long time ago I have learnt loads from him. Brilliant phil.
Thank you Phil, It took me ten years to figure this out my self. Congrats for giving me the names of the forms. Great job!
Great Instruction, thank you!
These are really high quality lessons. Thank you Phil.
Yep a couple bar chords and bam you got any chord you want
loving your work phil! easy going yet you clearly know the (musical) score
Hi Phil, my name is Rob Palamar, I’m from Canada and I recently started watching your videos. I’ve started to try and learn the Banjo. After watching dozens of different people I found your videos the best for novices like me. I’m using a Banjo that was left to me from my grandfather, I have many fond memories of him playing it. In fact most of that side of my family is musical but I feel the gene skipped a generation lol. My Daughter is getting married next February and my wish is to play her a song on my grandfather’s Banjo. I’ve been working in it for weeks but I can’t seem to get past your second lesson because I can’t find a proper placement for my hands. I watch your videos, but I can’t seem to get my hand/arm placement to look like yours. I feel that it’s something simple that I’m missing, but I can’t seem to figure it out. Do you have any suggestions!
Hi Rob,
the first thing to check would be what sort of banjo you have. If it has 17 or 19 frets, then it's most likely a tenor, it it has more, then you're looking at a plectrum banjo, which has a different tuning. The next thing would be to look at how high the strings are from the frets, older banjos often end up with a bowed neck, or simply have a replacement bridge of the wrong height, making the strings very difficult to press down. Also, depending on how the banjo was originally tuned, it might have the wrong gauge string on it for CGDA tuning (some players tune to the lower pitch of GDAE, and those strings would be too heavy to tune up to CGDA). I'd love to see the banjo!
CGDA tuning does involve some pretty big stretches, so it's important to find a relaxed position, with a reasonably straight wrist, and it will take some time to build hand strength.
You might also consider using a different tuning, such as DGBE (often called 'Chicago tuning'), which is the same same as a baritone ukulele (you would need a set of strings designed for that tuning). The string tension is lower, and the chords are such big stretches (plus there's lots of baritone uke material available!)
Do let me know how you get on, I'd love to be able to help you play at your daughter's wedding, and with almost a year to go it's defintely acheivable!
Excellent series, I’m on the verge of purchasing a tenor banjo but I’m not quite sure which one to get. Any recommendations? Never played banjo only guitar
Thanks. I love my Deering Goodtime, mine is the slightly shorter neck 17 fret version (there's also a 19 fret longer scale one). If you're in the UK, check out Eagle Music (or even if you're not!)
@@PhilDoleman I love my 17 fret Goodtime too. I have just converted it back from GDAE to CGDA tuning to join in.
@@trevorboyd1570 Excellent, there aren't enough CGDA players out there!
I have my eye on a Gold Tone AC-4, $220. It comes without a resonator, but you can buy an $80 kit and install later, as needed.
I bought an AC-4 and I love it. I'd definitely suggest it for beginners or anyone on a budget.
I love your lessons Phil, but finding the chords from lesson 3 really hard to access with my fingers! With practice hopefully it comes, but seems impossible right now.
Chords on the tenor are a bit of a stretch, a low action and light strings are a must! It will come though, in time.
@@PhilDoleman Thanks for the encouragement. What do you mean by a low action and light strings are a must ?
@@crawford8able If you have heavy strings they'll feel much tighter and hard to press down, especially on those chords where your little finger is trying hold down two strings! The action height is how far your strings are away from the strings, a higher action means further to press down those strings, Combine those two things and the banjo will be really hard work to play. I have a shorter scale scale banjo (17 frets as opposed to 19 frets) which makes for lower tension anyway, and I use gauge 9 strings.
@@PhilDoleman Thanks for the further detail. Gauge I don't know (I'll have to look it up) I have a 19 fret Gold Tone. It's been my dream since age 6, so now I'm learning with you.When I grow up I want to be able to pick instead of strum. I love Blue Grass and am a fan of Willow Osbourne. Unfortunately I'm not the natural musician, but my wife is(clarinet & piano). As work winds down I hope my music life can wind up. Just turned 58.
@@crawford8able It's great that your wife plays, and clarinet goes really nicely with tenor banjo!
my hands seem too small to the C form 3
It is a tricky one, but it'll come. My hands really aren't very big at all. A good thing to try is to play the same shape higher up the neck at a point where it feels comfortable, then gradually work your way down to the C chord.
Your instrument will make a difference too, my banjo is a 17 fret, and a lot of banjos out there are the longer scale 19 fret, which means bigger stretches and higher string tension. As well as the shorter scale I use, I also have very light strings.
Oh dear...tough lesson!