5-String Banjo Therapy For Guitar Doldrums!
 

Has anyone else discovered an altenative musical instrument for what you may consider therapy for your guitar-playing doldrums? I have, and it's the 5-string banjo, which, at 14-years-old, is the first musical instrument I attempted to play but abandoned after a year for the guitar. I've recently rediscovered the banjo and it has spurred a new refreshing desire to play music that also transfers back to the guitar. Another instrument I'm thinking of trying is the fiddle. It would be interesting to hear what your alternative-instrument musical journey has been like and how it's affected your guitar playing.

I've always wanted to learn to play the banjo! Any good resources out there for absolute beginners? Books or youtube videos you recommend?

I'm constantly alternating between guitar, piano, ukulele and sometimes mandolin. Far from being a virtuoso at any of them, but it keeps things interesting :)

I'd start with anything Clawhammer related, which is what I'm learning now. Way back when, I started out with Pete Seeger's "How To Play The 5-String Banjo" book. Although a great resource, it started out with a C-tuning and not open G, which is probably the best tuning to start with. Just look on YouTube for any videos that are Clawhammer-instructional and -performance related. Clawhammer is the traditional 5-string banjo style and although it feels awkward at first, it quickly becomes second-nature with time and practice. Strange as it may seem, did you know that Lindsey Buckingham has a very Clawhammer-style of guitar playing? Watch videos of Fleetwood Mack and see!

Thanks! Incredibly helpful. Clawhammer - good to know some basic terms and the more common tuning. I didn't know that Lindsey Buckingham's fingerpicking was similar - I'll have to go and look at old concert videos on the youtube!

Just stay calm...

Sit down, breathe deeply...

Have a glass of water...

Lock up the fingerpicks...

You can overcome this if you have the willpower - we're all here to help...

I'll suggest you veer over to Banjo Hangout, with it's 105,000 members pursuing all things banjo.

http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/

Work towards a decision on which style of play you prefer and go from there. If you're doing clawhammer there are scads of free resources and lessons available. Use the search box at the website to look up Josh Turknett's free lessons as one suggestion.

http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/298553/1

You're not really straying too far from the tree; remember that some of Keith Richards most memorable guitar lines were done on a 5 stringed Tele with a re-entrant (high strung) fifth string installed; basically just another form of 5 string banjo.

You CAN always choose to do something like pursue Steve Baughman's clawhammer guitar technique, too.

https://youtu.be/q9Me42csgzU

Others also do clawhammer banjo; a bit from Molly Tuttle:

https://youtu.be/xed8z2ue-sE

For me, its these boys.

http://i.imgur.com/aWNd8Ejl.jpg

The mountain dulcimer is a very nice alternative.

Banjo, yes. Banjitar, yes. Dulcimer, yes. Mandolin, yes. Bass guitar, yes. Hand drums, yes. It's all fun and a great way to switch things up and not get too bored.

I have a lot of doldrums therapy, or to be quite frank, distractions from guitar. It was mandolin first, than banjo, than ukulele, than piano/keyboards, and now I am eyeing a pedal steel.

I agree that clawhammer banjo is a fantastic way to go as a soloist and you will be surprised how much you can do on your own and how many ways you can apply it. Molly Tuttle has applied her clawhammer banjo technique to her guitar playing and it is pretty awesome.

I will warn you that you don't just "pick up" the fiddle like you would another instrument. Bowed instruments are entirely a beast unto themselves, and nothing you know (besides musical theory) will cross over to help you learn. I have been tinkering with fiddle for a year or so but have a long ways to go. My daughter is learning suzuki so I am learning with her on my own.

But congrats on the Banjo playing. Learning old fiddle tunes is fun and clawhammer is mesmerizing.

Clawhammer banjo for me. I am woefully bad at it but it is great to mix it up and gives me ideas for the guitar that I may not have explored. And, I would probably like to try to play octave mandolin if I had one.

Best,
Jayne

I locked my banjo in the car when I went into Burger King for a bite to eat and when I came out the car's side window was broken and there was now another banjo along with mine on my back seat! :D

Violin was my first instrument, as I moved through the orchestra and ended up on bassoon. When I joined the folk music folks, I started with autoharp, then 5-string banjo (Earl Scruggs' "How To Play The 5-String Banjo" is still the best for learning bluegrass), then 12-string guitar and finally six-string guitar.

The band I'm in keeps my music expanding. It's pretty eclectic: country, folk, light rock, old jazz, gospel, bluegrass - basically anything acoustic. I play mostly 6, 12 and banjo, but occasionally take turns on bass and mando, and even a snare drum. My classical background comes into play when we do Duelin Banjos: my "intro" fills responding to the guitarist include a bit of Jesu Joy, Lara's Theme and Star Wars.

5-String Banjo Therapy For Guitar Doldrums!
 

If I could get my ring finger to roll properly, I'd also be playing banjo Scruggs style. I like it. It's fun spices things up. I'm only able to get the thumb and two fingers to roll. It sounds OK. I probably just need to get a 5 string resonator banjo and work it out.

Plus, in folk and bluegrass circles, everyone asks you to sit in when you have the banjo. They certainly don't need another old dude on Martin D28 banging away.

LOL. Best response.