Thread: Banjo advice?
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Old 01-10-2017, 09:04 AM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cu4life7 View Post
...For me, the 5 string with the drone string is what makes the banjo unique and makes it sound banjo-ee to me. Plus, with uke you will already be familiar with re-entrant tuning...
A couple points:
  • "Banjo" can mean different things to different people. and while 5-string is unquestionably the standard for bluegrass/clawhammer/classical you're not likely to see one in a Dixieland/trad-jazz band or at most Irish seisiuns. FWIW 4-string banjos have a rich history dating back to the first decade of the 20th century, and many of these earlier instruments are highly sought-after by players in specific genres - I have a circa-1920 openback Weymann that I keep in Irish GDAE tuning for when the need arises, and a couple of companies produce replica period tenors for those who can't locate/afford one of the prized originals...
  • Not all uke tunings are re-entrant; in addition to the standard DGBE baritone, drop-G tenor (GCEA, like a baritone capoed at the fifth fret) has been in common use since the early 1920's, and dedicated string sets are readily available from the uke-specialist dealers. Interestingly enough, drop-G was adopted not only to provide extended range but to allow uke players to make the transition to tenor banjo, much as "Chicago" DGBE would for guitarists moving to tenor/plectrum instruments - same chord names/fingerings, and a handy way to make a few bucks with live jazz music in great demand in the speakeasy clubs. Unfortunately, with the adoption of the archtop guitar as the preferred Big Band rhythm instrument these alternate tunings were all but forgotten; I first learned about uke-tuned tenor from Chuck Romanoff of Schooner Fare, and TMK he's the only proponent using it on a professional level today - as I said, very effective for the chanteys and traditional Irish tunes that constitute much of their repertoire...
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