#1
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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.
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Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 |
#4
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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!
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#5
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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...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#6
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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 Last edited by Rudy4; 07-30-2017 at 07:12 PM. |
#7
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For me, its these boys.
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#8
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The mountain dulcimer is a very nice alternative.
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#9
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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.
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https://www.mcmakinmusic.com |
#10
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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.
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My Therapy: Martin 000-18GE 1937 Sunburst MFG Martin 000-15 Kevin Enoch Tradesman Open Back Banjo Collings MT2-O Honey Amber Royce Burt #560 5-String Fiddle |
#11
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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 |
#12
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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!
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Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 Last edited by SpruceTop; 08-10-2017 at 10:27 AM. |
#13
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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.
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Martin D-35 Taylor 555 6 & 12 string Kinscherff High Noon (and a couple of banjos, autoharp, recorders...) |
#14
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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.
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"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |
#15
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LOL. Best response.
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"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |