Mrs North has just hit me with a leftfield christmas request - a banjo.
She ought to know that a random request for a musical instrument is unlikely to bring long term playing satisfaction, but what the hell.
Yes, I do know all of this could be a big wind up/euphemism/eye-watering surprise for me....
don't forget that a banjo is for life, not just for christmas
Last year I found a litter of ukuleles stuffed in a bag by the canal on boxing day, still makes me shiver to think about it
Just watch out if she snaps the string...
(More seriously, Eagle Music Shop was where my missus bought both my banjo and mandolin. Both Ozark ones, not hugely expensive but decent enough to learn on)
Pyro - cheers.
Did you know anything about the instrument before you got one? Mrs North is a pianist, and has never played a stringed instrument (AFAIK - at least not in out 15 years together).
What else do I need?!!
I was a guitarist, then got a mandolin then the banjo - the latter are pretty similar so I kind of knew how to play already. Depends how she wants to learn, but I would reckon on banjo, a chord book or "for beginners" book and a few plectrums if she wants to play strummed rather than picked. Maybe a tuner. That's about it.
I play banjo. There, I said it.
It's a a source of great shame I know 
I think banjos are cool though, and of course, girls on banjos rank up there with girls on bikes.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVCd9CsRB70
Get her a good instructional book with dvd, maybe by Tony Trischka
She'll need a thumb pick and two metal finger picks to get her going. You can find good videos on youtube to get her playing quite quickly
Pyro - cheers.
It would have been good if she'd given me the out of nowhere request longer than a week before Christmas.
I'm convinced this will end up being an expensive piece of interior decoration, but ho hum.
What else do I need?!!
A tuner (or at least, know what the notes are so she can tune it to/from the piano).
A musician friend of mine boasts he has perfect pitch.
He can throw a banjo into a skip without it touching the sides.
You'll probably find that (if she's a competent pianist) she'll take to stringed instrument rather well; as building chords and the order of notes are the same as a piano. I only play guitar but have quite a few friends (who play the piano) that have picked a guitar up and in no time are playing some really nice pieces. Dam their skill!!
Cheapo alt' to buying an electronic tuner (if you have a smartphone) is to get a tuner app. Normally about £2
Just had a thought, she does want a 'bluegrass' style banjo and not a George Formby Uke-banjo or Trad Jazz style ?
Mrs North's deffo rusty on the piano. We don't own one - too much moving house - and she hasn't had a chance to play her parents' one for a while. But she was reasonably handy a few years ago.
OK, so we have a list of: banjo, book, dvd, picks and tuner.
What's the difference between open and closed back?
Is a 5-string western banjo the place to begin?
EDIT:
Just had a thought, she does want a 'bluegrass' style banjo and not a George Formby or Trad Jazz style ?
Dunno. Enlighten me..!
(I am appreciator of musicians' art and skill, but have no abilities of my own.)
Compare the earlier video (which is bluegrass style, played on a 'bluegrass/g-banjo) I put up to this, which is more related to dixieland jazz style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjgqS09FSKk&feature=related
I started on an open back banjo, which was great, as I could stuff a towel in the back to quieten it down a bit.
But a banjo with a resonator can be louder with good tone, you can still take it to bits to put a towel in if needed.
an expensive piece of interior decoration
You should have a word with BigDummy about what happened to his...
This is also the first tune I ever learned, but Billy is playing in what is known as 'clawhammer' style. I learned the bluegrass style which is thumb and 2 finger picking
.
No, but I can squeal like a pig.
And then of course there is the Irish flat picking style (four strings I think, no 5th drone string)
All depends which music she likes
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SmWUMJRIDo
Hope this is helpful and not adding to the confusion
try to get one with a geared tuner on the fifth string, rather than a friction one. theyre more expensive, but apparently are easier to tune properly.
being able to only have to play four strings means banjos are super easy, and fun to learn on. bluegrass finger picking ftw.
I prefer irish banjo myself,
Mrs B got me a Deering banjo for my 40th, it's ace fun. As a seasoned guitarist I'm finding I have to unlearn a lot and learn a lot if you see what I mean, but they are great fun and produce a great noise once you get a few rolls and pinches down.
I aspire to being 1/1000000 as good as these boys:
Some more great advice (except I don't want to know how BigDummy's wearing his, thanks Ed..!)
I bought one for the Father-in-Law a few years ago, from a guy who makes them in Hebden Bridge.
He built it from a liquorice allsorts tin,
very cool.
http://www.tinguitar.com
He built this for my brother too...
You must log in to post.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
