How to Play the Banjo

Posted on May 19th, 2009 by Marck

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Whether you play folk, country, bluegrass, or traditional Celtic music, the banjo is a very interesting instrument to play and to listen to. Banjos give a very crisp sound to folk music ensembles that blend well with guitars and percussion instruments. If you want to learn how to play the banjo, here’s a quick guide to show you how.

Kinds of Banjos

The banjo is one of the many stringed instruments used in traditional and folk music. banjo playing The crisp, clear sound of strummed or plucked banjo strings are also often used in other genres of music, like rock and jazz. Banjos were developed by Africans forced into slavery, based on instruments they used back in their homeland. While banjos are traditionally associated with the music of the American South, the instrument is also a prominent feature of Irish music.

There are two common kinds of banjos:

The five-string banjo is the most popular type of banjo, and is almost always played with the bare hands. The player usually manipulates only four strings of the instrument, while one acts as a “dead string” to give the piece resonance and depth.
The four-string banjo is a type of banjo that is sometimes played with a pick. The four-string banjo is not commonly used in blues, bluegrass, and Southern music, but is often used in traditional Irish folk music.

Rolls and Plucks

Banjos are usually played with the bare hands. If you know how to play a bass or folk guitar, you already have the skills needed to play the banjo. Here are some essential techniques that you should use to play the banjo properly:

Rolling is a technique that is similar to a guitar strum. The thumbs, index fingers, and middle fingers of both hands are used for forward and backward rolls. Rolls create the sharp, crisp, fast-paced tunes that you hear during a banjo solo. The fingers and knuckles are used during banjo rolls.
Plucking with a banjo is very similar to folk and electric guitar. Plucking individual strings, coupled with tuning its pitch using the fretboard, can be done wither with bare fingers or a pick.

Play It By Ear

While there are many books and online resources that teach banjo tablature, the best way to learn how to play a banjo is to listen to banjo music. Concerts, recitals, or even recorded music can help you play the music by ear. Recorded banjo music is especially useful, because you can tune and play the banjo to the sample of music you want to play. As soon as you get the hang of when to roll and when to pluck, you can start to make your own pieces.

Playing a banjo is not as difficult as it sounds. With these tips, you can be skilled enough to perform at a recital, a small concert, or even a small gathering of family and friends.