When I bought my instrument, I wasn't looking to play Irish music per se, but I did want to make some chords and create my own "compositions". This was helpful, so thank you.
I'm a 5 string Player who plays tunes in 2 finger thumb or index lead, and I did some research and found this guy Paul Roberts playing 2 finger thumb lead style on the Irish Tenor Banjo it was so mellow and so beautiful. One of these I'm gonna have to get an open back tenor banjo to play 2 finger that I learned from Paul Roberts.
I finally found out how the mandolin chords work. Thanks, not that easy to work out with most internet sheets showing the more complex variations and no mandolin tradition whatsoever in your country to learn from. Saved me much thinking and research. (I stick to guitar and base, mando is just a very cool toy,)
G'day from Australia! I used to play old-timey jazz on a 4-string tenor banjo, tuned C,G,B,D. Now, because I'm playing mainly guitar, I retuned my banjo to D.G.B.E, so I can use modified guitar chords on it, and all my guitar scales work too, of course. I also play ukulele, which I tune standard G,C,E,A. (=guitar 5th fret.) So far, so good. After watching your video, Peter, I am tempted to try tuning in 5ths. Fifths make for consistent interval patterns, I can see that. You make it look easy!
@@braxtonbourquin105 Not to worry, Aquila makes Soft Gauge Nylon Mandolin Strings which will not break as much becuse they're under really low tension.
Peter, I tried it, tuning G,D,A,E. How was it? ... I learned the I, IV, V7 chords very quickly, but ... what about the scales? I realized why the viola players wanted to carry their previous tuning over to banjo - the same reason I wanted to carry guitar tuning over!
Hi Jan. Tenor banjo is tuned in 5ths so it doesn't matter. The only reason it's tuned in GDAE is because you can play fiddle tunes easier. There's actually quite a few Irish tenor players that are in CGDA, myself included
The great Gerry O'Conner tunes to CGDA, I tune to GDAE, Both work for Irish music. But this teacher was playing a Jazz style and not Irish style. Jazz musicians usually tune to DGBE and use a plectrum banjo which has a longer neck.
Hello, curious if you can make a video on some basic beginning chords, G , D , E, A , etc.. I'm more of a visual learner not chord chart, if you have time.. Thanks :)
I'm just starting to play the tenor banjo. I would like to play it sounding like this guy's banjo, but I can't seem to get the tuning right. Just what is he tuning it to?
+Spooks G, D, A, E Referred to as "Irish Tenor Tuning". This tuning is also in fifths but is lower in pitch than the standard tenor tuning. This tuning is like a violin or mandolin, only one octave lower.
Hey guys, maybe you can help me: I just pulled out my old banjo and i wanted to try the GDAE Tuning. But I have the feeling, that my banjo would explode if i tune my first string on G. What is the worst thing that could happen? If its only the string which could die, i would give it a shot, but i am afraid of my whole banjo. Are there banjos which can only be tuned CGDA ? Thanks for the help and greetings from Germany.
Hi Peter, thx for the videos. Maybe I'm a little bit silly. I'm Violinist and want to begin playing Benjo. Which should I buy? Sorry... didn't get it. :-0
Heya If you're wanting to start playing Irish banjo get yourself a hold of a cheap 4 string and then have it tuned to CGDA or GDAE I find that C tuning gives the banjo a snappier tone while G is more of the typical Irish sound. Brand doesn't really make a difference. I have a Dixon tenor and a Gibson and to be perfectly honest prefer the Dixon more, (i bought it for like $200) don't let brand name fool you If you can play violin you're totally fine in reading the sheet. You've basically learned 3 instruments by learning violin. Hope this helps!
I play the fiddle a little and I notice the banjo seems easier to adapt to then the guitar . The guitar has weird scale patterns it seems compared to the fiddle.
+river jennings You could capo it up, but if you have a 5-string banjo, it is best if you use the plectrum style. All you have to do is mute the short 5th string and tune the low D to C.
What does this have to do with the Irish tenor banjo? Wrong tuning, no Irish music, poor right hand technique for Irish music (good for jazz, however.)
I don't understand. He says "if you're a mandolin player you already know". I play mandolin, in GDAE tuning, as is standard. Tenor banjo is DGBD standard. How is this the same thing?
Robert Paulson Barney McKenna introduced the GDAE tuning for the 4 string banjo in playing Irish music and it became more or less standard. As mandolins and violin are tuned the same, it makes sense he made that remark. Hope this helps.
I understand that mandolin and violin are the same tuning, that has nothing to do with it. And tenor banjo emulates the high 4 strings of a guitar, not the low four. WTF are you trying to tell me?
Robert Paulson that this guy's remark is valid. InIrish 4 string banjo it has become normal to tune in GDAE and not DGBE as you claim (highest four strings of the guitar). Not necessary to get upset if someone tries to help out...
A better title would be "Tenor Banjo in 'Irish" Tuning" as the "Ol' Timey Tuning" is the same as mandola, fifth below mandolin. Granted absolutely nothing would have changed fingering wise since the relative relationship between the two is the same.
This shouldn’t be called “how to play the irish tenor banjo” It’s a great tutorial on basic shapes for a tenor banjo (in standard tuning) used for ragtime, jazz etc. but in trad Irish music, tenor banjo is a played as a Melody instrument to play tunes as the fiddle or whistle might. There is nothing irish about this video
Hey here's an idea ! maybe you could show the people how to play a simple song like twinkle twinkle little star or happy birthday . Checkout TENOR BANJO TUTORIAL C TO G . In about 5 minutes I learned how to play 5 songs and I got my banjo yesterday . Do you actually think anyone is going to be able to play that chord you show as a beginner ? Checkout TENOR BANJO TUTORIAL and try to think of a SIMPLE song you can teach that can go from there . Thanks .
I don't know how this is supposed to be a tutorial on how to play Irish banjo. If you don't know how to play in the Irish style, why even waste people's time?
You owe me 2:56 of my life back. This supposedly "Irish tenor banjo" video, a) had no Irish music, and b) no mention of Barney McKenna, the greatest tenor banjo player the world has ever known. I call shenanigans.
In absolute terms you can play any banjo on any style, but in Irish music, the GDAE tenor banjo is the most used. And we rather play the melody. Once again, we do what we want, but his video is unfortunately neither representative nor relevant. Sorry but it is a waste of time.
This man is talented and knowledgable but i think he has no understanding of the music played on these. I mean its melody instrument in. Irish music this is not. I mean louis louis? Easy? We irish tenor players still get no respect
