Tenor Banjo (and tenor guitar) From Scratch - Lesson 1 

Ha ha, it's as good a reason as any!

Thank you. Yes, it puzzled me when I was a beginner (all those years ago), it's just one of those assumptions that is made, and then almost every book, etc. fails to mention it!

Thank you!

Don't worry, it'll come! Yes, the bridge is set in exactly the same way. A good rough guide is to measure from the nut to the 12th fret, the measure the same distance from the 12th fret to the bridge. It might take a little adjusting to get exactly right, but that will put you pretty close.

Hi, They're not really cheap (but banjos can be pretty expensive!), but I highly recommend the one I'm playing in the video. They're around £450 in the UK but they crop up second hand now and again. It's a Deering Goodtime 17 fret tenor. They're well made, play well and the slightly shorter neck than many of the models mean that the string tension is a little lighter and the stretches a little easier! Cheers, Phil

Hi Alice, I use these gauges www.eaglemusicshop.com/light-jazz-tenor-banjo-strings?pv=7353

@Paul Harrison thank you very much Paul. Will have a look at the Ashbury ones. As I am just starting...don't want to go crazy.

Thanks! Absolutely, hopefully this will be weekly.

Hi, Mine is a 17 fret. Lots of people play CGDA on a 19 fret, but that A string can get awfully tight and close to breaking point on a 19 fret. If it's a brighter tone you are after then something with a metal tone ring might help (the Goodtime 'Special' models have one, and they have a resonator too).

@@PhilDoleman Thanks for the prompt reply, Phil. I believe the 17-fret will be the scale length for me. As for the tone ring, I'll give it some thought. I have an old Gibson 5-string with a tone ring that is really loud, even with an open back. I like the sound you're getting.

HI Penny, Definitely a 5 string for bluegrass, the four string tenor really doesn't lend itself to fingerpicking. Those big old resonator banjos weight a ton, though! I play a Deering Goodtime open back 5 string which is about as light as a 5 string banjo can get (and they actually make a 'junior version' which has a shorter neck). Whilst fingerpicks are traditional for bluegrass, there are lots of banjo players who don't use them. All the best, Phil

@@PhilDoleman Oh thank you for responding Phil, that’s really helpful. I’m still persevering with my baritone ukulele, even though switching back and forward does my head in. Hopefully it’ll keep Alzheimer’s at bay🤪🤪🌷

They come in two sizes, 17 and 19 fret. Personally I'm a fan of the slightly shorter scale, but you might like the 19 fret. I love my Deering Goodtime, it's light, sounds great and they are relatively inexpensive, certainly for a US made banjo. Have a look at Gold Tone banjos too. I depends where in the world you are- if you're in the UK, andybanjo.com and Eagle Music are the places to look.

Ah, I see what's happened. The open string is the NOTE of G, but the last shape I showed was the CHORD of G. It is confusing that notes and chords use the same letters! The chord of G contains the note of G, but other notes as well. Thank you!

It's above. If you capo at fret 5 you've got my tuning!

Absolutely, just string it upside down and away you go! You'd most likely need to have a new nut recut to get the slots the right size, but other than that, no problem.

OK, so the first question is are you left handed? If not, a left handed banjo can be restrung upside down and played as a right handed one. If you are left handed, the best thing to do is treat this video as if you are looking in a mirror. You'll need to get used to reversing chord diagrams, to begin with you could draw them out yourself, but personally I think you are better off in the long term getting used to doing that in your head rather than writing them all out backwards, as you'll end up having to do it for every single chord diagram you come across. The good news is that tablature, if you find that online in or books, works exactly the same way for left or right handed people.

Yes, in fact Aquia make a set for this tuning for concert uke (set 31U).

The first string in CGDA tuning is really tight. Your banjobis ability lobfer than mine, so it'll be even tighter for you. If there are any rough spots on the tailpiece, nut, bridge or tuning pegs it can cause it to break. A heavier string doesn't really help as, although it's stronger, the tension will be even higher.

I think my tailpiece may have been to tight so will try again many thanks for the reply

Hi John, I do have a Patreon page, but at the moment it's only for ukulele, not tenor banjo. Right now these lessons on RU-vid are the only ones I have.

The scale length of a 5 string is too long to get that A string up to pitch without breaking, plus the stretches would be really big. However, a 5 string without the short string is a plectrum banjo! Common tunings are CGBD, DGBD or DGBE (same as the highest 4 strings of a guitar).

@@PhilDoleman Thanks mate, love you Chanel

@@PhilDoleman They are the tuning of a Baritone Uke. as well.

@@blueykoala2687 Cheers!

Pretty standard set of gauge 9s 9, 12, 20 (wound), 30 (wound). I like these... www.eaglemusicshop.com/light-jazz-tenor-banjo-strings?pv=7353

It's a Deering Goodtime 17 fret.

Keep following the lessons and you'll get to that really soon, but I believe in teaching what's going on rather than just 'here's a song, copy me'. If that's what you want, try this... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZqNS9hdrUPc.html