Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.

Check out our 2023 Group Christmas Project HERE

AAA
Avatar
Please consider registering
guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed Topic RSSsp_TopicIcon
Banjos go GREAT With the Fiddle!
Many Styles of Playing!
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (27 votes) 
Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
April 19, 2022 - 5:35 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7894
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I'm getting ready to start learning the 5-string banjo - since there are several 'styles' of playing, I've been checking them out! 

Originally I figured I'd just tune it like my 5-string Violin & Viola, strum some chords & pick a little, but there's so many great techniques - I need to learn more about them! 

I've checked out 'Clawhammer' & 'Round Peak' styles, but @damfino just introduced fiddler/banjo player, Aaron Jonah Lewis in the Ragtime & Swing on The Fiddle Thread  He plays mostly 'Classic Fingerstyle'  which I don't think is very common, nowadays. 

Aaron's got a CD with some really great banjo tunes & daily exercises on it, "Mozart of The Banjo: the Joe Morley Project"

Mozart of the Banjo: The Joe Morley Project - Aaron Jonah Lewis

This is NOT a 'Concert', but a GREAT presentation of some banjo history, playing Fiddle & Banjo at the Hamtramck Public Library! 

 

As a banjoist, Lewis explores some interesting veins in the roots of Old Time, Bluegrass, Ragtime and Jazz music through their newest recording, “Mozart of the Banjo: The Joe Morley Project.” This project is devoted to the music of the great English prodigy and virtuoso composer Joe Morley (1867-1937), who wrote a significant body of great banjo pieces in a technique that people today call “classic fingerstyle.” 

One tune NOT on the playlist, "Frog Legs Rag" from this last January in Detroit!

 

 

I am totally fascinated by his Tutorial for, "Cindy", in Pete Seeger's style!  See his original performance at his YouTube Channel - and more video lessons, too!

 

 

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f9/a2/9c/f9a29c77f632498f0a3e1f2005bc1e95--musicians-funny-cats.jpg

 

How many of you Fiddlers out there are also playing the banjo? 

- Emily

Avatar
damfino
my own little world
Members

Regulars
April 19, 2022 - 7:22 pm
Member Since: July 23, 2015
Forum Posts: 2113
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Also check out We Banjo 3 for more fiddle/banjo goodness. I’d pick one video to share, but they are all too good, lol. Fergal Scahill is the amazing fiddler, and his brother Enda is the banjo player. They both put out a lot of content on their own individual YouTube channels. 

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆

Avatar
damfino
my own little world
Members

Regulars
April 19, 2022 - 9:24 pm
Member Since: July 23, 2015
Forum Posts: 2113
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Ok, I lied, here is one clip of Fergal and Enda playing together, and then I’ll put one of the whole band after:

 

 

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 2:01 am
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

in the last month or so i discovered Eden and Lukas Pools channel.  Ozark Mountain Banjo

for Irish tenor and fiddle..Dulahan Ireland

Fergal's channel is a favorite also

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 3:05 am
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7894
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I know ABitRusty is learning clawhammer, and stringy said he played banjo. 

So, @damfino - are you currently playing/learning?  If so, what style?

Thanks for the videos!

Avatar
stringy
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 5:24 am
Member Since: August 23, 2020
Forum Posts: 2045
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

https://youtu.be/Gk_9Uo2eIpo

A lot of people, me included think this fellow is the best tenor banjo player in. Ireland.

I play tenor and five string Scruggs style, I actually posted a vid on here somewhere of me playing tenor.

Avatar
damfino
my own little world
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 10:50 am
Member Since: July 23, 2015
Forum Posts: 2113
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@ELCBK No, not learning, just have always liked the sound of the banjo. I have a little banjo-uke of my great grandfathers that I noodle with, tuned like a Ukulele, sounds like a banjo. Enda has a lot of banjo tutorials, if I wasn’t unemployed I would pay the fee to watch a few just out of musical curiosity.

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 12:12 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

so where theres banjo talk...there always is shortly thereafter  banjo jokes... so

Know why there arent banjos on star trek? 

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 12:58 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7894
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

...no banjos in the future?

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 2:17 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
10sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

ABitRusty said
so where theres banjo talk...there always is shortly thereafter  banjo jokes... so

Know why there arent banjos on star trek? 

  

Its the future.  😔

sry..these can be deleted   

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 2:34 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
11sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

banjo and fiddle online jam kinda video.  tunes are slow and audio great.

Avatar
damfino
my own little world
Members

Regulars
April 20, 2022 - 6:08 pm
Member Since: July 23, 2015
Forum Posts: 2113
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
12sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

More fiddle + banjo goodness, this time the East Pointers (the banjo player sadly recently passed away, such a talented dude)

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 1:26 am
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7894
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@ABitRusty , @stringy , @damfino -

Thanks for all the wonderful examples!  

If anyone knows of someone playing a combination of banjo styles in a tune, please let me know.

I've only found 1 example so far, fingerstyle & clawhammer in one tune - by Aaron Jonah Lewis (in my OP). 

Bela Fleck says he can't learn to do both - why he plays '3 fingerstyle' and his wife plays 'Round Peak' style, but saw this video (by Jack Beuthin) that claims that both of the '2' fingerstyles & clawhammer are part of a "2 Finger Spectrum"... so, I need to look at this closer - think it's about how you see the similarities & differences.

 

 

I like the 'Round Peak' style, with it's slides, but then I'd really like to play like Ben Eldridge (of Seldom Scene)! 

LOVE "Appalachian Rain", by Paul Craft - performed by Ben! 

 

 

 

- Emily

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 12:07 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
14sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

if round peak what youre aiming for ...is this a good one to study?

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 12:46 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3930
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

The Adam Hurt episode of Matt Browns RELAX YOUR GRID podcast, Matt and Adam both highly recommend this book.

Mel Bay

You may want to experiment with getting a solid bum ditty first and be able to hit individual strings with right hand.. either way.. great book.  lots of tabs in the style

Also...the Brad Kolondner lesson on this years SUNDAY fiddle hell is a good video.  He uses waterbound as the tune.

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 4:15 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7894
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@ABitRusty -

Actually... got "Sally in The Garden" on my mind, but think I'll be trying some "Up-Stroke, Up-Picking, Seeger Style", first.  

I don't want to be stuck in one style, because I did see a few more examples of using 2 Fingerstyle & Clawhammer together - I like it.  Also been thinking it may not be a bad idea for me to consider nylon strings until I get better at this. 😊  ...yeah, I'm a wimp.  Had metal strings on my ukulele & may be part of the reason I set it aside.  

I'm definitely NOT keen on this type of singing - maybe the kids will want to have a go at singing while I play. 🙄

 

Real shame this audio isn't sync'd in this video - Jeff Norman on Banjo, Molly McBride on fiddle. 

   

Many great examples of "Sally in The Garden" - especially enjoy Brandi Waller-Pace playing it, but here's a tutorial!

Janet Burton Tutorial 

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/68/22/e4/6822e4a5836c2e1784e94d8eddad8206.jpg

 

I know if I don't start right off working on something I really like, I'll loose ALL motivation, but still have some viola recordings to do first.

...so, I'll be busy for a while, but at least I have a plan now!

Thanks, Y'all!

- Emily

Avatar
Gordon Shumway
London, England
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 5:23 pm
Member Since: August 1, 2016
Forum Posts: 2447
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
17sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Have I posted this before?

Andrew

Avatar
JohnG
Greater Chicagoland
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 5:29 pm
Member Since: April 16, 2021
Forum Posts: 1591
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
18sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Haven't seen that before, and I'd remember how depressed it can make me feel when I compare how I play versus these kids!

The old curmudgeon!

Avatar
stringy
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 5:36 pm
Member Since: August 23, 2020
Forum Posts: 2045
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
19sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Looked for a second or two that the kid on fiddle had ten fingers on one hand, actually, maybe he did, one things for sure they all prob started playing about 5 minutes after they were born.

Avatar
stringy
Members

Regulars
April 21, 2022 - 5:37 pm
Member Since: August 23, 2020
Forum Posts: 2045
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
20sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

John dont worry, they are probably in the musicians union, that makes all the difference lol

Forum Timezone: America/New_York
Most Users Ever Online: 696
Currently Online: Mouse, wanderviolin
Guest(s) 49
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Members Birthdays
sp_BirthdayIcon
Today None
Upcoming PaTooDoNaLD, Almandin, fryserisnon8, Picklefish, Tammy, Violinista Italiano, sus49, Ogre, djroger, marcnaz, Cleverpun, VirginViolinist, Cearbhael, The Modesto Kid, Burnett393, eugenephilip572
Top Posters:
ELCBK: 7894
ABitRusty: 3930
Mad_Wed: 2849
Barry: 2690
Fiddlestix: 2647
Gordon Shumway: 2447
Oliver: 2439
DanielB: 2379
Mark: 2163
damfino: 2113
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 3
Members: 31686
Moderators: 0
Admins: 7
Forum Stats:
Groups: 16
Forums: 82
Topics: 10618
Posts: 134581
Newest Members:
tonyhoss, [email protected], Thug, eugenephilip572, tmcamil58, wsharek, Skogsra, Cylena, adamfrank, Magdalena Paz
Administrators: Fiddlerman: 16435, KindaScratchy: 1760, coolpinkone: 4180, BillyG: 3744, MrsFiddlerman: 2, Jimmie Bjorling: 0, Mouse: 5393