Banjo Basics

Even though Banjo Basics was originally designed to be a companion to the tune book, 50 Tunes for Banjo, it has become a stand-alone Bluegrass banjo technique book. You can use Banjo Basics to learn the basics of Bluegrass banjo playing. As you work your way through the book you will find exercises and tunes. The tunes include chordal accompaniment and melodies. The melodies are all based on specific rolling patterns. What is a rolling pattern? Bluegrass banjo style is one where the banjo player places finger picks the right-hand pointer and index fingers, and on the thumb. Those three fingers maneuver in patterns as they pluck the banjo’s 5 strings. Within those rolling patterns are bits of melodies. Because Bluegrass banjo style emphasizes the rolling patterns of the right hand, melodies are incomplete when compared to a fiddler playing a melody on the fiddle. The rolling pattern sound is what has made Bluegrass banjo style a fun and exciting sound to millions of people since the 1940s.

For more information about Banjo Basics and 50 Tunes for Banjo continue reading.

The tunes in the 50 Tunes for Banjo book are primarily Bluegrass and Melodic banjo styles. The Banjo Basics book specifically trains the beginning banjo player to understand rolling patterns, chords, accompaniment, and fingering as needed to play Bluegrass-style tunes. The tunes NOT covered by Banjo Basics are those that are presented in the Melodic-style of banjo playing. Melodic-style banjo is a highly advanced manner of playing tunes on the banjo. Rather than presenting melodies that are restricted to right-hand rolling patterns, Melodic-style breaks up standard rolling patterns in order to preserve more of the melody. Thus, Bluegrass banjo style focuses less on the melody and more on rolling patterns, while Melodic banjo style focuses more on the intricacies of the melody and less on consistent rolling patterns.

If you wish to purchase the 50 Tunes for Banjo book, you can do so either online or at your local music store. If your local music store does not have the book in stock, they will order it for you as per your request. If you wish to purchase the book online you can find it by searching for 50 Tunes for Banjo. The 50 Tunes for Banjo book is published by Mel Bay Publications. The cover of the book is shown below. Scroll down to access and download audio files.