Question Hi Jim
I bought a used banjo,its a 'Degas'(lower end model I think) and it came with a book 'Earl Scruggs and the Five String Banjo.
I changed the strings and tightened things up which helped,but it still sounds a bit 'off'.
Should I move the bridge or set the strings different?
I am at the point where I have the basic idea of forward roll in open tuning,etc. I sound OK as I play guitar so I picked it up pretty easy.
Being able to play the 'good stuff' like 'Ballad of Jed Clampett' and 'Theme from Deliverance' is what I am aiming for,but at this point that stuff seems pretty daunting..
I would also like to play some of the Irish banjo stuff.
Ever heard of Ryans Fancy? An Irish/Canadian threesome.
I'm not really looking to hang out with any other pickers,but I have some buddies that play guitar and sitting around a fire entertaing folks is kind of what I'm shooting at.
Any ideas appreciated!
Answer Hi Barry,
Congratulations on your new banjo. I'm not familiar with that particular brand, but if it's in solid shape you ought to be able to get in standard G tuning. By the way, I'm presuming that what you have is a five string banjo. I'd recommend buying an inexpensive electronic tuner to see whether you've actually got the banjo tuned correctly. To check bridge placement, be sure that you're getting the same note when you pluck an open string and then the same string fretted at the 12th fret. If the intonation is off, there may be a problem with the neck. Having this checked at your local high quality music store is worth the trouble, in my opinion.
Hang on the Scruggs book, but realize that it is quite advanced stuff. Recommend that you look for the fine instructional materials available through www.elderly.com. Also recommend that you subscribe to The Banjo Newsletter, which has instructional stuff at all levels each month. It's a real bargain and one of my favorite music publications.
Most Irish banjo is played on a 4 string, 17 fret instrument that is a totally different animal than a Scruggs style banjo. But maybe you already know this. Also, aside from Scruggs style 5 string playing, there are other styles as well, including the clawhammer/frailing style that uses no picks and is a downpicking-only method (this is the style I personally use most of the time).
