Got one for Christmas and learned most of the songs in the Banjo Method Book I got with it. After a month getting the gist of it, I'd like to play other songs besides the same 20. So, if you guys have any suggestions for the 5 string throw em my way. Any genre really. I will also accept hillbilly rhetoric but mostly I wanted to keep this music based. Suggesting the tune from Deliverance is like yelling Freebird. Something not so obvious please.
post by eye-gore at Jan 25,2013 3:16pm edited Jan 25,2013 3:19pm
Sounds like you're talking about three-finger picking, basic bluegrass banjo? I just play clawhammer these days (because bluegrass was fucking up my hand) but if you let us know what sort of speed/complexity you're looking at I can throw some bluegrass suggestions your way.
Oh man, and if we're gonna make "Dueling Banjos" jokes you gotta check out the original version by Don Reno in the 50s. I don't know if your book covers Reno, but he's one of the immortal greats, and doesn't really sound like anyone else before or since.
Yes Snowden, three finger picking is the overall basis of what I've learned so far. But I'm trying to step away from the typical bluegrass style and learn some older country/folk. I honestly don't know the speed I play at but generally pick it up at a quick pace after a couple times through. Probably at intermediate. I'm no Ken Perlman. I'll check out Don Reno tho as I've been exhausting Scruggs, Tony Trishka, Hank Williams, Pete Seeger, and Bela Fleck.
post by DYA is PINGER FICKIN' at Jan 29,2013 9:57am
Sweeney's Men (Irish string band) playing an English ballad by way of the Appalachians. (Pretty sure it's Terry Woods here, later of the Pogues.)
Yes Snowden, three finger picking is the overall basis of what I've learned so far. But I'm trying to step away from the typical bluegrass style and learn some older country/folk. I honestly don't know the speed I play at but generally pick it up at a quick pace after a couple times through. Probably at intermediate. I'm no Ken Perlman. I'll check out Don Reno tho as I've been exhausting Scruggs, Tony Trishka, Hank Williams, Pete Seeger, and Bela Fleck.
I'll post a few people but I'm just sort of grabbing particular songs off the top of my head.
Bill Keith - Masshole who just up and invented a totally unique style of 3-finger picking. Initially his thing was doing melodic adaptations of fiddle tunes, such as
Doug Dillard - one of my favorite banjo players. In the same record he'll go from playing low-key clawhammer to brutal bluegrass shredding to something just goofy like this.
Lily May Ledford - another of my favorite banjo players, although she's more of a clawhammer player usually. This is her doing pretty much the same song as in that Dock Boggs video, but it's not the version I was looking for. The one from the Coon Creek Girls LP is better and might be my favorite version of "Sugar Babe"/"Red Rocking Chair"/etc. ever.
Thanks for posting that Sweeney's Men song, DYA. I'm gonna try and check them out! When I was still playing 3-finger I'd sometimes try to arrange Irish songs that way, it was fun but weird.
One more thing: for banjo, Mike Seeger is the one to watch. The New Lost City Ramblers had some good banjo tunes, but he also put out some great solo records. I'm thinking specifically "Southern Banjo Styles."
post by DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ at Jan 29,2013 1:12pm
Thanks for posting that Sweeney's Men song, DYA. I'm gonna try and check them out! When I was still playing 3-finger I'd sometimes try to arrange Irish songs that way, it was fun but weird.
It's pretty much a straight mountain arrangement, although (like most mountain songs) the tune originated with an English ballad.
Also, speaking of Seegers, anybody getting serious about the banjo should have access to Pete Seeger's book on the subject. (Fun fact: Seeger wrote the first banjo book, and was pretty much responsible for the modern use of tablature in the process.)
Pete Seeger revitalized my interest in the banjo, aside from being intrigued by any instrument I know little about. Thank you for the suggestions. That should keep me busy for a while.
If you like Pete Seeger, seriously check out Mike Seeger. Pete's book has a lot of character but he covers so much ground so superficially. Mike gets way more in depth - take a look at "Old Time Banjo Styles" and "Southern Banjo Styles."
