paula - Posted - 03/09/2008:  13:21:00

---

Could someone please explain the playing technique with 4 strings vs. 5 strings? Differences? Similarities?

Thanks in advance,

Paula

rwkuta - Posted - 03/09/2008:  13:29:45

---

4 strings are usually plucked or strummed with a single pick or fingers............while 5 string is usually .......................played with two fingers with picks on them and a thumb with a pick on it..............or its played clawhammer, again two fingers and a thumb with no pics.

"Obsession is a great subsitute for talent" Steve Martin
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists...5033&alid=-1

bobdenver1961 - Posted - 03/09/2008:  13:30:31

---

Here is a good example of a tenor banjo being played.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyJHVDll9HM


Bob

"Earl if you are going to pick, pick something that has a tune to it" ...

paula - Posted - 03/09/2008:  13:34:25

---

HEY! WOW!

Thank you for that!! Great sond and video clip. Is there a lot of that on line!! How can I find more?

Paula

cockneybanjo - Posted - 03/09/2008:  13:47:43

---

4-string is usually, although not always, an accompanying instrument whereas 5-string is often played as a lead or solo instrument. The respective tunings are quite different

backtothefuture - Posted - 03/09/2008:  14:13:56

---

Paula. I've played guitar all my life (and not well, but well enough to please me). I picked up the banjo-uke (a 4 string instrument tuned similar to a guitar). I started playing.

Due to the curiosity, influence, badgering of the wonderful members of the BHO........I took up the tenor.

Being lazy, I tuned it to what is called "Chicago style." This is like the tuning of the first 4 strings of the guitar. As for style and method of playing? I play it mostly as accompaniment, but can play a solo here and there. I use a thumb pick and a National finger pick on my first finger.

If you want to hear two of my songs that I wrote and recorded, click the link below and listen the The Banjo Hangout and the Banjo Buddy. They are both done in different styles. What's the style? Ummm.....maybe backtothefuture style.....LOL...I don't really know. I just play so it sounds good to MY ear and hope that others might enjoy it, too.

Paula, you can make yourself sick over the prices of instruments, and you can make yourself even SICKER by listening to the virtuosos. Just make some music...even if it's Mary Had a Little Lamb, and then embellish upon it. You will get to love your instrument, even if it's an old $72 tenor, like I have.

BTW....I am now entering into the Twilight Zone, like you, all over again. This Friday, I will be receiving my first 5 string. I will be playing Mary Had A Little Lamb, too for a while.

Good luck, and make some nice music today !!!


Dennis

Hear my new songs "Elsie's Rag" (a new piano rag) & "Banjo Buddy". http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...asp?id=20214

---

Edited by - backtothefuture on 03/09/2008 14:16:21

Tyri - Posted - 03/09/2008:  16:13:34

---

"....I am now entering into the Twilight Zone, like you, all over again. This Friday, I will be receiving my first 5 string. I will be playing Mary Had A Little Lamb, too for a while."

Best of fortune in your musical travels, friend Dennis. Just a sugestion: Maybe leven it with a little Proud Mary!

Keep on Rockin'!

-Brywn

Gran Tyhri's favorite Scot

backtothefuture - Posted - 03/09/2008:  16:45:13

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tyri

"....I am now entering into the Twilight Zone, like you, all over again. This Friday, I will be receiving my first 5 string. I will be playing Mary Had A Little Lamb, too for a while."

Best of fortune in your musical travels, friend Dennis. Just a sugestion: Maybe leven it with a little Proud Mary!

Keep on Rockin'!

-Brywn

Gran Tyhri's favorite Scot

---

Excellent ! And thank you, Brywn .

Paula, you see there is lots of support here for you. And....if you are lucky... you will find yourself inspired....like me....which is something that drives not only my music, but my LIFE.


Dennis

Hear my new songs "Elsie's Rag" (a new piano rag) & "Banjo Buddy". http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...asp?id=20214

Bird Dog - Posted - 03/09/2008:  16:45:40

---

All this refers to the tenor banjo. It should be noted that there is another form of 4-string, the plectrum banjo, which is tuned like a 5-string minus the 5th string.

Robin

diarmaid - Posted - 03/09/2008:  17:17:49

---

the four string banjos (tenor and plectrum) are more normally associated with jazz, dixieland, and irish music..among others.in dixieland and other jazz styles the tenor and plectrum are predominantly (though certainly not exclusively) used to play chords, very rhythmically and percussively...Harry Reserhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSk07z5Akfs and Eddie Peabody http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3XrFvU2Pn0 were among the greatest in these styles of all time, on both tenor and plectrum... modern masters of these styles include: Buddy Wachter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSh487k1f34
and Ken Aoki http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jteG3OgGvw

in celtic music the tenor banjo is the type most commonly played, pretty much exclusively as a lead (melody instrument) and full chords are barely ever heard in irish banjo playing, its more often played single string at a time with lots of ornamentation, (though in celtic music almost all instruments are lead instruments!). some of the greatest irish tenor banjo players include gerry o connor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMBjaif1b3Q and cathal hayden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vwcCI5ksyk

www.banjomafia.com check it out!

---

Edited by - diarmaid on 03/09/2008 17:25:16

tenorbanjopat - Posted - 03/09/2008:  17:43:37

---

I only recently started "fiddling" with a tenor (4-string) banjo, and I love the darned thing. Here are the essential differences as I understand them.

5-String: Played using finger picks
Tenor: Strummed or played "plectrum-style"

5-String: Used primarily for the bluegrass style
Tenor: Used primarily for old-style jazz/dixieland OR for traditional irish music

5-String: Typically tuned DBGD-G
Tenor: Typically strings tuned 5th apart: EADG (Irish), CGDA (dixieland)


"Banjo" Pat

backtothefuture - Posted - 03/09/2008:  19:26:23

---

Pat....welcome to the BHO. Make yourself at home.

I agree with your "typical" and "primarily" statements, but rememeber.. there are no RULES. YOU make the rules and you can change the rules whenever you feel like it. I assume you saw my post, above, with my alternate tuning and the finger picks.

Happy strumming or pickin', but just let that great instrument of yours make music. You'll find what you want eventually.


Dennis

Hear my new songs "Elsie's Rag" (a new piano rag) & "Banjo Buddy". http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...asp?id=20214

Dogface - Posted - 03/10/2008:  23:55:26

---

Here's another You Tube clip of great tenor work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sjjV0iQUTg


Thanks,
Mark

If there are no dogs in heaven then when I die I want to go where they went...

Will Rogers

raverys12 - Posted - 03/11/2008:  08:00:59

---

These are all interesting comments .. I myself have been playing 5 sting for the past year and a half and enjoy it a lot. I have found though that with a group here where I live ... It doesnt fit. Tenor would work a lot better with the music they play ... so .. I have taken an interest in following up learning the Tenor. I tried Clawhammer .. real problem without nails and even when they grow in, just dont hold up. So it will be interesting I think to learn Tenor ... The Hangout is always a good place to get support .. Later, Bob

rwkuta - Posted - 03/11/2008:  17:02:26

---

Udo Jagers you ROCK.I had no idea.

"Obsession is a great subsitute for talent" Steve Martin
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists...5033&alid=-1

supah_g - Posted - 03/11/2008:  21:31:22

---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFU_sTIMrm8 Here's another good'n, from Canada eh

cheers,
g.

Dogface - Posted - 03/11/2008:  22:12:57

---

On all these You Tube vids of tenor stuff you see Gene Sheldon listed to the right in 'other videos'. He was king of mime/comedy/tenor banjo and was a real treat on variety shows in the 50's and early 60's.....Perry Como, Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason. Check out one of his. You can even do a You Tube search for him and find several. Neat old stuff.

Thanks,
Mark

If there are no dogs in heaven then when I die I want to go where they went...

Will Rogers

saloonatick - Posted - 03/11/2008:  22:41:26

---

Hey thanks for those great vidio links of the tenors you guys. Amazing stuff.

Plectrum Banjoist - Posted - 03/12/2008:  10:12:23

---

I use a Vega plectrum tuned Chicago-style to play old pop music from 1900-1950 or so. Also to play Hollywood cowboy music. I play with a flat pick. It works great and sounds (and feels) good.

Marc L. Bordelon

Dogface - Posted - 03/13/2008:  23:11:25

---

Here's yet another video link of great mando-banjo and guitar in some rag time. These guys are GOOD....absolutely perfect time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9EB...ture=related


Thanks,
Mark

If there are no dogs in heaven then when I die I want to go where they went...

Will Rogers

bluemule_77 - Posted - 03/14/2008:  01:16:00

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by tenorbanjopat



5-String: Played using finger picks

5-String: Used primarily for the bluegrass style

5-String: Typically tuned DBGD-G

"Banjo" Pat

---

Pat,

Not really so. The 5-string is also played in clawhammer and old-time finger picking styles that don't involve picks, are not bluegrass, and use a number of other tunings with gCGCD being pretty darned common.

For Paula: Clawhammer (AKA "frailing") is a downpicking style (as opposed to upward finger picking) where the back of one fingernail is used to play notes on downbeats and the upbeats are played either with a thumb, or a left-hand technique like a slide or pull-off or hammer-on. The 5th string is only thumbed and never downpicked.

Example: http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...tID=2&id=725

BM