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olderisbetter - Posted - 09/14/2009: 05:30:53
I am getting a tenor soon and would like to play some old time country and stringband tunes with it. Does anyone else use the tenor for this reason? I know a lot of people use them for jazz/dixieland and irish tunes but thats not so much my bag and i know they have been used in old country bands. uncle dave played one on certain recordings (anyone have any uncle dave tunes tabbed out for tenor?). What tuning would best be used for this style? what did uncle dave most likely use?
Ive seen some you tube videos of a man playing a tenor and singing only using simple backup chords and that sounded nice. i think he may have had it tuned to an open chord, but that might be boring. who knows though.
anyone have any tips on starting up with old time in mind more than the other traditional ways of playing tenor?
NYCJazz - Posted - 09/14/2009: 07:23:37
I'd approach old-time the same way as jazz.
Learn all the chords. Tenor is especially easy because the tuning is in even fifths. You can move the chord form across the fingerboard. Learn the inversions up and down the neck.
Practice playing single string melodies from sheet music. after a while you'll be able to combine the chords and the melody playing. Once you get that, the sky is the limit!
Don't rely on tabs. They only slow you down from actually learning music!
Nathan
George Flink - Posted - 09/14/2009: 07:32:41
Check out Sheesham and Lotus. They use a lot of tenor.
Mirek Patek - Posted - 09/14/2009: 08:49:58
quote:
Originally posted by olderisbetter
What tuning would best be used for this style?
I would suggest to copy the tunings of 5-string banjo. Having only 4 strings on your tenor banjo, you have to omit one string - and the trick is NOT to omit the short (fifth) string, but the second one (tuned to B or C). This way you keep the low-high range of 5-string banjo. Of course the high g string is on the treble side on your tenor banjo. If you have CGda strings, you do not need to change them - actually you retune only one or two outer strings. Here is what you get if you omit the second string: Open G tuning gDG BD => DGdg tuning of tenor banjo Sawmill tuning gDG CD => the same DGdg tuning of tenor banjo Classic C tuning gCG BD => CGdg tuning of tenor banjo Double C tuning gCG CD => the same CGdg tuning of tenor banjo For me it works perfectly. Mirek _____________________________________________________________ g--------0-------0|- Round Peak pattern on tenor banjo:
d----0-0—----0-0--|- ASPO from 2nd fret by index finger
G--0--------------|- http://www.mirekpatek.com
D----------0------|- http://www.youtube.com/user/mirekpatek
|_|_|_| |_|_|_|
T p R I T p R I
Edited by - Mirek Patek on 09/14/2009 08:54:56
jbalch - Posted - 09/14/2009: 08:53:53
I've seen photos of Uncle Dave Macon & Doris with a tenor banjo. But I've never heard recordings of his 4-string playing. I don't think he did much. But...Uncle Dave toured with the Delmore Brothers who always used a tenor guitar. Standard tenor guitar tuning is like standard (jazz) tuning for tenor banjo (C G D A). I would guess that folks using tenor banjo for country music might tune them the same way. This is the tuning I like to use for all styles. The scale length of most 17-19 fret tenor banjos is designed for this tuning. So the banjos set-up and play well tuned "standard". Google Tenor Banjo Chords...you will find plenty of resources.
You could also tune the banjo like an octave mandolin (GDAE)...aka "Irish" tuning. That way the chords are same as on mandolin...just one octave lower. The banjo has a deep, growly, tone too. You would probably need heaver gauge "Irish" strings. That tuning might have an easier learning curve if you have any mandolin experience.
Some folks tune their tenor banjos like the bottom four strings on a guitar (DGDE). That makes possible to use familiar (abreviated) guitar chords...also for quicker learning. I think this may be called "Chicago" tuning.
Regular banjo tunings also work quite well on longer scale instruments (ie: 22-fret plectrum banjos). You can use: (CGBD - standard plectrum tuning) or (DGBD) and familiar banjos chords (minus the 5th string).
IMHO there are no rules...or right and wrong...just choose what is most comfortable for you and enjoy!
www.johnbalchmusic.com
www.myspace.com/johnbalch
Edited by - jbalch on 09/14/2009 09:04:42
Tom in Silicon Valley - Posted - 09/14/2009: 10:27:10
I have my 19 fret Tenor Banjo tuned to GDAE, like my Irish Bouzouki, and Mandolin. How you tune your instrument is up to you. What matters is the result – do you like it? I play many types of music on my Tenor Banjo, including Irish, South American, country, and even some Willie Nelson! 
You can (and should) learn chords and scales. Starting with D and next G is a good idea I think. Learn melodies and then combine the melody line with chording, inserting chords every once in a while to make things more interesting. I make my own arrangements using TablEdit (a computer software program) and have multiple examples of each song I play. As you learn more about the instrument and the piece of music that you are playing, you can add emblishments as you wish.
You have a lot of choices and I wish you the best.
Charles E. - Posted - 09/14/2009: 15:34:56
I am new to this forum so first off I just want to say hi. I just got a new tenor built to play old time, ( my friend kurt posted pictures and sound clips in the builders and repair thread last week ) I tune it an octave below mandolin and use brush strokes, slures and slides to try to simulate a clawhammer effect. It is great fun.
I am looking forward to being part of the Banjo Hangout.
Charles E.
Mirek Patek - Posted - 09/15/2009: 00:03:49
quote:
Originally posted by Charles E.
I tune it an octave below mandolin and use brush strokes, slures and slides to try to simulate a clawhammer effect.
Welcome, Charley! You could also try GDad and ADad in addition to your GDae tuning. The high string (d in that case) makes nice "clawhammer" drone. Edit: the link to the topic about your new banjo is here http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=157369Your tunes on that banjo sound great! Mirek ____________________________________________________________________ Conversion of 5-string banjo tunings to fingerstyle tenor banjo (omit 2nd string): Open G tuning gDGBD or Sawmill tuning gDGCD => DGdg tuning of tenor banjo Classic C tuning gCGBD or Double C tuning gCGCD => CGdg tuning of tenor banjo http://www.mirekpatek.com http://www.youtube.com/user/mirekpatek
Edited by - Mirek Patek on 09/15/2009 00:15:01
Charles E. - Posted - 09/15/2009: 15:43:09
Mirek, thank you for posting the other thread here. I am still learning my way around the site.
I some times use those other tunings depending on the song but mostly stick with octave mando tuning. Thank you for your kind words about my tunes.
Charles E.
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