Banjo Hangout - Playing Advice: All Other Styles Forum Feed

Ballad no.1 : Beowulf

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 14 May 2026 15:32:25 CST

A piece split into sections with a returning ballad theme. It's basically three pressure systems that represent Beowulf's three trials. Grendel, Grendel's mother and the dragon.

Songs from old Prague for 3 finger style Uke-banjo

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:24:23 CST

Songs: Vandroval malir 00:00; Ja mam doma mys 00:24; Trinact cernejch loupezniku 00:41; arr: Ondrej Sarek
youtu.be/kv1xMTZf_BY
From book: Songs from old Prague for three finger style Ukulele

Tourdion (Renaissance song) for 3 finger style Uke-banjo

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 01:01:15 CST

usic: Anonym from France
Arr: Ondrej Sarek
https://youtube.com/shorts/KtGth9u7bKc
From book: Famous Renaissance pieces for three finger style Ukulele

Mastertone sound vs long neck – two separate paths or overlap?

eric@banjohangout.org — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:02:17 CST

I’ve been going back and forth on this for a while and figured I’d ask here to get some real-world perspective.

The sound I still hear in my head is that deep, heavy, resonator, Mastertone tone. My father had a RB-3 (that was stolen many years ago when he passed), and that sound has stuck with me ever since I was young, with some very fond memories. The last time I remember playing that old Gibson, I swear it weighed more than I did.

I know I’m probably never going to find that exact instrument, and I’m not in a position to buy anything right now anyway. I’m just trying to sort out what I’m actually chasing before I go down the wrong road. Just too many options out there and unless I get some focus, I will never get anywhere.

At the same time, I keep getting pulled toward the idea of a long neck. The extra three frets and lower range make a lot of sense to me from a vocal standpoint, and it feels like it would open up a different kind of playing.

So I feel split between two very different directions: that heavy, punchy Mastertone-style sound I remember, and the flexibility of a long neck.

I’m not trying to copy anyone’s sound, and I’m not looking for something flashy. This would stay in a studio setting, not for gigs. I just want something with real depth, something that feels right, and ideally something I don’t feel the need to replace once I figure it out. And I cannot just walk into the nearest store and pickup what I think I want(as far as i know it does not really exist commercially).

For those of you who have spent time with both:
Are these really two completely separate paths, or is there any meaningful overlap?
Does trying to combine long neck and bluegrass tone just end up being a compromise?
For those who went down the long neck path, did it stick or wear off over time?

Not really looking for brand recommendations at this point if it even exists outside of custom, more how you think about the instrument itself and where each path actually leads in practice.

Bit of a long shot I think, but I have waited this long so no rush.

Czech Marian Music - Baroque Songs for 5 string Banjo

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:02:46 CST

This songs from a Baroque hymnal published in 1647. The songs were composed, both music and lyrics, by the Czech composer and poet Adam Václav Michna z Otradovice (around 1600 – 1676).

Songs: Rána života od ruky Spasitele 00:00; Pobožné umírajícího Vale a Salve 00:26; Veleslavnost blahoslavené Panny Nanebevzetí 00:45; Utrpnost krestana s Rodickou Boží pod krížem 01:10; Skrytá strela tela Božího 01:34; Ohen svatodušní 01:57; Vánocní roztomilosti 02:16;
arr: Ondrej Sarek

From book: Czech Marian Music - Baroque Songs for 5 string Banjo

Unconventional instruments for bluegrass jam sessions

eric@banjohangout.org — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 09:01:52 CST

I play clawhammer 5-string banjo (Goldtone AC12 A-scale) , tenor banjo in reentrant tuning, and baritone ukulele tuned open G. I started playing in a bluegrass jam session and find the tenor banjo easiest to play. I will switch back and forth between clawhammer and strumming with my fingernails. The jam session moves from one key to another as we go around the circle. I found retuning a banjo, or even capoing a banjo, is impractical in a jam session. So the 4-string is handy in that I can play in whatever key the singer uses. dGBd tuning allows me to play clawhammer rhythmically but the limited range is not optimal for playing melodic clawhammer.

I've been thinking about a 5-string banjo where the 5th string runs all the way to the nut at the peg head. It has been done before. One capo would raise the pitch of all strings, and would eliminate the need for a 5th string capo or spike. Goldtone sells the AC-6 mini. I'm wondering if I could remove one of the bass strings to make a 5 string in reentrant tuning to play clawhammer. I would probably tune it to open G. The neck is much wider than a 5-string banjo which is my concern. Thoughts?

Jimmy Webb Suite for Banjo - New Channel

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:51:17 CST

I've decided to create a new channel just for my recordings of the Jimmy Webb Suite for Banjo:

Jimmy Webb Suite - YouTube Channel

I still want to post my rehearsal takes, but too many of them kind of overwhelm my regular channel, which has a variety of things. I just posted one today. Lately I've been consulting the book to try and tighten up the melodies, to get exact phrasings and timing as possible. It helps a lot, in the past I've kind of slopped through and it does affect the feel of the songs. My goal is to get the best renditions I can, faithful to the originals.

Anyway if you would like to check out the channel, and my progress, please do. Hopefully I'll have one or two up each week. Needs work but it's getting there.

Gospel for three finger style Uke-banjo

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:36:57 CST

Songs: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot 00:00; Steal Away 00:33; Standing in the Need of Prayer 01:09;

arr: Ondrej Sarek

From book: Gospel for three finger style Ukulele

Skeleton dance fantasy (update)

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:21:01 CST

Here's a progress update

Another recording of the Alice Schottishe

eric@banjohangout.org — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:57:52 CST

I feel like I've been progressing rapidly but I can't be sure.

Quaker City String Band

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 06:08:14 CST

Howdy, I love watching Mummers bands. One in particular I like is the Quaker City String Band. Watching them, there are always 4-5 banjo players in the front row. What kind of banjo playing is this? Where I live here in SE Indiana, we have no bands like this. If there is, and it's not too far from me, I would love to learn to play like that and maybe even join a mummers band one day. Thanks

Nashville (high-strung) tuning

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:31:55 CST

My apologies if this topic has been here before, but a quick search didn't show it.
The banjitar variant of the 6-string banjo is generally tuned in guitar standard: EADGBE. I am happy with that for much of the time. My Gold Tone AC-6 Mini is waiting for a resonator so that it will be heard better in sessions when being picked with bare fingers.
My old Samick was never up to much until I tried Nashville tuning. The EADG strings are an octave up. It's a D'Addario EXL150H set: 10 - 14 - 9 - 12 - 18 - 26w. That cheap little 'jo now sounds loud and clear and people really like it. It's a lot more banjo-ish than regular tuning.
I understand that some folks use a set where the G is not octaved. It's an interesting idea that I haven't tried yet.
I have dabbled in 5-string playing but the high-strung banjitar works so well, and is so versatile, that I hesitate to visit that territory again.
So, what I'm saying is, if you have a 6-string and don't find yourself using it much, but you're a fingerpicker, maybe try Nashville tuning.