Banjo Hangout - Music Theory Forum Feed

Diatonic Progression

eric@banjohangout.org — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:32:06 CST

Put the Diatonic Chords of a "C Scale" in a Diatonic Progression:

1 - 4 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 2 - 5 - 1

IM - IVM - VIIø - IIIm - VIm - IIm - V7 - IM

C - F - Bø - Em - Am - Dm - G7 - C

http://patcloud.com

These little flag things!

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 01:45:01 CST

Hi folks,

Basically, can anyone explain the flag, and how it affects the duration? I'm not referring to the rest, which I believe is an 1/8 note rest. BTW, it's in 3/4 time. I know how it should sound, but what would be the best way to count this measure (i.e. one and....) to help get it into my head?

Any other info regarding note duration, when not full (1/8, 1/4 etc), will be greatly appreciated. I've even seen a little dot next to the note and that just confuses me. Helpppp!

I hope my screenshot appears ok.

GS

MuseScore feature query

eric@banjohangout.org — Sun, 24 May 2026 11:59:49 CST

I need to add a cadenza in a transcription using MuseScore. Do other users know if this is possible in the free version?

I’ve googled how to do this and the answer given is using the measure properties menu. I don’t have anything of this name in the menu in my version.

Sussing out two chords

eric@banjohangout.org — Sat, 2 May 2026 10:15:48 CST

I've visiting from the 4-string forum, and I'm trying to suss out the names of three chords in a piece of sheet music.

I'm working from the 1930 sheet music for "There's Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie." The chord changes are shown as fingering diagrams in CGEA uke tuning, but not the chord symbols themselves. I've been able to match up most of the chord names using a CGEA fingering chart, but three chords have eluded me. Based on the diagrams and the CGEA tuning, the chord notes are G-Eb-G-B, G-C#-E-Bb, and A-Eb-F-A. With that info, can someone tell me what the names of these chords are?

Thanks in advance for your help with this! SETH

Question about the old home place

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:26:12 CST

I have a question concerning the old Home place In , I think it’s the first line of the second verse. It says the girl ran off with somebody else.Ok here’s my question. Are the words the tariffs took all my pay or the taverns took all my pay? My whole life I’ve been singing tariffs, but I may be wrong. Can someone share some light on the subject ? Obliged

Is Angeline the Baker in a Mixolydian mode

eric@banjohangout.org — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 23:29:53 CST

I just started learning Angeline the Baker. Tabs and score indicate D major (2 sharps) and the arrangement indeed has C# and F#. But the first and last notes are A. Does this mean that the piece is in Mixolydian mode?

Music Theory

eric@banjohangout.org — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:10:02 CST

A Short Quote on Music Theory -

"Many musicians are fabulously skilled at playing the black dots on the printed page, but mystified by how the dots got there in the first place and apprehensive of playing without dots. Music theory does not help here; it teaches rules of the grammar, but not what to say. When people ask me how to improvise, only a little of what I can say is about music. The real story is about spontaneous expression, and it is therefore a spiritual and a psychological story rather than a story about the technique of one art form or another."

Stephen Nachmanovitch -

http://patcloud.com

How do you tell what chord to play?

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:32:35 CST

I recently started learning banjo to accompany singing (myself and family sing-alongs). Most of my musical experience until now has been singing a capella and playing melody on winds. I only have a tiny bit of formal training - enough to read music and tell a major scale from minor.

I have no problem picking out a melody by ear, or even simple harmonies, but I find myself struggling to tell what chords should go with a melody and where they should change. Do you have any advice or resources for training myself to hear chords?

Unfortunately I can’t just look up other people’s arrangements since many of the songs I know are very hard to find.

Should the fifth string be tuned to the tonic?

eric@banjohangout.org — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:53:43 CST

This is kind of a follow-on to an earlier thread on dissonance of the fifth string that got quite populated. I found the comments in that thread illuminating. I just had never really fully appreciated the fifth string.

I've been messing around with ear training apps and some play a drone in the pitch of the tonic. It gave me the idea that the fifth string tuned to the key of the tune was an important musical reference. And while it might be OK to tune the fifth to G for a tune in the key or C, it might not provide that same function as tuning it to the tonic.

how is modal music represented in standard notation

eric@banjohangout.org — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:24:59 CST

I was looking at the standard notation for Billy in the Lowground. Sources online refer to this piece as being in the key of C, and the last note is C. The standard notation (score, sheet music) has the key signature for the key of F, one flat which is Bb. I am interpreting this to be in the key of C Mixolydian, same notes as in the F major (Ionian) scale, but tonic note is C.

Is this correct?

Is it conventional for people to refer to a piece of modal music as being in one key, but the key signature on the staff is another key.

Dissonance of the drone string

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:53:47 CST

I'm hoping to gain a better understanding of drone notes. Bagpipes are an example of continuous drone which creates a dissonance (to my ear). Yet it is a music that can be pleasing. I don't really know where to start with this question: why does it work to play a drone that is maybe only a semitone off the melody notes?

There is a practical side to this question. I ask myself whether it is worth tuning the fifth string from G to A when I capo and play a tune in the key of A. The fifth string is dissonant with the V chord when playing in the key of G, so maybe it doesn't matter. Playing alone, I can tell if it works for me or not, but playing in a group is another matter. Is it like singing off key, and to be avoided?

Functional Ear Training

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 5 Mar 2026 10:40:12 CST

This is not really theory but applies to all styles in which one might want to pick out melodies.

I downloaded the free Functional Ear Training app on my iPad. I just started using it. I'm aware that apps have their limitations. I will continue playing with this one, partly because it is kind of addictive. But I am wondering if others here have used this app, and found it helpful. Did it really train your ear to recognize notes?

Wanting to make a banjo song

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 14:54:32 CST

Hey I need to compose a banjo song for my final exams, I'm on here for help as I basically have no clue on how to compose a song, I know like chord progressions and basic stuff ect but I'd appreciate some advice and help on how to go about making a song. Also what are some good composing websites that are free? Thanks :)

Fingerboard Studies for the 5-String Banjo -- FREE for BHO (audio added)

eric@banjohangout.org — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 08:51:23 CST

Fingerboard Studies for the 5-String Banjo

~ FREE Version for BHO Members ~

I shut down my personal website earlier this year, so I have decided to prepare a special version of my book Fingerboard Studies for the 5-String Banjo to give away for free to BHO members.

This is included here as a 20-page pdf file you can download immediately for free. I have also added the audio file examples which accompany these studies.

I wrote and composed this book back in 2012 using the method of how I taught myself to find any inversion of any chord on the fingerboard, and how to then find your most common variants -- Dominant 7th, Major 7th and Minor 7th -- from any of the three chord shapes found on a banjo tuned to open G.

What you will soon see, is that there are waaaaay more ways to play these chords then you have ever been taught. Some of the shape variants may not be fully formed chords in the strictest meaning, and some shapes I demonstrate should be viewed as "voicings" which will work just fine in any setting and give a different flavor of the same chord. Just don't let yourself get bogged down in believing that there are only specific rules for chord shapes. This approach gives you a much larger pallet of musical colors to work with then just the three you probably already know. This series of studies helps unlock that for you.

When I was learning banjo back in the late 1970s and early 80s, there never were any good materials that explained why stuff was the way it was on the fingerboard, so having already been a student of classical violin, and having been exposed to scales and chord construction already, I applied that knowledge to the banjo.

My approach is simple: it follows established theory on how chord shapes progress up the neck. Essentially, each higher iteration of a chord moves from the bass note, which "anchors" the note stack forming that iteration, or shape, or inversion, depending on your preferred terminology.

For any of this to make sense to you, you must first have a basic understanding of major and minor scales as well as how chords are constructed from scales (chords flow from scales, and not the other way around). Without that basic knowledge, this may be difficult to understand. For that basic understanding I will refer you to my other booklet, The Banjo Book which I wrote in 1979 at age 19, and it explains scales and chord construction. That booklet, perfect for a beginner, can be found here.

Folks learn differently, so this may or may not work for you, but to those who have an analytical mind, you may find this helps quite a few lightbulbs go off for you.

Since 2012, I have shipped about 100 print copies of this worldwide to a small but very dedicated groups of pickers. It is always encouraging to hear that my work really helped someone with their understanding of how the fingerboard works and is laid out.

I charged $12.95 for the bound printed version, but on my website it was given for free, just for onscreen viewing only (downloads were prohibited) and the online digital versions garnered tens of thousands views, over 30,000 views if I remember right, so I'd like to think someone got something from that.

I welcome any feedback from anyone who downloads this and finds it beneficial.

So, to all BHO members who may be interested, here ya go.

--Frank Eastes
Spartanburg, SC
February 29, 2020

All I ask is that this work not be further distributed or shared without attribution. I retain copyright to this material. Some BHO members, one in particular, is notorious for downloading and sharing other people's copyrighted work without credit (you know who you are) so please give credit where credit is due. Fair enough? Thanks.

The audio files included here correspond to these pages in my book:

Dominant 7th audio examples -- Page 10
Major 7th audio examples -- Page 14
Minor 7th audio examples -- Page 18

Common Misconceptions Regarding "Modes"

eric@banjohangout.org — Wed, 2 Jul 2014 16:57:01 CST

The purpose of this writing is to clear up common misconceptions regarding "modes."

When people are learning about Old Time and Bluegrass music they hear the term "modes" and of course they want to understand what they are.

Modes are simply scales. And up to about the year 1800 most musicians did not think in terms of major or minor scales. They thought in terms of the modes.

The trouble begins when we in the modern world try to walk backwards and understand the modes relative to our major and minor scales. My advice to you is "Don't go there." Rather just understand the modes unto themselves with no comparison to major or minor scales or modern key signatures.

So, in Western Music a scale is simply a pattern of 8 pitches that take us from a starting pitch to one octave higher. But, there are an assortment of patterns using 8 pitches that would get us from the starting pitch to one octave higher.

These patterns consist of Whole Tones (which is the distance of two frets on a banjo) and Semi Tones (which is a distance of just one fret).

Here are the Modes. The symbol "T" represents a Whole Tone. The symbol "s" represents a Semi Tone.

Ionian	T-T-s-T-T-T-s
Dorian	T-s-T-T-T-s-T
Phrygian	s-T-T-T-s-T-T
Lydian	T-T-T-s-T-T-s
Mixolydian	T-T-s-T-T-s-T
Aeolian	T-s-T-T-s-T-T
Locrian	s-T-T-s-T-T-T

So, when we encounter a tune that uses one of the above patterns, we say that it is in that particular mode.

Now, you will hear people say things like "Well C-Major is the same thing as G-Mixolydian." Ah, but it is NOT! You see Ionian and Mixolydian are NOT the same pattern! Don't start counting sharps and flats. That way leads to madness.

Just accept the patterns of the modes as they are. Don't compare them to anything!

It does not matter which note the mode starts on . . . it is the pattern that matters.

Accept that and you will be miles ahead!

How To Make Use of Scales

eric@banjohangout.org — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:46:11 CST

I've been taking scales more seriously of late. I don't know why, but I avoided them like the plague for years. Since I recently started playing a little clawhammer style, I've been using scales to get used to my right hand position in space and time. But it dawned on me today that I don't know what I should do with all of these scales. Should I memorize them -- if not the names of the notes, at least their individual progressions (as frets and sound)? As a permanently novice player, how deep into scales should my knowledge go in order that I might play a little old time or bluegrass with other people someday? I guess all this breaks down into a simple question: what do I do with scales? In high school band, I remember learning scales but I think I must've thought it was just so I could learn to read music and memorize finger positions on that danged saxophone. Btw, it's probably linked to on BHO already, but this scales page is the best I've seen in terms of breadth and quality of image files (he uses very clear, very printable PNGs) and covers banjo, guitar, and mandolin: [url]http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/scales/musical-scales.htm[/url] (fixed)

Beginning Banjo Theory 101

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:42:58 CST

Several people have asked if I would post my Beginning Banjo Theory lessons somewhere easy to access (so they wouldn't have to contact me off line).

Here's the entire booklet -- feel free to copy and use it as you wish.

I now have a copy of the e-book which was lost in a computer crash. It is now an attachment at the bottom of this page. Feel free to download.

Everyone cringes at the words "Music Theory", but this is mainly banjo related and very important to learning how to play.
VOL. 1, #1
BLUEGRASS MUSIC THEORY 101
What is a scale?
A scale is an ascending and descending, ordered collection of notes that spans an interval of an
octave. (Say that again in English) A scale is a group of notes spanning 7 notes and the
beginning note again an octave higher.
Example: G Scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G (octave)
All major scales are made up of 7 notes ranging from A to G. The D scale begins on D and goes
as follows: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D.
What is an octave?
An octave encompasses all notes from a given note to its next repetition. (What did she just
say?) An octave is 8 notes starting on C and ending on C.
Example: C Scale: C D E F G A B C (octave)
A scale is made of up whole steps and half steps. In the G Major scale you have the following
steps: whole step, whole step , half step , whole step, whole step , whole step, half step.
(This is supposed to mean something to me?) Hang on, it will.
Example: Let's take the 3rd string on the banjo — open G.
Let's walk down that string and see what happens.
Open G
1st fret G#
2nd fret A
3rd fret A#
4th fret B
5th fret C
6th fret C#
7th fret D
8th fret D#
9th fret E
10th fret F
11th fret F#
12th fret G (octave)
-------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
1--2--3--4--5--6--7--8--9--10--11-12--------
-------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------- Each Fret is a HALF STEP on your banjo. To make a G scale on the 3rd string, you fret as
follows: open, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 & 12. Try it on your banjo, it works. (notice that there are 2 frets
between each note EXCEPT B) and C and F# and G — this is why you need to know the whole
and half steps. There are NO sharps and flats between B and C and E and F.
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
0--2--4--5--7--8--11--12------------
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Why do you need to know this?
As you learn songs, you need to know what notes to play in what scale or key. If you are playing
a song in the key of G, you normally start out in G and then as the song progresses, you may go
to a D or a C. You need to know the G, D and C scales so you'll know which notes to play and
better yet, which notes NOT to play. When you start playing chromatic or melodic, this
information is invaluable.
Try this and see how it works for you:
Take the 1st string of your banjo, it's the D string.
Go down the string fretting each fret and see how it sounds.
You've got a D chromatic.
Now, fret open, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 & 12.
You've got a D scale.
0 -2--4--5--7--9--11--12------------
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
Now, if you think this isn't going to help you play the banjo, think again. It's teaching you where
the notes are on your fretboard. Next time we'll go into how to play a scale using different open
notes and fretted strings -- and how to make hot licks out of those notes.
NOTE: There are several notes in common in the D and G scales — what are they?
Let me know what you think and if you want more of this!
Vol. 1, #2
BLUEGRASS MUSIC THEORY 101
Okay, gang, here's the 2nd installment of music theory. This one will show you a couple of hot
licks you can use in your picking. Enjoy.
Did you figure out what notes the G and D scales had in common?
Did you see which notes were different? Let's see if you figured as I do:
G Scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
D Scale: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
Common notes: G, A, B, D, E
Different notes: C - C#,
So, the basic difference in these two scales is one note - a C or a C#. Play these two notes
together and you'll see that they sound awful.
Now, you're never going to play a scale like that on a banjo, right? So, why did I even bother?
You need to know your fretboard. This is a great way to learn it and will help you later on when
you're playing chromatic/melodic licks.
Let's see if we can make it simpler to play on the banjo. Let's take a G scale and make it
playable. (If you have tab paper, you can tab it out and it'll be a whole lot easier).
G Scale
3rd string, open
4th string, 7th fret
2nd string, open
3rd string, 5th fret
1st string, open
2ndstring, 5th fret
1st string, 4th fret
5th string, open
You have just played G, A, B, C, D, E, F# and G on the banjo. You can actually use this scale in
as a hot lick on some songs.
You will use the scale tones to form licks. Many licks can be formed from this basic scale. Let's
try a simple G lick:
3rd string, open
1st string, open
3rd string, 2nd fret, slide to 4th fret
1st string, open
5th string, open
2nd string, 5th fret
1st string, 4th fret
1st string, open
This is a 4 beat lick with the final G being the 1st note/beat of the next bar.
It is counted 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1. Each note is an 8th note and counts as ½ beat.
Now, does everyone understand how to count in music? 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 2/2 6/8 etc.? No, we'll get
to that later.
Another easy G lick that uses the scale
3rd string, open
4th string, 7th fret
2nd string, open
3rd string, 5th fret
1st string, open
2nd string, 5th fret
1st string, 4th fret
3rd string, open
It is counted as follows: 1, 2 and 3 and 4 and 1, next measure. In this lick the first note gets a full
beat, the rest get ½ beat.
Okay, students, here's another music theory lesson on the C and D scales and licks. Some really
neat licks in this one, try them, you'll like them!!
VOL. 1, #3
BLUEGRASS MUSIC THEORY 101
D SCALE AND LICKS
How did you do with the two G licks I wrote out? Ready for more?
Let's take a look at the D scale. You can do it chromatically using the 1st fret and going down:
D 1st open
D# 1st fret
E 2nd fret
F 3rd fret
F# 4th fret and so on.
D scale on 1st string: 1 open, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12
D scale using all 5 strings:
1st string, open
3rd string, 9th fret
2nd string, 7th fret
5th string, open
2nd string, 10th fret
1st string, 9th fret
5th string, 11th fret
1st string, 12th fret
Let's look at a couple of D licks. Again, these use the notes of the D scale.
(And we're just going to say 3 open or 2 fret 3 instead of 3rd string open, 2nd string fret 3
because it saves time and is easier to do). Again, if you have tab paper, you can tab it out.)
3 open, 2 fret 2, hammer 3, 5 open, 2 fret 3, 1 open, 5 open.
This is counted: 1, 2 and 3 and 4 and. The first 3 open gets a full beat and everything else gets
½ beat.
1 fret 7, 5 open, 1 fret 4, 2 fret 5, 1 open, 3 fret 5, 2 open, 4 fret 7.
This is counted 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and with each note getting ½ beat.
What I've done on these licks is give you a Scruggs type lick and a melodic lick.
Now, are you ready to tackle the C Scale?
C SCALE
Again, we'll look at our fretboard. You can start with the 2nd string, first fret and go chromatic C,
C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C. (Note there are no #s between E and F and B and C —
this is a given)
Now the scale in C is: 2nd string, fret 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13.The easy way to play it on the banjo:
3 fret 5, 1 open, 2 fret 5, 1 fret 3, 5 open, 2 fret 10, 1 fret 9 and 5 fret 10 (yes, you can fret the 5th
string).
Two C licks:
2 fret 1, 1 fret 1, 5 open, 2 fret 1, 1 fret 2, 2 fret 1, 3 fret 2, 1 fret 2.
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
3 open, 1 open, 2 fret 5, 1 fret 3, 5 open, 2 fret 10, 1 fret 9.
1, 2 and 3 and 4 and.
Now do you begin to see why you need to know scales?
Okay, group, here's #5 of Vol. 1 and it starts with chords and how they are formed. I've also
included two graphics that show you the F and D positions on the banjo. I've always called them
#1 and #2 because it's easier to remember and not so confusing when you tell someone to make
the F position C chord -- do what? Anyway the #1 position C chord is much easier to remember.
Hope you enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions.
VOL. 1, #5
BLUEGRASSS MUSIC THEORY 101
CHORDS
We've gone through the G, C and D scales, told you what notes were in each and gave you
examples of scales and licks.
Now, let's see how those scales make chords and why.
A Chord is made up of 3 notes. These notes are the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale (ah,
there's that scale again). These notes harmonize or sound good when played as a group.
In the key of G you have the following chords: G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em F#dim and G (octave). This
is supposed to mean something to me? It will, trust me!
To make a G chord on the banjo, just strum open, that's a G chord. But I'm strumming 4 notes,
not 3! Yes, but you're strumming D, B, G and another D -- that's 3 notes with the D notes being
an octave apart.
You can also make a G closed chord (no open notes) as follows: 2nd string, 3rd fret (index
finger), 3rd string, 4th fret (middle finger), 4th string, 5th fret (ring finger) and 1st string 5th fret
(pinkie). (This is called the 1st or F position on a banjo and you can make many, many chords
using this position.) Again you have D, B, G, G.
A C chord is C, E, G -- which can be made several ways on the banjo. The first C Chord on the
banjo is as follows: 2nd string, 1st fret (index finger), 1st string 2nd fret (ring finger) and 4thstring
2nd fret (middle finger). This makes a complete C chord - C, E, G and C. (Note: the G (3rd string)
is picked open)
A D chord is D, F#, A and can also be made several ways on the banjo. The first D chord on the
banjo is made as follows: 3rd string, 2nd fret (index), 2nd string, 3rd fret (middle), 1st string 4thfret
(pinkie) and 4th string, 4th fret (ring). (This is called the 2nd or D position and also makes many
chords). You have notes A, D, F#, F#.
We'll get into the why of minor chords later if anyone is interested. Right now, just note that they
are made up of 3 notes -- the 1st, 3rd and 5th, just like a major chord, but the inversion is different
(no, you aren't supposed to understand that now, just take it at face value).
So, all the chords in the G scale are as follows:
G: G, B, D
Am: A, C, E
Bm: B, D, F#
C: C, E, G
D: D, F#, A
Em: E, G, B
F#dim: F#, A, C# (You'll probably never need to know this one -- it's seldom used in bluegrass,
it's just for information).
And back to G which starts it all over. NOTE:that the pitch of the fretted first string and forth strings will indicate the Major chord name.
This chord shape is a really useful one when used in backup. In many tunes the forth string is not
actually played so many players don't fret the forth string but it is best practice to learn the chord
on all four strings so that it can be played at all fret positions as a closed chord

Let's Pick!
Texas Banjo