1fiddle2play - Posted - 02/27/2009:  15:01:56

---

I play five string banjo both in the bluegrass and the oldtime style and I also do play a tenor banjo 1927 littlewonder 4 string tuned up DGBD like the lower 4 strings of a five string. It is not a replacement for bluegrass but works very well old time doing mandolin chops in the middle of the neck if you can understand what Im trying to explain. It goes over very well just as much as clawhammer. You can use a banjo capo also for cord changes. Give it a try U just might like it ALOT. I have a fiberskin head with a cloth between the dowel stick and the head to cut down on the overtones. It is a tough sound played with a fiddle leading and you chopping the backup. Kinda of like a mix of a bluegrass mandolin and a oldtime banjo sound. As you get adjusted to it try some lead fillin and then some lead lines. Hope I have helped to the many that never could get the bluegrass roll or the clawhammer hand technique which is what most folks struggle with learning either styles. That chop on the tenor can really drive a band. I see where some say that it will conflict with either a bluegrass or a oldtime banjo. Well for that fact it is tough for two banjos to work together unless both have got their act together and not trying to outplay each other but that is another story anyway......Enjoy playing that is the best advise to all..............Rick in Carolina........

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 02/27/2009:  17:02:14

---

BUT... if you tune the tenor in standard tuning, you then have all the same chord fingerings as Mando, but a fifth lower (G becomes C, C becomes F etc.)

if you tune it Irish style- GDAE, then it's exactly the same chords as a mandolin, and the same strings as a fiddle, just an octave lower

I''ll never play like Earl Scruggs or sing like Luciano Pavarotti, but I''ll pick better than Luciano and sing tenor better than Earl
deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron

kimmattis123 - Posted - 03/02/2009:  07:22:03

---

Want to try something fun [ but weird] try DGb'G'-- with a high 'g' instead of the high 'd' . The strings and gauges fit better and you can use the 1st string the same as the 5th on a five- string, and still make 5 string chords[ the 1st and third are the same and are fretted the same] but the open 'g' gives it a real bluegrass flavor. [ but so does a real 5 string!]

NYCJazz - Posted - 03/02/2009:  07:52:23

---

You're basically playing plectrum banjo on a short neck banjo.

The only difference is your low D string is tuned C on plectrum.

Here's some fine plectrum playing on a standard long neck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS3gFhV14A4

BTW- When you play 4 string, you no longer need a capo to play in different keys.

Congrats on discovering a new way to play banjo! Us 4 string players have been doing it for a long, long time!






"There is more to life than simply increasing its speed."

- Mohandas K. Gandhi

steve davis - Posted - 03/02/2009:  09:01:08

---

I used to tune our guitar and mandolin that way when I was growing up.
I knew some guitar and mandolin chords,but I liked having them all the same.

7ball

NYCJazz - Posted - 03/02/2009:  11:41:58

---

I had my mandolin tuned to plectrum intervals (GDF#A) for a while.

Sounded beautiful. The tight harmony & lower tone was sooo sweet.




"The only difference between myself and a madman is that I am not mad."

- Salvador Dali

mainejohn - Posted - 03/02/2009:  16:21:26

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by NYCJazz

You're basically playing plectrum banjo on a short neck banjo.

The only difference is your low D string is tuned C on plectrum.

Here's some fine plectrum playing on a standard long neck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS3gFhV14A4

BTW- When you play 4 string, you no longer need a capo to play in different keys.

---

so true about the capo...throw it away. And...thanks for posting the link. I went there and got lost for an hour just playing along with those great Dixieland tunes. I especailly liked the Dutch band.

Cheers,
John Coleman
Scarborough, Maine

stevengaub - Posted - 03/23/2009:  15:12:19

---

I play with a 4 string banjo band and several of us use the guitar tuningl I wish there was more discussion of this technique. The Don Stevison guitar tuned banjo technique. http://www.banjobook.com/index.html

the bass man to the 5 string m

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  12:30:29

---

I guess what I'm trying to get across is tuned DGBE it plays the bluegrass tunes great and playing with a medium pick it gives my Vega tenor a great punch that I feel is needed in hard driving music and it can also mellow down for the slow tunes also. I have found it hard for me to play the bluegrass tunes tuned in the regular tenor tuning and it dont sound right in chiago tuning. But maybe others can do it. What I like about it it stills retains that tenor sound that I love so much up and down the neck and it fits in very good with bluegrass tunes. Alot of it involves also in the strum attack too. I hope this can help beginners reading this. But dont get me wrong nothing beats out a bluegrass banjo for bluegrass music and nothing beats out a tenor banjo for the Dixie, 1920's ragtime stuff either so they all got their little homebase but that does not say we can play other styles with these different banjos. I just love both styles of music.

NYCJazz - Posted - 03/25/2009:  14:17:18

---

What kind of strings are you using? Same strings for both tunings?

I use GHS 220 stainless strings on my tenor (.28 .20 .012 .010) CGDA tuning.




"Wrong is right."

- Thelonius Monk

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  22:48:30

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by NYCJazz

What kind of strings are you using? Same strings for both tunings?

I use GHS 220 stainless strings on my tenor (.28 .20 .012 .010) CGDA tuning.




"Wrong is right."

- Thelonius Monk

---

Those will work just fine. I think I have a 30 on my C string which would be low D on the DGBD. I have a 19 fret vega.. When you got to C tuning drop the low D to a C and raise the B to a C and you have C tuning. With the open tuning you can use a Capo to play in different keys now..Sorry for the too much info....I love ragtime and dixie but it is just not around in my area and I was raised on oldtime and bluegrass which this tuning works great on for a tenor.....The main thing is have fun....

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  22:49:38

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by kimmattis123

Want to try something fun [ but weird] try DGb'G'-- with a high 'g' instead of the high 'd' . The strings and gauges fit better and you can use the 1st string the same as the 5th on a five- string, and still make 5 string chords[ the 1st and third are the same and are fretted the same] but the open 'g' gives it a real bluegrass flavor. [ but so does a real 5 string!]

---

I will try that soon....thanks so much ...

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  22:51:20

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve davis

I used to tune our guitar and mandolin that way when I was growing up.
I knew some guitar and mandolin chords,but I liked having them all the same.

7ball

---

I have one of my guitars tuned this way for the little ones. Got to keep them intrested to carry the music on....thanks for the reply...rick

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  22:52:48

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Klondike Waldo

BUT... if you tune the tenor in standard tuning, you then have all the same chord fingerings as Mando, but a fifth lower (G becomes C, C becomes F etc.)

if you tune it Irish style- GDAE, then it's exactly the same chords as a mandolin, and the same strings as a fiddle, just an octave lower

I''ll never play like Earl Scruggs or sing like Luciano Pavarotti, but I''ll pick better than Luciano and sing tenor better than Earl
deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron

---

I see. I hope I have provided another way to enjoy the tenor for all to enjoy......

1fiddle2play - Posted - 03/25/2009:  22:55:37

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevengaub

I play with a 4 string banjo band and several of us use the guitar tuningl I wish there was more discussion of this technique. The Don Stevison guitar tuned banjo technique. http://www.banjobook.com/index.html

the bass man to the 5 string m

---

We just dont have that in my neck of the woods... and I love tenor banjo, dixie jazz. I have looked on the webb and not much out there but we got the banjo hang out to chat abt it with....feel free to use this forum any time....