AmethystSWitch - Posted - 06/02/2024:  03:55:04

Hi everyone
I just bought a short scale tenor banjo and I am so happy it will arrive on Tuesday
I would like to tune it to DGBE and I know it can be done
The only question I have is do I have to buy extra strings for them, and if so which kind? Or would it also be possible to keep the strings that are already on the banjo . Because of my disability I can’t change the strings myself so I would have to look for somebody to change them for me and the people that are in my life. All have no idea about music.
I also have seen posts just with string numbers, but I don’t know what kind of strings they are because in German shops strings always have names not numbers so I would have to find strings that are also available in German online shops

account-deleted - Posted - 06/02/2024:  09:35:09

Why not learn to play in one of the real tunings? You’ll be much happier in the end, and appreciate the instrument more instead of just tuning it like a guitar and taking the easy way out.

HerbMeister - Posted - 06/02/2024:  10:40:20

It's just fine to tune a tenor DGBE. It's referred to as Chicago Tuning. Typically, it was used by musicians who found it necessary to switch off between guitar and banjo. Once you get comfortable with the tuning, you'll amaze yourself with what can be accomplished with modified chord positions.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 06/02/2024:  11:24:37

The Deering website recommends buying two tenor banjo sets, one Jazz and one Irish. D'addario sells both sets EJ-63 (jazz) and EJ-63i (Irish)

Jazz tuning is CGDA, Irish tuning is GDAE.

Use the C & G string from the Jazz set for the two basses. The C string will easily handle tuning up to D.

Use the A & E string from the Irish set for the two trebles. The A string will easily handle tuning up to B.

Makes sense to me!

Dan Gellert - Posted - 06/02/2024:  12:12:55

Plectrum banjo strings, 4/5 of a medium-gauge 5-string set, the treble 4 of an extra-light acoustic (or a "10" electric) guitar set, all ought to work.

Culloden - Posted - 06/02/2024:  12:55:14

quote:

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Originally posted by trapdoor2

The Deering website recommends buying two tenor banjo sets, one Jazz and one Irish. D'addario sells both sets EJ-63 (jazz) and EJ-63i (Irish)



Jazz tuning is CGDA, Irish tuning is GDAE.



Use the C & G string from the Jazz set for the two basses. The C string will easily handle tuning up to D.



Use the A & E string from the Irish set for the two trebles. The A string will easily handle tuning up to B.



Makes sense to me!

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It will work but you still wind up with four strings you can't use. I would buy four individual strings and make my own set.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 06/02/2024:  14:42:54

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

quote:

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Originally posted by trapdoor2

The Deering website recommends buying two tenor banjo sets, one Jazz and one Irish. D'addario sells both sets EJ-63 (jazz) and EJ-63i (Irish)



Jazz tuning is CGDA, Irish tuning is GDAE.



Use the C & G string from the Jazz set for the two basses. The C string will easily handle tuning up to D.



Use the A & E string from the Irish set for the two trebles. The A string will easily handle tuning up to B.



Makes sense to me!

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It will work but you still wind up with four strings you can't use. I would buy four individual strings and make my own set.

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Aye, as do I. However, the OPs stipulations preclude that.

tdennis - Posted - 06/02/2024:  23:01:25

Stringed instruments can be tuned many different ways. "Standard" tunings evolve, & become  a traditional, entrenched voicing. That's fine, but alternative tunings are always available. Listeners only hear a "banjo" when it's played, & have no idea or interest how it's tuned. Chicago tuning is fine for the tenor banjo. Guitar skills are not any more "easy" than banjo skills, & when applied to the banjo yield the same power & voicing. There is no one correct tuning.   For Chicago tuning one can buy individual strings, or just use strings from a guitar set. 

Edited by - tdennis on 06/02/2024 23:09:29

account-deleted - Posted - 06/03/2024:  02:23:36

quote:

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Originally posted by tdennis

Stringed instruments can be tuned many different ways. "Standard" tunings evolve, & become  a traditional, entrenched voicing. That's fine, but alternative tunings are always available. Listeners only hear a "banjo" when it's played, & have no idea or interest how it's tuned. Chicago tuning is fine for the tenor banjo. Guitar skills are not any more "easy" than banjo skills, & when applied to the banjo yield the same power & voicing. There is no one correct tuning.   For Chicago tuning one can buy individual strings, or just use strings from a guitar set. 

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Keep saying this all you want, but you're just playing guitar that has a banjo tone. 

 

There's a reason that certain instruments have certain tunings. 

 

I play over 40 instruments and play them all(if applicable) in their proper tunings. 

 

Guitar tuning just doesn't sound very good on a banjo. 

 

It's a fine way to get introduced to an instrument if youre coming from guitar, but from someone who not only plays guitar, but actually plays plectrum, tenor, and 5 string banjo, in their proper tunings, there's a huge reason that I don't tune them all like a guitar. 

 

They sound much better in the real tunings. 

Edited by - account-deleted on 06/03/2024 02:34:44

Culloden - Posted - 06/03/2024:  21:24:56

Tuning a tenor banjo in Chicago tuning is kind of the reverse of the development of the tenor guitar. From what I understand, it was developed for tenor banjo players to be able to play guitar as the music drifted from Dixieland to Jazz. Tenor banjo players could play a guitar without having to learn new fingering positions. At least that's what I've read.

banjopaolo - Posted - 06/04/2024:  00:00:20

I don’t think there is anything wrong in playing Chicago tuning on a tenor banjo, tunings are not that important, music is the matter, I play tenor tuning, dive string tunings and guitar tunings evryone can yes the tunings that works best for him

VIDEO: Four Five Six!
(click to view)

 

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  00:03:30

quote:

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Originally posted by banjopaolo

I don’t think there is anything wrong in playing Chicago tuning on a tenor banjo, tunings are not that important, music is the matter, I play tenor tuning, dive string tunings and guitar tunings evryone can yes the tunings that works best for him

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Tunings are very important to those who want to actually play the instrument and understand what the instrument is for. 

 

the tunings are there for a reason and exist for a reason.

tension, scale length, voicings, they all play a significant role. 

 

it isn't just 'whatever you want' because if so, then why bother to play anything to begin with? 

 

You can't lazy your way into being a banjo player. You'll only ever be a guitar player that wants to be a banjo player if you play in guitar tuning. 

banjopaolo - Posted - 06/04/2024:  00:10:12

I can’t see what’s wrong in ‘being a guitar player that wants to be a banjoplayer’ people like Jonny StCyr Danny Barker Papa Charlie Jackson did such great music being guitarist that played banjo....

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  00:25:44

quote:

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Originally posted by banjopaolo

I can’t see what’s wrong in ‘being a guitar player that wants to be a banjoplayer’ people like Jonny StCyr Danny Barker Papa Charlie Jackson did such great music being guitarist that played banjo....

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I played guitar first, but I learned the instrument in its proper tuning. Plectrum, tenor, and 5 string. 

banjopaolo - Posted - 06/04/2024:  01:17:55

quote:

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Originally posted by Juggernaut NPU

quote:

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Originally posted by banjopaolo

I can’t see what’s wrong in ‘being a guitar player that wants to be a banjoplayer’ people like Jonny StCyr Danny Barker Papa Charlie Jackson did such great music being guitarist that played banjo....

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I played guitar first, but I learned the instrument in its proper tuning. Plectrum, tenor, and 5 string. 

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You did your choice and surely it works very well, I’m sure you are an exellent player, I play violin so my first choice on banjo was tenor tuning, then I tried many differnt tunings on four five and six strings banjo, every one can choice his approach starting to play banjo, in my opinion to start playing Chicago tuning isn’t wrost than other tunings

Edited by - banjopaolo on 06/04/2024 01:18:35

tdennis - Posted - 06/04/2024:  02:28:03

unings are very important to those who want to actually play the instrument and understand what the instrument is for.





the tunings are there for a reason and exist for a reason.



tension, scale length, voicings, they all play a significant role.





it isn't just 'whatever you want' because if so, then why bother to play anything to begin with?





You can't lazy your way into being a banjo player. You'll only ever be a guitar player that wants to be a banjo player if you play in guitar tuning.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a lot of musical gobbledegook & snobbery. Anyone playing Chicago tuning is "actually" playing an instrument, & knows what it's for, it's to make music. Tunings do exist for a reason, it's to play music. There's nothing lazy about aquiring guitar skills, & anyone playng on a banjo is a banjo player.

Edited by - tdennis on 06/04/2024 02:33:00

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  07:09:51

quote:

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Originally posted by tdennis

unings are very important to those who want to actually play the instrument and understand what the instrument is for.





the tunings are there for a reason and exist for a reason.



tension, scale length, voicings, they all play a significant role.





it isn't just 'whatever you want' because if so, then why bother to play anything to begin with?





You can't lazy your way into being a banjo player. You'll only ever be a guitar player that wants to be a banjo player if you play in guitar tuning.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a lot of musical gobbledegook & snobbery. Anyone playing Chicago tuning is "actually" playing an instrument, & knows what it's for, it's to make music. Tunings do exist for a reason, it's to play music. There's nothing lazy about aquiring guitar skills, & anyone playng on a banjo is a banjo player.

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I'm sorry, but you can't keep making excuses as to why you never learned to play the banjo.

Im sure your guitar playing using a banjo is great, but you don't really know how to play the banjo when you're tuning it like a guitar.  

tdennis - Posted - 06/04/2024:  12:45:48

The OP's question was a call for help in finding strings for Chicago tuning. (I don't think they expected an idiosyncratic lecture about the laziness & inauthenticity of their endeavor. Anyone who uses Chicago tuning may find your peremptory statements insulting, & a distorted musicology.

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  12:54:20

quote:

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Originally posted by tdennis

The OP's question was a call for help in finding strings for Chicago tuning. (I don't think they expected an idiosyncratic lecture about the laziness & inauthenticity of their endeavor. Anyone who uses Chicago tuning may find your peremptory statements insulting, & a distorted musicology.

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The opinions of those too lazy to learn the banjo are not opinions that I have ever held in any regard. 

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 06/04/2024:  13:34:57

With respect, I don’t think laziness is really the issue. People tend to “start where they are”. Learning an instrument is difficult. If they find later that they can’t accomplish their goals using their current tuning, it’s time to explore other options.

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  13:38:17

quote:

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Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

With respect, I don’t think laziness is really the issue. People tend to “start where they are”. Learning an instrument is difficult. If they find later that they can’t accomplish their goals using their current tuning, it’s time to explore other options.

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I started with guitar tuning, and that's what it's for, to start. It isn't a respectable place to end. 

Texasbanjo - Posted - 06/04/2024:  14:25:25

Okay, that's enough. The guy can learn as he pleases and any way that makes it easier for him to learn. I doubt he wants to become a professional, just someone who wants to make music and he can do so in any tuning he wishes.

Let's stop the back and forth and let it be.

account-deleted - Posted - 06/04/2024:  14:56:57

quote:

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Originally posted by Texasbanjo

Okay, that's enough. The guy can learn as he pleases and any way that makes it easier for him to learn. I doubt he wants to become a professional, just someone who wants to make music and he can do so in any tuning he wishes.



Let's stop the back and forth and let it be.

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Sure, you're right. He has the right to be lazy and do so as he pleases. It is a free country, at least it's supposed to be. 

 

I've said my peace. 

fotoguzzi - Posted - 06/04/2024:  19:37:18

Well , can I tune my baritone Uke (standard is DGBE) to DGBD? Then it’s same as open G on a banjo so everything I know (which ain’t much) about banjo in open G will transfer?
Maybe I don’t get it but are you all talking about Chicago tuning vs open G? And isn’t there only I string different by two frets?

banjopaolo - Posted - 06/05/2024:  10:46:06

quote:

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Originally posted by fotoguzzi

Well , can I tune my baritone Uke (standard is DGBE) to DGBD? Then it’s same as open G on a banjo so everything I know (which ain’t much) about banjo in open G will transfer?

Maybe I don’t get it but are you all talking about Chicago tuning vs open G? And isn’t there only I string different by two frets?

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Be careful with your uke: someone may say that you aren't using the right tuning!!!!

to be exact the matter was between tenor tuning (CGDA) and Chicago tuning (DGBE) so there are many differences, but Chicago tuning is used on four string banjos (both on tenor and plectrum) in fact it has a name! 

Here in Italy Lino Patruno, the most celebrated banjo player, has always played tenor banjo using Chicago tuning, to demonstrate that it is possible to be pro player using such tuning

youtube.com/watch?v=9R0GP3PHqm4 

personally I play with standard tenor tuning on four string banjo and with standard guitar tuning on six string banjo....

AmethystSWitch - Posted - 06/05/2024:  17:54:20

Thank you very much I was sick unfortunately that’s why I only get two answer today
My banjo arrived today and before it arrived I was planning to buy two sets of strings, one for Irish tuning and one for standard tenor Banjo tuning to combine them

But then, after unpacking my instrument, I discovered it was tuned to DGBD so I really had to laugh and tuned the highest D to an E and it works fine. The string doesn’t feel too tight and it sounds great also so problem solved without me having to do anything

If I was Christian, I would say, God heard my prayers

tdennis - Posted - 06/05/2024:  18:24:38

You will find a lot of enjoyment in your instrument as it is. Your very simple question set off an interesting discussion about the Tenor in general.  I hope you had a chance to review  the thread.

Edited by - tdennis on 06/05/2024 18:32:32

account-deleted - Posted - 06/05/2024:  18:39:27

Enjoy it, for sure.

When you’re ready to learn the tenor banjo, you’ll find many here who can help you do that.

banjopaolo - Posted - 06/06/2024:  00:32:37

quote:

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Originally posted by AmethystSWitch

Thank you very much I was sick unfortunately that’s why I only get two answer today

My banjo arrived today and before it arrived I was planning to buy two sets of strings, one for Irish tuning and one for standard tenor Banjo tuning to combine them



But then, after unpacking my instrument, I discovered it was tuned to DGBD so I really had to laugh and tuned the highest D to an E and it works fine. The string doesn’t feel too tight and it sounds great also so problem solved without me having to do anything



If I was Christian, I would say, God heard my prayers

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Have fun with your banjo :-)

kyeates - Posted - 06/06/2024:  21:08:18

@AmethystSWitch
I would look up online a string tension calculator. There are many of them online. Hopefully you can find one that is for your scale length. I am guessing it will be a 17" scale. You should be able to enter the note you want each string to be and see what the string tension will be. You will need to know what the total tension should be on your banjo.

Here is a link to one site that may help you in this regard.
thesession.org/discussions/33197

I doubt you will be able to retune the strings it comes with to Chicago tuning. I presume it will be in the usual tuning in fifths. Such a tuning covers a range of over an octave and a half. Chicago tuning covers only just over an octave so the strings it comes with will be too slim to cover that range.

Hope this helps.