The Eclectic Banjo - Posted - 01/08/2026:  17:13:50

Just curious what people do. Vamping major chord triads seems like the gold standard during backup. But does anyone vamp 6 or 7 chords, or walking up and down on chords, such as leading back to a tonic?

Also curious how aggressively I should explore up and down the neck during back up. Is there real aural benefit to going up to fret 21 for the inversion G chord for instance?

Old Hickory - Posted - 01/08/2026:  19:17:47

Yes.

stanleytone - Posted - 01/09/2026:  02:25:08

Bottom line .....the better you know your way up and down the neck, the more you can do. One is limited only by their ability and imagination.

Greg Denton - Posted - 01/09/2026:  04:01:47

The long answer to all those questions is listen to what all your banjo heroes do. If you don't have banjo heroes, listen to banjo music until you get some. Do they play 6th and 7th chords? Do they walk between chords? Do they play up and down the neck? Does it sound good playing up to the 22nd fret? YOUR ears are the answer.
The short answer to all those questions is yes.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/09/2026:  04:09:11

When doing backup, I normally use the major chords but I do use run ups and down to affect a chord change.

As far as going up the neck, I try to stay up the neck when the one taking a break is picking down the neck and vice versa.

BobbyE - Posted - 01/09/2026:  05:06:35

As Dr Banjo said, "If it sounds good, it is good."

Bobby

KCJones - Posted - 01/09/2026:  06:32:18

Seems pretty boring to just stay in one position the whole time. At a minimum, you bounce between 1st and 2nd I versions.

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 01/09/2026:  07:51:59

Ultimately, knowing all your chord positions all the way up to the 22nd fret will be useful. Not that you'll necessarily use them when chopping, but because you may eventually want to use notes from those chord positions when soloing or playing rolling backup.

As for 6ths, 7ths, etc., yeah, you can use them. Sometimes it'll add a nice harmonic nuance. Other times it'll be like urinating in you pants while wearing a dark suit, as they say.

steve davis - Posted - 01/09/2026:  09:16:35

Use everything you can think of and see what sticks.

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 01/09/2026:  12:35:22

I think that vamping (playing percussive pinches on 2&4) is much more effective on mandolin. If I do it at all, I just damp all the strings and go for the least amount of sustain.
That’s probably not what you want to hear though.

Old Hickory - Posted - 01/09/2026:  13:24:45

OK. Longer answer.

Yes, my vamping includes 7th chords sometimes. Not sure about 6th chords. Like most players I add color notes to chords by thumbing the 5th string at whatever fret the index is fretting and working that note into rolling backup. I think this adds a Major 7 to F-shape chords and a 2nd or 9th to D-shape chords.

Yes, I do move chord shapes up and down in backup.  I think it mostly varies among vamping, thumb-pinch, or a bit of roll. But I don't do a lot of walking. Wish I did more. It's something I've never worked on or practiced. So sometimes I do it when I hear an opportunity for something easy. Mainly thumb notes on 4th string.

The highest full chord I typically use in backup is the F-shape G chord at 15 to 17. But I'll go to the 20+21 partial, which is an octave higher than the partial G at 8+9.

The Eclectic Banjo - Posted - 01/09/2026:  18:51:18

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

Like most players I add color notes to chords by thumbing the 5th string at whatever fret the index is fretting and working that note into rolling backup. I think this adds a Major 7 to F-shape chords and a 2nd or 9th to D-shape chords.

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Nice, I like this.