South Dakota Kid - Posted - 01/23/2026:  09:14:25

Hello All,

I would like to have a paper copy of some book or printable online resource that contains many of the various banjo tunings. I'm the sort that likes having it written down on paper so I can reference and try different tunings as I'm learning old tunes.

I have a book for guitar called "The gig bag book of Picture Chords" which I like for guitar for chords...I'm looking for something like this for clawhammer banjo where I can see different tunings. Bonus if it would have chords and chord diagrams shown in tunings such as Double-C and G and the like.

Does anyone know of any such book or printable pubication that exists and/or where I might purchase it?

Thanks a bunch for any leads!

Rusty - Posted - 01/23/2026:  09:24:55

Clawhammer Banjo, tunes, tips and jamming by Wayne Erbsen
It has chords for each old time key and great tunes.

banjered - Posted - 01/23/2026:  09:31:41

"The Banjo Player's Songbook" by Tim Jumper. Shows various chords for various tunings plus how they are used in songs and tunes. A favorite of mine. banjered

pinenut - Posted - 01/23/2026:  10:11:15

quote:

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Originally posted by banjered

"The Banjo Player's Songbook" by Tim Jumper. Shows various chords for various tunings plus how they are used in songs and tunes. A favorite of mine.  Me too. 

 banjered

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"The Banjo Player's Songbook" by Tim Jumper.

tonygo - Posted - 01/23/2026:  10:50:46

zeppmusic.com/banjo/aktuning.htm

Jerry Hatrick - Posted - 01/23/2026:  11:26:02

Not sure whether it’s still in print, but The Folk Music Source Book (Larry Sandberg and Dick Weissman) lists 67 different tunings for five string banjo, with suggestions of which songs to use them with. However, if it’s chords you’re after, then I’m afraid you’ll have to work them out yourself. That might sound daunting, but if you know the alphabet as far as G, and understand about the sharp notes in between (apart from between e and f plus b and c), it’s quite an easy task to find where say the notes g, b and d are that make up a G chord, c, e and g for C chord and d, g# and a for a D chord, etc.

Jerry Hatrick - Posted - 01/23/2026:  11:38:32

Err…f# that should be in a D major chord.

Gar - Posted - 01/23/2026:  12:43:50

You might want to check out Art Rosenbaum's "Old Time Banjo Book". There are 47 different tunings and tabs for tunes that use them. Not much on chords though.

carlb - Posted - 01/23/2026:  12:45:29

quote:

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Originally posted by South Dakota Kid

Hello All,



I would like to have a paper copy of some book or printable online resource that contains many of the various banjo tunings. I'm the sort that likes having it written down on paper so I can reference and try different tunings as I'm learning old tunes.

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Here's a couple of pages of tunings and chords.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 01/23/2026:  15:12:56

I can't recommend this book by my late friend, Art Rosenbaum, OLD TIME BANJO. He covers 40+ tunings and plays them on the DVD with tabs in the books. It is a journey through old time banjo through the time he did field collecting over a lifetime.

Edited by - Bob Buckingham on 01/23/2026 15:13:17

dbrooks - Posted - 01/23/2026:  17:07:47

Bob Buckingham - Did you mean to say "I can't recommend this book ENOUGH...?"

David

dbrooks - Posted - 01/23/2026:  17:13:38

You have gotten some excellent suggestions that I cannot top, but I can share some handouts I have used in some of my classes.

David

G-Minor Chords.pdf

Double-D Chords.pdf

Sawmill Tuning Chords.pdf

Double-C Chords.pdf

Open-G Chords.pdf

 

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 01/23/2026:  17:36:10

quote:

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Originally posted by dbrooks

Bob Buckingham - Did you mean to say "I can't recommend this book ENOUGH...?"



David

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Yes I made a mistake. I cannot recommend this book enough.  Thanks.

Tim Jumper - Posted - 01/24/2026:  06:21:51

Thanks for the kind words and recommendations, fellow BHOers.
I second the suggestion for any books by Art Rosenbaum, and add, any books by Michael J. Miles.