A Cello banjo method?

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Cello banjo pluckers

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Everything about 4- and 5-string cello banjos -- gear, technique, music. Any and all experience levels welcome!

93 Members, Created 10/22/2011 -

Administrators: raharris (owner)

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From Carpentier on 2/4/2013 10:35:15 AM

I all,

I am saving money in order to buy a 4 or 5 string cello banjo (probably a Gold Tone) this year. Despite, I am an amateur banjo player in a "foreign" country for a banjo (Colombia), it has been a huge help the great quantity of classical banjo tutorial that one can find on the internet. Therefore, I would like to know if there are cello banjo methods somewhere in the webspace.

Glad to hear about this group!

German

3 Comments
	BanjoRW says: 2/4/2013 2:54:13 PM Excellent question. I too, am new to the banjo, and I too am saving for a 5-string chello banjo. Love the sound. A cello banjo would really round-out my banjo family. Got a Sullivan Festival for BG, a longneck Woodsongs for the range, sound, and it's great in an apartment, all I need is a cello banjo (and a lot more practice and skills)...
	Paul Roberts says: 2/4/2013 7:17:48 PM Cello banjos are fascinating instruments. One might think they are just like 'normal' banjos but, to me, they're quite a different animal from their conventional counterparts. I play both 4 and 5-string cello banjos. There's a certain freedom about exploring these instruments because they haven't 'been done' yet. That is, there is no body of knowledge, styles or repertoire develops specifically for them. This is because they were relatively funkier when they were around for a brief period in America between the late 19th and early 20th century. Now we've got an amazing machine - well built, highly playable, fabulous tone - that is capable of going were no man has gone before (or something like that). One can apply knowledge from 4 and 5-string banjos to the 4 and 5-string cello banjos, but, to me it's the way these instruments suggest different and meaningful approaches to musical expression, that I just would not have attempted on a standard banjo, that makes relating to them such a pleasure. Their feel is very different from a standard banjo: the size and weight of the pot, the wide neck, the wound nylon strings - you feel like driving a different kind of ship. There's more body (your body) involved in the act of playing - it's more 'physical.' The sound is huge. It has a big resonance and sustain. You'll immediately notice that the sound - which is going right through you, sitting behind it - has a pleasing effect, which I'd describe as soothing. When you gaze out into your audience you'll notice that it's having a similar effect on them. At least this has been my experience. A lot more could be said. I'll leave it at that for now. PauL
	erwindink says: 2/16/2013 12:45:52 PM I came to t Cello Banjo from the Cello so I'm playing it my CEB-4 note at a time with pick. Also, chords are quite challenging. I looked at some Tenor Banjo method books but they didn't seem like a good fit. For now, I'm just plucking out melodies for songs like Ashoken Farewell, Angelina Baker, Danny Boy, some waltzes and even a couple of classical pieces. It's a slow and lonely process without a teacher or a method but it's fun. I hope more resources become available for these fine instruments.
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