Hello everyone!
I am a new member saying hello (didn’t see a new member introduction thread anywhere).
I tried playing without success many years ago. I currently do not own a banjo but plan on taking it up again. I am 66 years old, retired, and live in central Iowa. Having never been musically talented, Scruggs style is probably too fast paced for me. Besides, I kinda prefer clawhammer and old time fiddle tunes.
No doubt I will be seeking advice for my banjo purchase and learning, as well as scouring prior threads. Judging from my perusal of the site, everyone seems friendly and helpful.
Thanks for having me as a member!
Edited by - 83Hawk on 03/14/2025 17:24:23
Welcome from Buckeye country!
Welcome from S.E Tennessee.
Welcome! I think you will find that you can play oldtime as slow or fast as you want and it will sound fine. Tunes like Whiskey Before Breakfast, Angelina Baker, Kitchen Girl etc, work fine at any speed. If you check out YouTube, you will find many beginning clawhammer instructions there for free or subscription for more advanced guidance. There is a huge batch of tab on BHO.
Welcome! You're in the right place. The BHO is a great resource, and populated by some of the best banjoistas extant.
Hello 83Hawk,
I am a complete newbie at 53 and never played any musical instrument.
Here is what I found (took from another post I made) that could be helpful if you are looking for online courses paid or free:
There is alot of great stuff out there for free to get you going. To date, I have tried dozens or free and paid teachers that include Tom Collins (Patreon membership $108/yr. - beginner to advanced), Cathy Fink ($27.99 Beginner Module 1 - Truefire great beginner stuff), Banjo Lemonade (free and also great beginner stuff), Lukas Pool (wonderful free beginner series - The Ozark Banjo Company), and some basic stuff from Jack at banjoskills.com (free but will be hit with marketing emails) to name a few.
I started with Cathy Fink's lessons but got stuck when she jumped into fretting. Ultimately, I chose the structure and methodology from Brainjo as my base learning platform after trying his eight (8) fee video series and finally watching the webinar (not necessary). However, I still routinely reference my paid memberships from Tom Collins and Cathy Fink when I need more explanation, get stuck on something, or just want something different to keep it fresh.
If online doesn't work I think your only option is in-person lessons (which I am sure you already know). The site has a Banjo Teacher directly too. Please let me know if you need any links to any of my suggestions.
Very best wishes in your banjo journey!
Welcome to the site! I perused around and thought I could figure out a way to do it for free after mastering Lukas Pool's beginner course. ( ozarkbanjo.com/free-beginner-c...o-lessons ). I found that I preferred his teaching to all others that I tried out. I found that many people play many different ways, often their styles don't really overlap. There aren't any banjo teachers where I live, so I'm on my own.
I also recommend Josh Turknett's new book: "Anyone Can Play Music." Being a neuroscientist with mastery of the knowledge of how the brain learns, and also a banjo player has enabled him to to publish a very good book. Personally, I am not a fan of his teaching style, but many are.
I play a Deering (made in USA) Americana and started on a friend's old, made-in-China, resonator banjo that weighed 11#, 18# in the case! I didn't like that too much, eventhough it sounded pretty good. The Deering Goodtime, the second one I played weighs just over 4#. I then acquired the Americana, also around 4#, for a smokin' deal. This one has a 12" pot and I prefer it to the other (11"). The weight took the fun out of it for me, and many people don't care. I use a TKL (also US made) hard case when I travel, I think the whole thing weighs about 13#.
If you get a chance, go check out lots of banjos and you will find what you prefer. Good luck on your journey!
Hi, I live in central Iowa, the town of Afton. I'm just starting to play the banjo to. Have fun
