Banjo Music

The Music

There are many different styles of playing the banjo. Some styles opt for finger picking alone, while others use strumming. Others combine the two. Traditional styles of playing do not use finger picks, but many modern banjoists like the sound that picks create. In general, five-string banjo styles call for finger picking, and four-string banjo styles call for strumming.

There are also many different ways of tuning a banjo, depending on the type of music and the sound desired. The number of strings will affect the way the banjo is tuned, and the most popular tuning for a five-string banjo is dGDBg; this is the setting commonly used in bluegrass. The four-string banjo is usually tuned to CGBD.

The banjo has a rich culture of music in the United States, and because of this there is a wide variety of music that can be found and played on the instrument. Classic banjo music is very popular, as are bluegrass and even some rock and country. The banjo has a fun, interesting sound that stands well on its own or blended with other instruments.

back

Music