My very favorite (for solo playing) is plectrum--CGBD--with its closer intervals, great sounding banjo. But with so much mandolin comes a predilection for tenors. I haven't had my plectrum out of the closet in years...although I do play five-string in the "classic" style, too.
I've heard really wonderful plectrum playing, and that tuning is the older 5 string tuning minus one string, but I never got into it.
I have heard a trick for tenor players when single-line soloing on a plectrum tuning is ignore the B string - so you play on the C, G, and D strings which are common to both tunings.
Last edited by Toni Schula; Oct-17-2014 at 10:16am.
Last edited by Toni Schula; Oct-17-2014 at 10:10am. Reason: Added a smiley, not to be rude. I am a banjoist myself.
Regarding the dark side. How is this instrument called that Tim O'Brian plays here?
Is this also called an OM?
Darol Anger also sometimes plays one.
I am in the transition from a 5 piece band to a guitar-less trio and have the feeling that for some tunes a lower register cittern would be a very nice accompaniment. Should be tuned in fifth, to facilitate transition from mandolin and to avoid the need to search for another internet forum
Here is the video you were trying to post:
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
I might be able to knock out a lot of these questions with jut a crash course in banjo history. The 5-string was one of the earliest modern banjo designs that we recognize today. Around the 1920s or so, a lot of new jazz players found the fifth string to be frustrating in that it got in the way when playing different keys, so the first 4-string banjos emerged by simply removing the fifth string and strumming with a flatpick, or "plectrum." Therefore, this came to be known as a "plectrum" banjo, tuned CGBD (low to high, so non-reentrant) and using the long 26" or so banjo scale. It allows for a lot of chord melodies and more versatility when it comes to key transitions, and as the name implies, it is usually played with a plectrum. My Deering 5-string not only works for 3-finger and clawhammer styles, but also as as a plectrum by tuning it to gCGBD and ignoring the drone.
Here's some plectrum banjo, courtesy of Rob MacKillop:
Shortly after the introduction of the plectrum banjo, jazz banjoists began experimenting with banjos of shorter scales and different intervals, thus the 17-fret and 19-fret tenors came to be. The only difference between the 17's and 19's is the scale length and number of frets; both can be tuned either to CGDA for jazz or GDAE for Irish Trad (though its mainstay use in Irish Trad was not until well after the tenor's inception). These tend to be geared more towards faster melodic playing, and again, they are usually played with a flatpick.
There are exceptions and oddballs, though. As aforementioned by others, some banjoists will use Chicago tuning to mirror a guitar's top four strings, and it is still possible to play clawhammer on a four-string, just with a slightly different sound. Occasionally, Banjo-ukes are often tuned in some sort of modified reentrant tuning to get a drone string as well.
--Tom
Kieran Hanrahan (I spelled his name wrong earlier!) has one CD on his own, "Kieran Hanrahan Plays the Irish Tenor Banjo", but it's a classic (IMHO). Brian M = Brian McGrath.
Too many instruments...too little time
Form what I understand something called a tango banjo was one of the earliest , and instruments like banjolins and such were around by the teens, and they were 4 string members of the banjo orchestras of the times.
At the same the time influence of the mandolin spread to the banjo, and metal strings and tunings in 5ths were introduced, resulting in the tenor banjo.
Older players of the "classical" gCGBD tuned banjo dropped the short string, adopted picks and metal strings and the plectrum banjo was born.
Remember many of the older Gibson banjos were re-necked into 5 strings over the years.
Still, I've been studying the transition to tenor banjo for a while and the subject is quite murky, with no clear timelines of anything, other than when items show up in historical catalogs and period references, which often are also inconclusive..
After seeing Gerry O'Connor on Youtube, I ordered his Complete Guide to the Irish Tenor Banjo. But as far as the picking hand is concerned, the book doesn't go into any details such as pick direction when playing triplets. It's more of a collection of tabs for fifth-tuned instruments.(Without chords).
Check out "Sully's" Irish Banjo stuff, not sure where it is available.
Triplets can only be played as: V = downstroke ^ = upstroke
1. VV^
2. V^V
3. V^^
4. ^V^
5. ^^V
6. VVV
7. ^^^
8. ^VV
Honestly I don't recall for sure but I bet it's number 1 or 2 for Irish triplets.
Thanks for the hint. It seems the Sully-book ist not available at the moment here in Germany.
The problem is less how to pick a triplet, but rather how to continue after the triplet hast been played.
In medium tempo jigs, I manage to play to triplets in a row with DUDDUD.
In hornpipes the dotted eights notes allow to play two ups on eight notes following a triplet and thus get back into the flow.DUD UU
But how about reels at faster tempos?
Made the same addition to the stable a while back and enjoy it. Got a Deering 17-fret tenor banjo and added the EZ-resonator to it (no good reason why, just seemed like a good idea). Tuned it back-and-forth GDAE-CGDA and finally settled on CGDA (E came out "screechy" to me).
To add a little more darkness, recently got a banjo-ukulele (Gretsch 1883) as the Deering's little brother. Also tuned CGDA, the banjolele makes for lighter and easier quick grabs, as opposed to hauling out the larger instrument. Keeping both tuned the same makes for easier transition.
Adding even more darkness, my mandolins keep getting less and less playing time, as the tenor guitar, tenor banjo and the ukes (everything tuned CGDA for ease) keep me under guard. I may soon need night-vision goggles!
...Steve
Current Stable: Two Tenor Guitars (Martin 515, Blueridge BR-40T), a Tenor Banjo (Deering GoodTime 17-Fret), a Mandolin (Burgess #7). two Banjo-Ukes and five Ukuleles..
The inventory is always in some flux, but that's part of the fun.
I'm also getting a Deering 17-fret … Goodtime. I wanted the one without the extra tone ring, but it will take a lot longer to get here and they made me a good deal. I really love the way feels. My session teacher recommended getting an old Gibson Trap Door tenor, but they're not cheap anymore … and hard to find. I'm sticking with GDAE …. don't want to have to learn new note placements.
My Gibson ukulele is all but abandoned since I've gone all Irish all the time. Sad.
Just visiting.
1923 Gibson A jr Paddlehead mandolin
Newish Muddy M-4 Mandolin
New Deering Goodtime Special open back 17 Fret Tenor Banjo
The Goodtime is what I have. It's very smooth. The EZ resonator made more sense (approx $50) than what Deering wanted (approx $250) and works well.
You can always tune the GibUke GDAE. Before I switched my ukes to CGDA I had them GDAE. Since Uke strings come GCEA it's as easy as: 1) using a low-G uke string set, retuning the C up to D and reversing the A and E strings (the E is low, but works okay for rhythm); or 2) doing the former and replacing the E4 string with 20-pound monofilament fishing line ($4 for a 100-yard spool at WallyWorld) and tuning E5. I used the fishing line alternative on several ukes and the tone is quite acceptable and the string is very strong (won't snap easily). Also, 50-pound test line makes a good A string. The GibUke @ GDAE would make a great alternative instrument for Irish, especially if amped.
...Steve
Current Stable: Two Tenor Guitars (Martin 515, Blueridge BR-40T), a Tenor Banjo (Deering GoodTime 17-Fret), a Mandolin (Burgess #7). two Banjo-Ukes and five Ukuleles..
The inventory is always in some flux, but that's part of the fun.
Well they do come up occasionally... http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/80U-2703.htm
With experience, you may come to find pleasure in shopping for vintage banjos; there're a trove of them about--as they were once quite popular
Yup, I've been looking, but they're too expensive now (my teacher said I could get one in the $300 range). Plus, I really hate having to tweak and fuss with instruments. I'm not a gear head at all. I want something ready to play … an instrument I've either tried out, or am buying from a player who can give me a lot of information about it.
When I played the Deering, the first thing I noticed was how smooth it felt to play. Good to know you have that experience also.
I have "uke-itis". I just don't enjoy playing ukuleles at all anymore. Too many bad experiences with groups where there were a number of wannabe "Eric Claptons" or crappy singers playing awful songs and tunes ~ wanting to solo . I'd rather listen to a good Hawaiian musician playing the ukulele or a good Hawaiian kanikapila (group performance). I love Irish sessions because it is a group thing ~ sans ukuleles. But that's me.
Just visiting.
1923 Gibson A jr Paddlehead mandolin
Newish Muddy M-4 Mandolin
New Deering Goodtime Special open back 17 Fret Tenor Banjo
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
I know what you mean. I can only take "Tiny Bubbles" and such so often and then that's it. I do mainly rock, so these group things are just "work" after a while. That being said, tuning the uke to what the TB is makes the uke a great practice and pick-it-out instrument when you don't want to haul the TB out if the case. That way, the uke helps reinforce the TB, especially those times when sitting on the couch and not wanting to blast everyone out of the room.
...Steve
Current Stable: Two Tenor Guitars (Martin 515, Blueridge BR-40T), a Tenor Banjo (Deering GoodTime 17-Fret), a Mandolin (Burgess #7). two Banjo-Ukes and five Ukuleles..
The inventory is always in some flux, but that's part of the fun.
Impossible to know for certain without playing it--however a phone call to Elderly could render enough information.
For my money, I like vintage--but as mentioned, one needs to know what they're getting into: many old banjos need replacement nuts, brackets, tuners, heads, and neck angle adjustments. The upshot though--banjos are rather easy to tinker with...even neck angle repositioning is a straightforward procedure--most can be remedied with a simple shim..
Just visiting.
1923 Gibson A jr Paddlehead mandolin
Newish Muddy M-4 Mandolin
New Deering Goodtime Special open back 17 Fret Tenor Banjo
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