In fact, banjos with all the "bells and whistles" have too much sustain for some some styles that depend heavily on strumming - all that sustain creates a morass of indistinct sounds not unlike shouting into an empty oil drum. Some pickers even prefer the sound of a "stripped-down" banjo - to them it seems more authentic. Traditional players like Pete Seeger or Grandpa Jones could get by just as well with a relatively simple banjo, since they could always count on strumming to keep up with loud groups. Unlike other picking styles, which worked no matter what kind of banjo you had, Bluegrass picking in a large ensemble required a fancy banjo with all the "bells and whistles" to compete in volume with the rest of the band. But about the time of World War II, pickers like Earl Scruggs figured out a way to take advantage of those really loud banjos and metal fingerpicks to play a new kind of banjo that had no strumming to speak of, so-called "three-finger," "Scruggs-Style," or Bluegrass picking. Banjos had gradually been getting louder, to keep up with the volume of large ensembles. Up until World War II, most people played the banjo with a combination of fingerpicking and strumming. So as we get into the description of the "bells and whistles," don't let that distract you from the fact that there are totally "stripped-down" banjos that cost far more - and are worth far more - than a lot of banjos that have every possible add-on. But a banjo with all the best "bells and whistles" and a mediocre neck is worth far less to musicians than a stripped-down banjo with a perfect neck. As you'll see when you start shopping, the Five-String banjo has many potential "bells and whistles" that add volume, sustain, and weight. Banjos with really heavy bodies, like high-end Bluegrass banjos (see below) put even more strain on the neck. Fortunately for you, over the banjo's lifetime, the Five-String banjo has been by far the most popular kind, giving you access to many choices of new instruments and even more choices of used ones.Ĭompared to the size of the body, the banjo has the longest neck, of any stringed instrument. So, if you like Bluegrass, "Old-Timey," or Folk-style banjo, you want a Five-String. Conversely, there are several popular styles of American music that can only be played properly on a Five-String banjo, Bluegrass being among the chief. You can play Celtic music on a Five-String - many players have, including the great Tommy Makem, but the fifth string makes it hard to play Jazz. What sets it apart from Four-String banjos - popular in early Jazz and in Celtic bands - is a high-pitched drone string that is seldom fretted, and usually adds a sort of twinkle to most playing patterns. The Five-String banjo is unquestionably the most popular kind of banjo. 5-String Banjo Buyers' Guide - from Riverboat Music(tm)
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