A standard banjo typically features five metal strings; some varieties also incorporate a sixth (drone) string tuned one octave lower than the others.
All four-string banjos can be used to play bluegrass, Irish music and Dixieland; however, your string selection will affect its sound and feel.
Scale Length
The scale length of a banjo refers to the distance between its nut and bridge on its neck, and can differ greatly between instruments. Resonator banjos typically have longer scale lengths while open back or gourd banjos often feature shorter ones; typically speaking, as scale length increases so will frets on its neck.
Some banjos feature the capacity for adding an additional string, and this feature may be utilized for various reasons. For instance, some players prefer the sound of five-string banjos for bluegrass music due to their increased complexity in chording and melodies over traditional four-string models.
Addition of a fifth string also offers banjo players multiple tuning options. For instance, when playing in standard G tuning you could easily switch it up into C tuning by simply moving the fifth string up one fret – known as Irish tuning for its more folky tone than G tuning.
Banjos designed with five strings can make playing easier for beginners, since it makes fingering the strings much simpler without needing to bend your fingers as would be necessary on traditional four-string instruments. Furthermore, players looking to experiment with various genres may benefit from trying a five-string banjo because this allows for greater tuning options and tuning variance.
Some manufacturers have begun producing banjos with shorter scale lengths, commonly referred to as A-scale banjos and featuring smaller fretboards than traditional models. These instruments are ideal for old-timey music as well as bluegrass genres.
Take note: Converting from full-scale banjo to A-scale model can be quite a complex process. Frets must be removed carefully from the nut end of the neck; typically this modification process should only be attempted on custom-built instruments by professional luthiers.
Fretboard Length
A banjo features a fretboard made up of individual metal bars or dots extending along its neck. Its length affects what notes can be played; fretboard length often determines what notes can be played at once on an instrument such as guitar; fretboards of banjos tend to be shorter than guitar fretboards and allow players to reach more strings with their fingertips; it can even affect its tone!
Fretboards come in various configurations and scale lengths; the most widely-used fretboard configuration is 5-string banjo with standard EADGBE tuning – popular among bluegrass, country, jazz and Irish musicians alike. Other tunings for 4-string banjos may also include Irish tuning (GCEA); this style of tuning can also be found among folk music.
A banjo’s fretboard can be made from either metal or wood, each material offering different tones when played. Metal fretboards tend to produce crisper sounds while wood fretboards tend to produce warmer ones. Furthermore, there are multiple options when it comes to placing its bridge – some players prefer having it close to the nut for clarity in playing while others opt for further away for increased sustain and richness in tone.
One thing that may be confusing to new banjo players is knowing the difference between four-string and five-string banjos. Although these instruments vary slightly in terms of appearance and sound quality, their main distinction lies in string count: four-stringers feature single bridges at their nut; while five-stringers typically utilize double bridges that span both octaves.
Four-string banjos can be played in various styles, but are particularly well suited to folk and Celtic music. Students find them easy to use; many feature smaller bodies to facilitate playing by younger individuals or those with short arms. Some versions feature tuners protruding from behind the instrument; better models offer “planetary” tuners for more traditional style tuning.
Neck Length
There are various methods available to you for altering the neck of a banjo. One approach would be changing the fret spacing; this will alter how your fingers approach the fretboard and can alter its sound as well. Altering neck length, however, requires more complex and costly measures.
Short neck banjos can make for easier playing for beginners and young musicians whose hands are still developing. Furthermore, these shorter necks tend to use cheaper materials than longer ones.
Thicker necks tend to produce louder sounds and can produce an amplified sound than thinner ones; however, thinner necks may be easier for fingers and are often made from lightweight woods.
Another element that influences the sound of a banjo is its tuning. Irish musicians may prefer tuning their banjos to GDAE instead of the more prevalent CGDA tuning found in plectrum banjos; this produces brighter sound while making transposing songs to different keys much simpler.
At the heart of choosing a banjo is music style; this will determine which type and scale length are right for you.
If you are planning to play bluegrass music, purchasing a 5-string banjo with a short scale neck may help facilitate faster tempos and more versatile songs.
Opting for a 10-string banjo with a long neck may provide you with an alternative sound, making this style of instrument popular with folk musicians and bluegrass players alike. No matter which style of instrument you decide on, take your time when selecting it to avoid making costly errors that could prove hard to correct later – especially when purchasing second-hand banjos.
String Length
No matter if you’re new or an experienced musician, choosing a banjo makes an enormous impactful statement about who you are as an instrument player. As with guitars, banjos vary significantly in string length, scale length and tuning; when selecting one make sure it suits the genre of music that interests you.
The three most frequently seen types of banjos are five string bluegrass banjo, four string tenor banjo and plectrum style banjo. The five string bluegrass banjo features 22 frets on its neck for finger picking and frailing styles found in bluegrass and country music, while four string tenor and plectrum styles can both be played using either picks or fingers for strumming and picking styles such as Irish jigs, reels or hornpipes.
Though only commercially available since 2012, the six string banjo is quickly gaining momentum as an alternative to traditional bluegrass music. Composed of a 6-string guitar neck connected to a plectrum or bluegrass banjo body and designed specifically to be easier for guitarists to learn than a five-string banjo, musicians like Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Joe Satriani have used six string banjos.
The 5 string bluegrass banjo is one of the most widely-used banjos for finger picking and frailing styles of music, typically being played by finger picking fingers on its 22 fret neck with tuning strings tuned differently than standard guitar strings – typically C3, G3 B3, D4 for C4 strings, then short strings tuned as needed by shortening strings to tune to D4.
Traditional banjos were typically played with unwound, plain strings that impacted tone significantly depending on their thickness. Although this practice still exists today, newer instruments often feature geared tuners which make tuning easier. Heavier strings may cause the neck to shift or bow if chosen with incorrect tension levels; so experimentation should always take place when selecting banjo strings of any gauge.