Martha’s Vineyard may not be known for its reputation of banjo music, but Middle Road in Chilmark holds deep ties to this traditional instrument’s distinctive sound. Donald Nitchie from Chilmark serves as editor of the Banjo Newsletter magazine which serves as a regular source for information about all things banjo-related.
BNL features stories about banjo players and techniques (primarily three finger Scruggs and clawhammer playing styles), starting out banjo playing (beginner level), music theory theory, banjo set-up/accessories reviews as well as record reviews – with tablature included for every issue.
Articles
Established by Hubbard “Hub” and Nancy Nitchie in 1973, Banjo NewsLetter (BNL) is a monthly magazine dedicated to five-string banjo playing. Coverage includes features on various players as well as techniques like Scruggs style playing (especially three finger), beginning banjo lessons, music theory studies, product and record reviews and banjo tabs (a form of notation that indicates fingering for learning songs without reading music). Furthermore, BNL contains banjo tabs; an easy way of notating fingering that facilitates learning songs without reading music! Additionally BNL provides banjo tabs as notation that indicates fingering which makes learning songs easier without reading music!
This collection contains many articles transcribed from original recordings, featuring audio interviews or demonstrations of performances by notable banjo players like Eddie Adcock, Bill Keith, Don Reno and Earl Scruggs. Also featured are digital video recordings from events hosted or covered by the newsletter such as Banjo Bash at Buckeystown 1998 and Maryland Banjo Academy Live performances 1999; as well as various black-and-white and color photographs, catalogs, banjo tabs advertising forms and printed materials loosely related to it.
Donald, born and bred on the Vineyard but now living in Chilmark, produces BNL every month in his home studio from start to finish – as editor, proofreader, and one-man production department. BNL runs from 40 to 48 pages with advertisements from banjo sales/repair shops/workshops/music camps/festivals/lessons etc.
Donald is looking for an enthusiastic new manager of Banjo News Letter. Whether the magazine stays printed or goes digital, he would like it to continue as an invaluable resource for banjo players worldwide. If you are interested in taking over BNL or have ideas for its future publication, contact Donald Nitchie through his online address.
Reviews
the banjo is an exceptionally versatile instrument despite its diminutive size, capable of accommodating various styles. Bluegrass music combines traditional country tunes with modern pop and rock tunes, while some players specialize in old time or clawhammer styles associated with folk music; jazz banjo may also be performed; there is even growing interest for blues banjo that uses finger-picking techniques similar to guitar.
Hub Nitchie and Nancy Nitchie began Banjo NewsLetter magazine together in 1973. This monthly publication offers coverage on all aspects of 5-string banjo music and playing, such as players, techniques such as three-finger picking (Three Finger and Scruggs-Style Picking as well as Clawhammer), beginning banjo playing, music theory theory, setup accessories product reviews product reviews as well as tablature. Over five thousand subscribers both within the US and internationally subscribe.
After Hub’s death in 1992, his sons Donald and Spencer took over publishing it from their homes on Martha’s Vineyard. Their magazine usually runs between 40 to 48 pages with plenty of advertising for banjo sales and repair as well as workshops, music camps and festivals as well as lessons. Donald serves as editor, proofreader and all-in-one production department; working from Middle Road.
The Banjo Newsletter’s website boasts a searchable archive of print back issues as well as an expansive library of free tablatures for songs and tunes, making it one of the most essential sources for anyone interested in playing or learning the instrument. Aspiring banjo players use it as a forum to discuss techniques and share experiences; one influential publication on banjo use.
Contrary to some publications, the Banjo Newsletter has not been sold off to Amazon or other large publishing houses; this is testament to both its founders and readers that it continues to exist as long as it does. We can only hope someone steps up and keeps this vital resource going; otherwise we would lose access to all those interviews, demos and commercial recordings archived within it!
Classifieds
Martha’s Vineyard may not be known for its banjo music these days, but its roots run deep along Middle Road in Chilmark. Here resides Donald Nitchie, editor of Banjo Newsletter (BNL) magazine for 40 years – featuring articles, news, product reviews and advertising of 5-string banjo instruments, workshops, camps festivals lessons.
BNL features articles and columns focused on popular styles of five-string banjo playing, such as three-finger and clawhammer styles. With more than five thousand subscribers both domestically and abroad, it was established by Hubbard “Hub” Nitchie and Nancy Nitchie in 1973; since then their two sons, Donald and Spencer Nitchie, have shared writing and editing duties; Hub Nitchie died in 1992, but she continued the publication until Donald and Spencer took over their duties in 1994.
BNL covers 40 to 48 pages with its newspaper-style format, featuring an expansive classifieds section for banjos, accessories, workshops and services. In addition, it offers beginner tips as well as interviews with prominent 5-string players as well as product tests for new banjos as well as tablatured tunes.
BNL recently moved its classified ads from paper to an online system and started charging a subscription fee for them. Ads can be placed in categories like new and used items, acoustic and electric instruments as well as permanent listings of instruments and parts / accessories that BANJO-L subscribers can post and browse (submitted by themselves and approved by website administrator).
Tablature
Martha’s Vineyard may not be known for its banjo music these days, but on Middle Road in Chilmark its sound has deep roots. On one end is Bill Keith who developed his Scruggs-style picking as a teenager in the 1950s, helping refine a tuning peg standard used today; at the other is Donald Nitchie who edits Banjo Newsletter (BNL), an international magazine covering all things banjo since 1978 from his Chilmark home.
BNL showcases articles, interviews and tabs about both three-finger and clawhammer banjo playing techniques. It also covers starting banjo playing as a beginner; music theory; set-up issues; product and record reviews as well as product and record recommendations.
Tablature (often referred to as tabs) is a notation system designed to indicate fingerings and facilitate learning a song without needing to read music. A blank tab resembles standard music manuscript paper with horizontal lines representing strings starting at the top left corner and numbering down to its bottom right corner; vertical barlines indicate its time signature which shows how many square rolls, thumb pinches, or pinches fit within one measure or “bar.”
Donald is a self-taught banjo player and began writing out banjo songs for friends using an IBM Selectric typewriter with a modified keystroke sequence to produce tab format, this eventually leading to his work on the banjo newsletter.
Though some teachers who specialize in reading standard musical notation frown upon tablature, its use makes learning the banjo easier for beginners and it provides faster feedback than continually watching a video of professional musicians playing the song in question.
The Banjo Newsletter Collection at UNC Chapel Hill contains an array of materials related to its publication, such as black-and-white 35mm film negatives and color 35mm roll positives of photographs taken of banjo players at events sponsored or covered by it, black and white 35mm film negatives of images related to banjo tablature events as well as printed materials like articles catalogs and tabs. It forms part of their Southern Folklife Collection.