Monday, October 14, 2019

I Inherit a Tenor Banjo

My brother Ted, an accomplished guitarist, passed away on April 5, 2019.  I greatly miss him, but I did inherit a tenor banjo and his favorite Stratocastor guitar to remember him by.

I immediately ordered some instructional books on tenor banjo, and have been studying it  As a rhythm player it is good to finally study a lead instrument.  I am proceeding through the book well and learning the chords in each key.  Some of these chords seem almost impossible to play, as you have to really stretch those fingers out to get all the right notes.  Since there is only four strings, it's mo doubt easier than playing a six string guitar.  Playing the chords gets easier each time I pick up the banjo.  You are building muscle memory and it comes easier than you might think.

I am learning in the jazz duning of CGDA, from top to bottom of the neck.  There are several tunings that you might choose, but this is the one I want, and it seems most instructional books teach playing in this key.

More about the banjo later.