Help: Banjo books

Subject: Banjo books
From: tradsteve
Date: 12 Jan 00 - 09:25 PM

anybody got any suggestions on books for learning banjo? How do you feel about Pete Seeger's book?

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Jan 00 - 10:00 PM

Tradsteve, you need to be more specific about what you mean by banjo and style. As an example, I play tenor (one of the 4 string varieties) and use the most common "Irish tuning" GDAE. The tenor is also used in Jazz but normally in CGDA tuning.

I would guess that you are thinking of a 5 string - don't know musch about them but there is frailing, clawhammer, melodic... for starters....

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Jan 00 - 10:06 PM

Steve, I feel that I phrased what I said badly... give some names of players that you like to listen to... There are probably a few here who know a lot about one or more styles and would stand a better chance of pointing you in the right direction if we know what you are loking for.

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From:
Date: 12 Jan 00 - 10:40 PM

Sonster Bob (Clayton) who sometimes posts here, has written a book on banjo playing.

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: tradsteve
Date: 12 Jan 00 - 10:42 PM

That's alright. Well I'm beginning to take up the 5 string banjo and I was just wondering what's the best book to learn out of. I listen to Doc Boggs, Pete Seeger etc. just looking for suggestions.

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Owlkat
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 01:25 AM

Ha, another banjo player!!!
There IS a dog!

I've seen and used a number of banjo books since I started to play. I actually started with the Pete Seeger book, which gives a lot of handy info and an introduction to picking, fingerstyle, and frailing styles, and tunes.
If you want to get Scruggs style picking instead of frailing, there is the Earl Scruggs book, which gives a good start with banjo rolls, and common tunes.
Since those books came out, there have been a LOT of banjo books written.
Bob Carlin wrote a book for melodic banjo, which has useful stuff in it, as long as you've got a grip on reading tab.
If I had my music library with me I could give you more titles. Hope these help.
Good luck.

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Auxiris
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 05:56 AM

Ken Perlman has written a book on clawhammer banjo entitled "Clawhammer Style Banjo: A Complete Guide for Beginning and Advanced Banjo Players" that I feel is quite clear and easy to understand. There are 2 videos that go with the book; if you can afford to have them as well I would recommend them without the slightest hesitation.

cheers, Auxiris

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Dani
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 07:58 AM

There've been several threads on the subject, some with great leads. Use Max's handy-dandy forum search (come on, SOMEBODY has to be first to type in BANJO, close their eyes and peek carefully through their fingers!!).

Good luck. Dani

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Auxiris
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 10:16 AM

Even if this is a little off the subject of helping someone find a couple of good banjo instruction books, I'd like to take this opportunity to say:

I am a banjo player. I admit to playing the banjo every day and I am proud to say so!

Banjo players, stand up and be counted! Here's to you, Steve.

cheers, Auxiris

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Jon W.
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 04:35 PM

I've got one by Ken Perlman which really helped me. It's Mel Bay's "Basic Clawhammer Banjo." But it isn't really basic. I also bought Songster Bob Clayton's book, and it's really good especially for a beginner. His is the first explanation of clawhammer picking that made any sense to me.

Count me as a banjo player and builder too (or at least a wannabe on both points).

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Banjoman_CO
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 06:45 PM

I've used the Seeger book and there are a lot of great things in it. I also have used the Ken Pearlman book and the one by 'songster Bob'. These are both freat books. Amen to what 'Auxiris' said. Welcome, Tradsteve to the wonderful world of BANJO. It's a great instrument. Any help I can give just let me know. Best of Luck.

Banjoman

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: BanjoRay
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 06:55 PM

When you get basic clawhammer playing sorted out and you want to get a bit more advanced, there's a superb book called Round Peak Style Clawhammer Banjo by Brad Leftwich, published by Mel Bay. He does tabs for around 70 or so tunes in the styles of superb old round peak players like Tommy Jarrel, Fred Cockerham and Charlie Lowe. The CD that comes with it demos every single tune in the book on a fretless banjo - the guy's a lovely player. Cheers Ray

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: charcloth
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 08:20 PM

for frailing I highly reccomend Eric Muller & Barbara Koehler's "Frailing the 5 string banjo" mel bay carries it. There is a cassette tape available. Frailing & Seeger's style sound verry similar but technicaly are a bit different. Seeger's style starts withan up pick while frailing is all down strokes. For Scruggs style try Jack Hatfield's Bluegrass banjo method. Good luck

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Banjer
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 08:32 PM

Hi guy!! one thing I learned about learning banjo is DO NOT let anyone convince you that any one style is better than another. They all have their good points and their not so good points. Learn all you can about every style and then blend what you have learned and develop your own style. I thought clawhammer or frailing was the best for a while until I discovered three finger and then I started a combination of the two....Well!! Did that start a row! "You can't do that" I was told. They almost had me convinced that I indeed couldn't do that.....Untill.....I saw a show about the Stanley Brothers and how he told that he developed a sort of "Frailin' and pickin' combination early on" I figured If it was good enough for Ralph Stanley, it could work for me! It may not be how Earl would have done it, but by golley, I ain't Earl! Above all, enjoy whatever it is you decide to do. I will admit to being a banjo player(?) of sorts. At least 15 to 20 minutes a day...

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: JamesJim
Date: 13 Jan 00 - 11:57 PM

If you are looking for instructional books/tapes, try "HOMESPUN TAPES" (Happy Traum), Woodstock, N.Y. 12498 Ph: 1-800-338-2737

I'm looking at old catalogs (before they had e-mail), so I don't have an e-mail address (might try Homespun Tapes or Happy Traum and "Search").

You can select from a lot of styles and from the masters, like Pete Seeger, Pete Wernick, Bela Fleck, etc. Bela Fleck has a good tape on "Banjo Picking Styles." You can go either audio (cassette) or video. All I can say is this was the way I learned guitar. It was great. I went through 6 beginner folk tapes in 3 months (Happy Traum was the teacher), progress to 6 flat picking tapes, then on to finger-picking. Later I ordered a 12 string video that was just fantastic. What I liked about this is I was able to learn at my own pace - replay tapes as needed, etc. Hope this helps. Jim

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: JamesJim
Date: 14 Jan 00 - 12:06 AM

Tradsteve, just checked to see if I could find a website for Homespun, but had no luck. When I first ordered my tapes (19 years ago), Happy was working out of a room in his house and only doing audio tapes. His business has grown tremendously over the years. I'd suggest you contact them and ask them to send you a catalog. Jim

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: beachcomber
Date: 14 Jan 00 - 08:02 PM

I started to learn banjo (5-string) from a book by Pete Seeger@ half sister Peggy (I believe she lives in the uk.) It was the best one for my money and I also tried ones by Pete Seeger himself, Bill Keith, and one endorsed by the Kingston Trio, also one by Jimmy Kelly (Irish) and a monster called,I think I'm right, All about Bluegrass Banjo. You will probably find that you get something from every book as they add to your understanding (confusion ?)

Go for it the world badly needs a new Earl.

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: Bluesy
Date: 15 Jan 00 - 07:17 PM

I found 'The Murphy Method" to be a great way to learn the 5 string. I was suggested to me by my uncle who is a fine picker. She has methods for several other instruments, but started with Scruggs style 5 string.

Sorry, I can't blue clicky thing.

www.visuallink.net/murphy/

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: BK
Date: 15 Jan 00 - 09:34 PM

experiment from one who's not sure abt blue clicky's

Cheers

Subject: RE: Help: Banjo books
From: BK
Date: 15 Jan 00 - 09:36 PM

I put it in angled brackets & it disappeared.. instead of being blue. now I'm blue!!

BK