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5 string banjoand partial capos

18 Feb 11 - 04:12 PM (#3098206)
Subject: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

anyone experimented with this with diferent banjo tunings


18 Feb 11 - 05:41 PM (#3098269)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: GUEST,Hootenanny

Different to what?

Hoot


18 Feb 11 - 05:43 PM (#3098273)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

different to dgbd.


18 Feb 11 - 06:01 PM (#3098280)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Desert Dancer

partial capos for 5-string banjo? Are there any?

And why would there be -- since you're retuning in general anyway? It would take a whole 'nother tuning vocabulary, I would think. (Which of course, there are plenty of, without throwing partial capos in the mix...) (on the other hand, some people don't mind the idea, for guitars...)

~ Becky in Tucson


18 Feb 11 - 06:21 PM (#3098290)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

I am not convinced by them


21 Feb 11 - 07:14 AM (#3099638)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: banjoman

Can't see the need as there are so many tunings for the 5 string banjo. Its worth having a look at them as most only require adjustmant to one or two strings. Favourite is mountain minor tuning.


21 Feb 11 - 09:42 AM (#3099695)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: GUEST,Banjovey

I use a capo with open D tuning f#DF#AD. Sometimes I'll put the 5th string = to the first. I'll use this kind of arrangement for song accompaniement.


21 Feb 11 - 12:18 PM (#3099781)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

BANJOVEY ,Do you mean your short string tuned to d thus D d f#ad


21 Feb 11 - 03:48 PM (#3099909)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Andy Jackson

I have a metal rail running down beside the 5th string, along which slides a wire jobbie with a plastic sleeve to hold down the string as required. Works fine, just retune the others as normal and slide the 5th string capo to suit.

Andy


21 Feb 11 - 03:58 PM (#3099918)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Desert Dancer

To me, a "5th string capo" is a different animal than a "partial capo". 5th string capos have been discussed at length here at Mudcat (e.g. here). GSS has not yet detailed for us what he has in mind to discuss in this thread.

~ Becky in Tucson


21 Feb 11 - 06:26 PM (#3099987)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Bee-dubya-ell

As I understand it, the idea of a partial capo on a guitar is to simulate open and other non-standard tunings while leaving the guitar in standard tuning. Well, since 5-string banjos are pretty much always tuned to various open tunings, what would a partial capo do that would be of any benefit?


21 Feb 11 - 07:31 PM (#3100022)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

5 string banjo can be tuned dgbe or down a tone cfad the same as the top four strings of a guitar in standard tuning, someone using this tuning might possibly find it useful to use a partial capo, on 432 strings giving eac#e or down a tone dgbd.
if a player was used to a tenor banjo and had tuned his/her banjo in fifths lets say using light gauge tenor cgda strings but say..top 3 down a tone so cfcg partial capo on 321 strings would give cgda so player could pick out irish tunes with plectrum and play 5string tunings like this
gDGDE
    "Old G", "Sandy River Belle" tuning
    I read somewhere that in Kentucky this tuning has been called "Old G". It's the equivalent of fCFCD (see below). Like gEADE, it's a good way to get to G if your banjo is already tuned up to aEAC#E or aDADE, and many of the tunes often played in gEADE (e.g. Stoney Point; Cumberland Gap) are also played in gDGDE. But together with gEGDE (see below) it seems to have a particular association with the "Sandy River Belle"/"Last Chance" group, which also includes "Rambling Hobo", "Davenport", "Warfield", "Mulberry Gap", "Dead Man's Piece"... These are all closely related, and what I'd call "Ur-banjo" tunes; but I know little of their early relationship to the fiddle tradition. (BTW, I saw in liner notes for "Old Originals, Vol 1" that Oscar Wright knows the fiddle tune "Sandy River Belle" as "Stoney Ridge Stomp".)
    Gaither Carlton, Rambling Hobo ("High Atmosphere"). Doc Watson, Rambling Hobo ("Memories"). George Stoneman, Sandy River Belle ("Clawhammer Banjo").(The sleeve notes on this recording mistakenly, I believe, give the tuning as fCFAD.) Oscar Wright, Sandy River ( "Clawhammer Banjo"). Blanton Owen, Cumberland Gap ("Old Originals, vol 2"). Ron Mullennex, Dead Man's Piece ("Old Five String"). Bob Carlin, Walk Along John; Big Footed Man in the Sandy Lot; Little Boy, Little Boy ("Banging and Sawing"). Bob Carlin, Ain't Gonna Get No Supper Here Tonight ("Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo"). Bob Carlin, Ten Yards of Calico; Hosses in the Canebrake ("Banging & Sawing", CD reissue only). Bob Carlin, with John Hartford, Shortnin' Bread ("The Fun of Open Discussion"). Bill Mansfield, Wild Horse (Stoney Point) ("Root Hog or Die"). Gene Brown, Blackberry Blossom (Tab, BNL, Jan 1983).

dDGDE
    DGDE variant, lowered 5th string
    Chords: D/G/Bm. Bob Carlin, Ninety Degrees, capo 2, to eEAEF# ("Banging & Sawing").

    eDGDE
       DGDE variant
       Dirk Powell, Dirk's Escape (on Mark Simos, "Race the River Jordan").


21 Feb 11 - 08:46 PM (#3100046)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Cap't Bob

Check out this site for some interesting tunings:

http://zeppmusic.com/banjo/aktuning.htm

Cap't Bob


22 Feb 11 - 02:33 AM (#3100161)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Desert Dancer

Cap't Bob, that's the same as my link above ("plenty of") at 18 Feb 11 - 06:01 PM. :-)

~ Becky in Tucson


22 Feb 11 - 05:06 AM (#3100210)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Les in Chorlton

I am looking for the smallest capo to fit on my tenor banjo so that it gets in the way of the left hand as little as possible. Any suggestions?

L in C#


22 Feb 11 - 05:18 AM (#3100216)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: GUEST,GavDav

I'm downtuned to eBEAD most of the time, and use a shubb partial capo on the top three strings at the second fret plus a fifth string capo to get an interesting drone tuning


22 Feb 11 - 06:13 AM (#3100228)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: The Sandman

if a guitarist who was used to dadgad wanted to pick up 5 string banjo, if his banjo was tuned dgbe[ standard guitar tuning] but all down a tone,[cfad], with a partial capo, on 4 and 3 strings he would have top 4 strings of dadgad.short string would probably be retuned too


22 Feb 11 - 07:37 AM (#3100259)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Les in Chorlton

I seem to remember that the German wartime Inigma code was first developed on tuning systems for pre-war banjos. Or maybe not.

In the meantime, any recomendations for small capos?

L in C#


22 Feb 11 - 09:50 AM (#3100322)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Desert Dancer

Les: With a Dunlop or elastic capo (made for guitars) there's less sticking out at the back. Although there's more sticking out at either side, you can basically put this extra bit so it's more on the upward side of the neck and out of your way. You could also make a custom elastic capo that would fit your neck more exactly.

~ Becky in Tucson


22 Feb 11 - 10:02 AM (#3100327)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Les in Chorlton

Thanks Becky,

my tenor has quite a narrown kneck so most guitar capos stick out quite a bit. Many capos are designed for easy removal etc. I would sacrifice that for almost none existance

Les


22 Feb 11 - 10:15 AM (#3100334)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: Desert Dancer

I've used a Dunlop on my banjos which have quite small necks. I'd suggest giving it a try -- it's cheap. Otherwise, sounds like you need to make something for yourself.

~ Becky in Tucson


24 Feb 11 - 06:06 AM (#3101794)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: GUEST,GavDav

I just recorded a new tune (roughly) with a shubb partial capo. FWIW

http://www.gavindavenport.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/mhysteria42.mp3


03 Mar 11 - 12:13 PM (#3106292)
Subject: RE: 5 string banjoand partial capos
From: GUEST

has anyone tried the spidercapo?