How do you tune a tenor banjo?
This relates to the tenor banjo because standard tuning for a tenor banjo is tuned the same as a viola/mandola (C, G, D, A). Irish players often tune their tenor banjos also in fifths, but one octave below a violin/mandolin (G, D, A, E).
Can you tune a 5 string banjo like a tenor?
I think the scale length of a standard 5-string banjo is a little too long to safely tune like a shorter 17 or 18 fret jazz tenor (CDAE)….with regular tenor strings. However, you could easily remove the 5th string and tune it as a plectrum (CGBD).
What is the difference between a tenor and a plectrum banjo?
The main difference between these two is that the tenor banjo is shorter in scale length than the plectrum banjo; the plectrum banjo is the same scale as the 5 string banjo, but played with a flat pick. Both of these banjos do share a bright sound, and are normally played in Dixie Land jazz ensembles.
Can you play Irish music on a 5 string banjo?
A 5-string banjo can participate in all of these but the techniques required are different for each. For the Irish, it’s pretty much as others have said- a mix of melodic with some single string and the occasional scruggsy section (used sparingly, only where it fits and is not leaping all over the other players).
Are there easy chords for tenor banjo tuned GDAE?
Re: Easy / beginner’s chords for tenor banjo tuned GDAE – Help ! Personally I don’t find chords work well on the tenor banjo in Irish tuning. The strings are too floppy and don’t ring very well. Works much better in CGDA tuning if chord accopaniment for songs was the main goal. You would need a new set of lighter gauge strings though.
What are the voicings for a tenor banjo?
The chord voicings below will work on tenor banjos in both Irish and standard tuning. The root of the chord is shown as a white circle. If you know the notes on the neck, you can easily move these chords to other keys by moving the shape to the fret where the root occurs.
What kind of tuning does a 4 string banjo have?
4 String Banjo Chord Chart, Celtic / Irish Tuning, G, D, A, E, includes the major, minor and seventh chord fingerings. Includes a banjo fret board with all of the notes marked. The Banjo is an essential instrument in everyones Bluegrass band and this chart will get you going.
Can a mandolin be played on a tenor banjo?
Re: Easy / beginner’s chords for tenor banjo tuned GDAE – Help ! Yes, many mandolin chords can also be played on the tenor banjo, although the stretch makes a few of them too difficult. However, I don’t recall hearing a tenor banjo used in Irish music for anything but melody or single-line accompaniment.
