- Jim Bottorff's
- 4-String Strumming
Techniques
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- Following are
some popular 4-String Banjo Strumming Techniques
- that can be played
on Plectrum, Tenor, 5-String and Guitar tuned Banjos:
- (The sound clips are played
on a plectrum banjo tuned CGBD)
- (Printable music notation
for the songs is at the bottom of this page)
-
- 1. CHORD ACCOMPANIMENT
– This is a basic
strum across all the strings using a flat type pick in the right
hand. The left hand holds the necessary chord finger formations.
The strings are strummed in the "down" direction, starting
on the 4th string and ending on the 1st string. Most beginner's
start with this style of playing.
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- (Click here to listen
to a basic 4-beat strum with C and G7 chords)
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- Variations can be achieved
by playing a single string for the first beat and then strumming
the chord. For example play the 4th string on the first beat
and then 3 strums across all strings for the remaining beats.
-
- (Click here to listen
to a variation example)
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- Playing chords in time
with a metronome or an electronic music program is highly recommended
for practicing these strumming techniques. Chord Accompaniment
is an essential part of any band or jam session.
-
- (Click here to
listen to "Skip To My Lou" with Chord Accompaniment)
2. SINGLE STRING MELODY
– This technique
is used to play the song melody on a single string with or without
the use of music notation. Lots of beginner's like the challenge
of finding the melody notes on the banjo “by ear”,
and look at the music notation later. Some like to use music
notation at all times, while others like to improvise the melody
with their own variations. Whatever your preference, playing
Single String Melody can be fun and can lead to developing your
own distinct playing style.
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- Variations can include:
- (1) Keep the melody on
one string as much as possible. (sound
clip)
- (2) Play the melody on
the fourth string. (sound
clip)
- (3) Play single notes
from any string while holding the correct chord finger positions.
Some notes will be melody others will be harmony.
- (4) Play the melody notes
on any string as necessary to simplify the movement of the left
hand up and down the banjo neck,
- (5) Fill-in notes can
be added as desired between the longer duration melody notes.
3. SINGLE STRING
MELODY TREMOLO –
The tremolo is an enhancement
to the Single String technique above, and involves moving the
pick quickly back and forth over the string to sustain the sound.
The tremolo can become a “wild card” to ones banjo
playing. A tremolo can be used on any string, anytime, anywhere.
The speed back and forth, is determined by the banjo players
desired effect and ability to control the pick.
-
- (Click here to listen
to "Skip To My Lou" played with a slow tremolo on the
first string)
- (Click here to listen
to "Skip To My Lou" played with a faster tremolo on
the 4th string)
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- A variation to the melody
tremolo is to tremolo any string of the chord being held. This
variation is a good starting point for improvising.
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- For some tips on playing
tremolo, refer to the “Tremolo
Exercises” on
this website.
4. CHORD MELODY
– When Chord Accompaniment
and Single String Melody are combined and played simultaneously,
they become what is known as Chord Melody style playing. This
technique consists of playing chords that have the song melody
note as the highest note.
-
- (Click here to listen
to "Skip To My Lou" with the melody played on the 1st
and 2nd strings near the nut)
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- Beginner's can work toward
chord melody style playing by practicing “inversions”
of the common chords, such as C, F, G and others. Inversion are
alternate locations for the same named chord. Each inversion
of the same chord will have different finger positions. Every
chord has at least three, and sometimes more, inversions (locations)
along the banjo neck. Some of the inversion finger forms
are often called "movable chords" because all the strings
are held down as part of the chord. Movable chords can
easily be moved up and down the neck without having to change
finger position. The chord name changes, but the fingering stays
the same. It's a simple concept and well worth the effort
to learn. Check out the web and music books for the chord inversions
and movable chords for your instrument.
5. CHORD MELODY
WITH TREMOLO – This
technique is an enhancement of the Chord Melody technique. The
tremolo can be performed on any string while holding a chord.
A tremolo can go back and forth across one string, two strings,
three strings, or all four strings, depending on the desired
sound. One common method is to play the chord across all the
strings, on the beat, while continuously tremoloing on the single
string melody note. The melody note is usually located on the
first string or second string. Another method is to
play chords for the melody and tremolo on the sustained notes.
-
- (Click here to listen
to "Skip To My Lou" played with a slow tremolo added
to the chord melody near the nut)
- (Click here to listen
to "Skip To My Lou" played an octave higher using chord
inversions)
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- When playing chord melody
and tremolo near the nut and peghead, the chord is played to
whatever string the melody occurs on. If the tremolo is on an
inside string, then the higher strings are not played. Chord
Melody with Tremolo style playing has many possibilities. Using
this technique, some banjo players can make the banjo sound like
two or three banjos by playing rhythm, melody, and harmony, all
at the same time.
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- 6. SOUND CLIP SAMPLES
– The following sound
clips contain examples of the above strumming techniques:
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- Skip To My Lou (sound clip)
- Buffalo Gals (sound clip)
- Darling Nellie Gray (sound clip)
- Hey, Mr. Banjo (sound clip)
- Our Boys Will Shine Tonight (sound clip)
- On Top Of Old Smokey (sound clip)
- There Is A Tavern In The
Town (sound
clip)
- Billy Boy (sound clip)
- Happy Birthday (sound clip)
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- Click hear for information on how
to speed up and slow down the sound clips
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- 7. MUSIC NOTATION
– Click here for melody
and chord music notation to the above songs (pdf file)
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