10 Tips to Become a Better Banjo Player

Banjo is one of the most iconic musical instruments today. It has had a great history and is an elegant stringed instrument that is beautiful and amazing in its sound output as well.

As beautiful and glorious the Banjo is, it is quite a thing to play and master it. Banjo masters are no less than true music artists as the trick of this trade continues to baffle many music players.

If you are a banjo enthusiast, here are a few tips that can help you to become a better banjo player.

1: Be an Active Listener

Like most things in our lives, we master what we listen best. With complete attention, listen to your favorite banjo music CD or some TV shows can provide you just the idea of how to make it sound better. If you can get in on some live Banjo sessions and jams, this can be just what you might need as you will be able to have visuals of how they are playing the instrument as well. Plus when you go in live sessions or jams, you will get the opportunity to talk to famous and expert Banjo players learning a few tricks of the trade there and then as well.

2: Regular Practice Makes a Banjo Player Perfect

The old saying ‘Practice makes a man perfect’ is true when it comes to learning the art of Banjo. The more you play the instrument, better you become at it. Like most stringed instruments, natural ability takes you so far, from there on in, you have to master the trade by practicing it on regular basis. So get a good quality Banjo for Sale from a decent music instrument seller and Play, Play and Play some more.

3: Set Yourself Short Goals

When you are learning the art of Banjo playing, always set yourself shot goals at first. Keep practicing on your short goals until you feel comfortable with the medium and longer ones. Short goals mean playing the banjo for shorter periods of time first and getting your shorter notes right first. If you start off with longer playing goals, it is for sure you will develop bad playing habits. You should move to medium banjo playing goals after at least a period of 6 months playing your shorter notes and then to longer ones 6 months after that.

4: Use Tablature for short Practice

Tablature is without a doubt a great tool allowing quick access to a great many tunes and also facilitating new players to study subtitles of master players with complete attention. Yet, new players should use it in small amounts. It is for sure you will get a much better idea of how everything works with banjo playing but even if you play a tune from your tablature, it doesn’t mean that you can now play the instrument well. Often, you should try to initialize the sound of what you want to be playing.

5: Warming Up for It

Warming up is not limited to athletes for their sports. Banjo players should also warm up in practice sessions. During warm-ups, you can just go with picking the strings with your right or left hand with no particular songs in your mind. This will not only help you out with setting the right tone for your hands and body but those accident tones that you might fall one are a bonus. Music instrument players are often in their zone when they don’t have to worry about any factors at all.

6: Get the Right Hand First (for adult learners)

Adult learners will always find it difficult to put the right and left-hand techniques together in order to use both hands simultaneously playing the Banjo smooth way without any type of interruption in the even flow of notes. Playing the right-hand part by itself on the Banjo’s open strings is a great solution that sets you in the right habits. When you feel comfortable about having the right rhythm for the right hand, you can move in the left-hand techniques one small bit at a time.

7: One Measure at a Time for Songs

For new learners learning from the tab, playing on the first measure or two, many times over until you can play it without looking at the tab and for ones learning by ear, being able to play this first couple of measures by first hearing them in your head is important. Try to identify the musical phrases of your song by listening to the sound of several measures played together. Having mastered the first phrase, you should move to the next while you don’t have to rely on the tablature or hearing the first. Carry this forward into the next phrases.

8: Increase Your Speed Gradually

Everyone wants to get on the Banjo and play it as fast as possible. However, as tough as it might be for new starters to start from a slow playing routine, it can be the best tip anyone can give you. Be patient and always start your movements slow until your fingers respond to the commands of your brain in a efficient way. Increase your speed gradually as well moving and not jumping from slow to fast all of a sudden.

9: Start by Playing the Right Range

Even though it might be tough for a new learner to predict how they will be playing their Banjo in the future, yet, if you know that you will be playing it with other music players, you should begin with the right range with your collected set of skills. Set yourself on the right tones if you will be playing in a specific part of the world. Different music tunes from different parts of the world involve unique tunes of their own along with speeds, notes, and phrases. Take the example of Bluegrass guitars these will have a different parts than old-time banjo players.

10: Keeping Your Progress in Check

By far, the most important tip is to always keep your progress in check. Having gotten your dream banjo for sale, you should keep your progress in check while learning this beautiful instrument. Record yourself from time to time and listen to how you go about it alone. Try and improve whatever you can as you go along. Keeping your progress in check will always prompt you to improve faster.