Bluegrass is considered an American "roots" form of music that owes its legacy to Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. Influenced by a mixture of heritage, jazz and blues, this style of music is typically associated with the Appalachian mountain region where it flourished during the 19th century. Unlike most music genres, bluegrass is heavily dependent on acoustic string instruments, which almost define the sound. Although there are several stringed instruments that make up the bluegrass sound, including the mandolin, fiddle and guitar, the banjo is almost exclusively known for its association with this style of music.
The bluegrass banjo of today was first crafted in Virginia during the early 1800s by Joel Walker Sweeny. By this time the banjo had become a staple at rural dance halls as well as minstrel gatherings and traveling shows. People throughout the rural areas, especially in the mountains, took to the musical instrument and began to fashion their own versions.
The bluegrass banjo is essentially made up of 13 parts, including the tuning pegs, nut, frets, fifth-string tuning peg, position marker, neck and fingerboard, brackets, resonators, head, rim, bridge, tailpiece and armrest. In general, bluegrass players use two metal finger picks and a plastic thumb pick. What really separates the bluegrass banjo from other banjos and essentially other guitars are the fifth-string tuning peg and resonators. The bluegrass banjo is designed with four long strings and a short fifth string. There are 22 frets, a fret board and a hoop at the bottom. Brackets are hooked into the head of the banjo and keep tension through the tension hoop.
There are three major classifications of banjo design: five string, plectrum and tenor. The five-string banjo, used for bluegrass, is the oldest and the most common. Several hybrids and variations of the five-string banjo have been manufactured. The plectrum banjo has four strings and is commonly associated with jazz and orchestra music from the 20th century prior to World War I. The tenor banjo is used in American harmonious music as well as the exceedingly popular genre of Irish punk music.
Early banjos were created from hollowed gourds. However, as the instrument became more popular so did the drive to improve upon its design. Today, quality banjos can be found fashioned from an assortment of hardwoods including mahogany, maple and walnut. Strings have been made from a variety of materials, but today most are steel, which ensures that their lifespans are longer and that they can be manipulated better than more pliable materials.
Tuning the bluegrass banjo is an essential part of learning to play. But it rarely comes as naturally. Musicians must train their ears to recognize how their banjo should sound. This is done after much practice. For the best results, listen to the note on either a tuned instrument or tuning tool before attempting to tune the banjo. One of the most common tuning sequences for bluegrass banjos is called G Modal Tuning. Keeping the banjo in G Modal is beneficial for playing old-time bluegrass.
• First String D
• Second String C
• Third String G
• Fourth String D
• Fifth String G
When learning to hold the bluegrass banjo it is important to sit comfortable in a location that will keep elbows and arms free from obstruction. Hold the neck of the banjo with the left hand so the right hand is free to strum the chords. The neck should be elevated to approximately shoulder height with the hoop resting in the musician's lap.
There are three different techniques of strumming the bluegrass banjo for beginners: the pinch, double thumbing and mixed roll.