The Top Aspects to Keep in Mind if You Want to Play the Banjo as a Beginner

Let’s admit – learning any kind of musical instrument can be tough, but it’s an exciting adventure that’s incomparable to anything else. There’s nothing like the feeling of hearing your instrument create melodies, and it’s also a thrill to discover the different tricks and techniques you can do with your musical instrument. The banjo is one musical instrument that produces some of the most unique and beautiful sounds anyone can hear, and learning how to play this instrument can present its own set of challenges – but the rewards are great, and besides, it’s fun, too. But if you are a beginner, it pays to learn more about how you can improve your skill, and this comes with figuring out a few key aspects. Here, then, are the top aspects to keep in mind if you want to play the banjo as a beginner.

• Practice will always make perfect

Practice makes perfect, and this holds today as it did in the past. There isn’t any good-enough substitute for good old practice. And the more you practice and dedicate time to it, the more you can easily tune your instrument and get used to hearing yourself play – and getting better at it. 

To make it easier, start with basic banjo solos. You could start with a song such as ‘Cripple Creek,’ which is a classic banjo song known by millions the world over – it’s also easy to play! You can also go for songs like Doug’s Tune, Worried Men Blues, Red River Valley, and Shady Grove for starters, and these songs are not just easier to play but also enjoyable. 

• Master your transitions

Many beginner banjo players will also tell you that mastering a smooth transition can be a real challenge. It’s especially true if you try to transition from one portion of a song to another difficult portion. More often than not, if you are just starting, your banjo playing may sound halting. But to master this, there are some things you can do. For instance, you should practice and work on changing your chords as quickly as you can, and you can also practice as much as you can so you can change your chords without needing to look at your hands. You can also listen to as many bluegrass songs as you can and figure out which parts of the songs have transitions. Another technique is to watch other players’ finger movements to have a better idea of how they make transitions. 

• Allow it to ‘ring’

Another key aspect to improving as a banjo player is to allow the notes to ‘ring.’ One usual mistake many beginning players make is not fretting the strings accurately behind the fret and trying to compensate for that with too much pressure. You need to apply adequate pressure on the banjo strings, but pressure is no substitute for accuracy. Another common error is letting go of the instrument’s fret too quickly. It can result in a sound that’s  clipped and muffled. One technique you can try to make sure you sustain your notes is to press the instrument’s frets using slightly greater force. Once you fret the notes, keep the finger of your left hand down on the banjo’s fingerboard to let the sound ring, and do this until you need to change to another note. 

Learning any instrument is a unique adventure, and while it can have its challenges, always remember to have fun!