5 Banjo Tips for Beginners That You Must Know

Arts & EntertainmentBooks & Music

  • Author Jared Gwin
  • Published May 8, 2018
  • Word count 622

Our body starts dancing hearing the melodious sound of a banjo anywhere. It's a mighty instrument that cheers up our mind instantly.

Many young learners make mistakes learning banjo because very few people can suggest banjo tips for beginners.

This article will help them a lot as we'll discuss 5 essential tips that everyone should know as a beginner.

5 banjo tips for beginners

Don't take these five tips as the ultimate guide. Keep searching and know from experts around you. With an excellent collective knowledge, you'll become a master enough in the playing banjo.

  1. Complexity Kills

By that title what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't start your learning with sophisticated notes. It'll kill your interest before even you start playing the banjo.

Many beginners think that I'll learn hard ones first so that I'll have no problem playing easier ones. But this is a huge mistake. The scenario is same for other instrument players as beginners.

It takes some time to familiarize with the instrument which is right for all including the banjo. Many online tutorials will show you how to get started with easier notes and chords.

You can jam with a partner or be playing audio. It'll help you keep going.

  1. Right posture

Yes, you heard it right. As beginners, no one seems to care about correctly putting their hands and wrists while playing the banjo.

It's a mistake that'll take a significant toll after some time. If you get accustomed to a wrong posture, you won't be able to correct it quickly.

With wrong hand and wrist position, you'll get tired or feel pain while playing for hours. As a beginner, you won't realize because you'll have fewer practice hours. When you advance through your course, your practice hour will increase. Only then you'll understand what mistake you've done.

If anyone says that you should start right away and think about anything else, you should reject their suggestion. Get to know the right position of holding and playing at first. Do some study, and then you'll be good to go.

  1. Timing and pressure

Many students keep complaining that the notes they play don't sound the way it should be. It's very common amongst beginners, and it's normal.

It happens when you don't give enough pressure on the strings and release it too soon. That's why the notes sound muffled and stuffy. It's also a common problem faced by other students of string based instruments.

Now you know the problem. So, thinking about the solution shouldn't be that hard. Give enough pressure even it feels painful at first. Give it some time after you have played a note to complete correctly. And then release or play the next note. Try to make the timing perfect as you keep practicing.

  1. Play smooth

In the beginning, playing the banjo won't sound so smooth like professionals. It's okay because you haven't yet perfected smooth transitions.

Once you've memorized the chords, try to play them without looking. Then, try to play them faster and change chords quickly without looking.

Next, learn hearing different solos where the transitions are made. Practice to correctly do the shifts and keep the rhythm while changing chords.

You'll become a fantastic player if you follow those correctly.

  1. Time management

Managing time to practice is essential as we all have other priorities. Completing other tasks, create a routine to train banjo regularly.

Don't miss those timings. More and more practicing is the ultimate key to be a master banjo player which is valid for learning all other instruments in the world.

Don't hesitate or lose hope while learning an instrument. Because after some time, it gets frustrating. You'll have nothing to worry about once you overcome that period.

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