Old Time Banjo
Learn to play old time banjo with our great selection of instructional videos, books, and CDs and banjos
Old time music is really growing in popularity and the banjo plays an important roll in the traditional sound. As apposed to bluegrass banjo style, old time banjo styles rely on different strumming techniques such as frailing and clawhammer. These styles tend to give a more percussive quality to the banjo verses the syncopated three finger Scruggs and melodic style banjo picking.
Although the banjo can trace it's origins back to Africa or the Middle East, the banjos present day incarnation is purely an American instrument. Originally the banjo was predominantly an instrument of the black slaves until white musicians began playing the banjo in the 1830's. In the early 1840's minstrel music was sweeping throughout the country and the banjo gained a toehold as something more than a novelty instrument.
Considering the fact that the banjo originated as an instrument of southern slaves, it is no surprise that it is indigenous to the south eastern United States. The mountain regions of this area were heavily populated with people of English and Scots-Irish decent who had brought with them the ballads and dance music of their home countries. In it's early form, the music from this area was primarily fiddle oriented and the percussive quality of clawhammer, drop thumb, up-picking and other picking styles for banjo added a wonderful "drive" to the music. Many a community dance had music provided only by the fiddle and banjo.
Here are some of the instructional items available for banjo pickers interested in old time style banjo.
The Art Of The Mountain Banjo
A complete survey of traditional banjo styles
complete with tunings, playing tips, and illustrations. This books contains
transcriptions of all the pieces featured on Art Rosenbaum's Kicking Mule
recordings.
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The
Early Minstrel Banjo - Technique and Repertoire
Featuring more than 65 classic songs, this
interesting book teaches how to play the minstrel banjo like players who were
part of various popular troupes in 1865. The book includes: a short history of
the banjo in the US in the antebellum period, including the origins of the
minstrel show
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Clawhammer Banjo By Miles Krassen
Examines the clawhammer style banjo. Tunes are transcribed in tablature and based on the playing of Wade Ward, Fred Cockerham, Henry Reed, Frank George and others
Clawhammer Style Banjo by Ken Perlman
A complete guide for beginning and advanced banjo players! From Ken Perlman, here is a brilliant teaching guide that is destined to become the handbook on how to play the clawhammer banjo.
More Minstrel Banjo
Intabulations of music for the minstrel (Civil War-era) banjo. This particular book of banjo music comes from Frank Converse's Banjo Instructor, Without a Master from 1865
Clawhammer Banjo For The Complete Ignoramus!
On the 30th anniversary of the publication of the original book,
Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus, Wayne Erbsen has completely rewritten this
banjo classic, and now it’s even better!
The Banjo Player's Songbook
Every style of music is represented in this giant volume of over 200 songs arranged for the 5 string banjo in easy-to-play tablature.
Clawhammer Banjo - Video One
David Holt, who learned his craft directly from some of the traditional masters, provides an overview of the nuances (how to "shade" a tune) that will make your renditions accurate and true to the real old-time sound.
Clawhammer
Banjo Video 2
Delve into the shadings and special techniques that give the clawhammer style its drive, power and complexity. David tackles the more advanced picking - double-thumb rolls, brush rolls and other right hand moves...
Southern Banjo Styles - Volume 1
Mike Seeger's in-depth survey of southern banjo styles teaches nine pieces to help players develop a full range of repertoire and traditional techniques.....
Southern Banjo Styles - Volume 2
Mike Seeger continues his in-depth video lesson and demonstration of predominant banjo styles of the 19th and early 20th century. Volume 2 focuses on two- and three-finger techniques, some of which are the foundation for contemporary three-finger style.
Old-Time Banjo, Clawhammer Style
Frank Lee breaks down the traditional clawhammer style that has become his trademark...
Beginning Clawhammer Banjo by Ken Perlman
Ken Perlman is one of the most celebrated clawhammer banjo stylists performing today. In this new DVD, he teaches how to play this exciting style, with ample close-ups and clear explanations of techniques such as....
