Banjo

[bwv 1080]

Got interested in the instrument over the last year or so, particularly the older styles of playing

Akonting from Gambia / Sengal - one of the few African lute-type instruments with a high drone string played with the thumb - so the most banjo-like African instrument

http://www.youtube.com/v/Pc9Y_uu1KH8

Minstrel gourd banjo from a compilation written in 1855

http://www.youtube.com/v/-iTnRr1hg2I

Mike Seeger (Pete's half brother) playing old-time banjo

http://www.youtube.com/v/2_G0vVo7zBU

[Szykneij]

I have a tenor banjo which I haven't played in a while. I'm reminded that it needs a new head which I should get taken care of.

Tenor banjos are tuned in 5ths the same as a viola (C-G-D-A), so it's easy for bowed string players to plunk out some tunes. I've never played a 5-string banjo, but I'd like to try sometime.

If classical banjo intrigues you, check out this CD:

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, I'm not a youtube embedder of note, but I love my banjo music. If you really want to hear some great picking, try this out. Bela Fleck playing Bach....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYgllgF7lc