The Blues Banjo: The instruments: The five-string banjo

The five-string banjo



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Site last updated .
This particular page was created 18/08/2003 and last updated 21/05/2005
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Picture from Apollo's Axes

    Data:
  • Body shape: Round
  • Top: Skin
  • Back: Open or resonator
  • Bridge: Floating
  • Frets: Fixed
  • Strings: 5 (5th string a short "thumb string")
  • Courses: 5 ( 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1)
  • Scale: 650 - 680 mm
The five-string-banjo is mainly associated with "white" music - bluegrass, country & western etc.
  But that doesn't mean it can't be used for playing the blues. Its open G or D tunings are very similar to the open guitar tunings commonly used in blues, and the blues and bluegrass styles aren't in fact that different.

Blues-influenced fivestringers include:

Recommended books

Inst.AuthorTitleStylePublisherYear
Five-string banjoFred SokolowRagtime, Blues & Jazz for BanjoAcoustic blues, ragtime, jazzMel Bay1983
Almost mandatory for everybody who wants to learn how to fingerpick ragtime, blues and/or jazz on the five-string banjo.
  Accompanying tape also available.

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