[Dixielandjazz] Question about Banjos for Trad Jazz

[Scott Anthony]

I just tried to categorize the different styles of Trad Jazz that each type 
of banjo is best suited for, and then gave up, because I kept thinking of 
exceptions to my categories. The upshot is, the best type of banjo to learn 
depends on what sounds best to you.

Tenor banjo (either 17 or 19 fret) is higher in pitch, and will therefore 
cut through the sound of the rest of the band more. I usually associate it 
with "older" styles and the "British Trad" sound. Tenor banjo is also 
somewhat more amenable to single-string solo playing, and if you ever played 
cello or viola, notes on the fingerboard are laid out exactly the same since 
the tuning is identical.

Plectrum banjo with 22 frets is somewhat mellower in sound because the pitch 
is lower. The standard tuning is different from any other instrument (except 
for "C-tuning" on a 5-string banjo), but it CAN be tuned to the same pitch 
as the top (highest pitch) 4 strings of a guitar (or baritone uke). This 
makes it easy for a guitar player to double on banjo, but guitar tuning 
definitely sounds different from standard tuning because the chord voicings 
are different. Most people, except other banjo players, probably would not 
notice this. Note that it is possible to tune a tenor banjo with it's 
shorter neck and fewer frets down in pitch to either standard plectrum 
tuning or guitar tuning, but NOT the reverse. Trying to tune a banjo with a 
longer plectrum neck up to tenor tuning is practically impossible without 
breaking strings.

I started playing banjo on a tenor, but after a couple of years switched to 
plectrum. That was 52 years ago but I can still get around reasonably well 
on a tenor although I don't have one now and haven't ever needed to play one 
on a job. It seems that once your brain gets used to one set of chords 
(there are only 12 basic chord "formations" on any 4-string instrument (but 
each has many alterations)) it is easy to learn another set for a different 
tuning.

One thing that might influence your decision is that starting on a tenor is 
PAINFUL unless you have an extremely good instrument with great action. The 
strings, being pitched quite a bit higher, are much "tighter" and pressing 
them down to get a good clean sound is more difficult and may discourage 
especially young players until they get the callouses built up on their 
fingers. Also, chords on a tenor seem to me to require more stretching than 
plectrum chords.

Hope this helps!

Scott Anthony


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barb Jordan" <jordan_barb at hotmail.com>
To: <santh at comcast.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2011 11:30 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Question about Banjos for Trad Jazz


>
>
>
> Hi listmates,
>
> I know someone can answer this question:
>
> What is the best type of banjo to get to learn how to play trad jazz 
> music?  17 or 19 fret Tenor or Plectrum?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Barbara Jordan
> Burlington, Ontario Canada
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