[Dixielandjazz] Question about Banjos for Trad Jazz

[Phil Wilking]

Boy!! Have you opened a can of worms for Christmas!

Each type has its rabid fans, but the choice is a personal one which depends 
on your goals.

The plectrum has a mellower close-harmony sound which frequently is more 
pleasant to hear in solos. So the aspiring soloist probably will be 
attracted to it. (This is not cast in stone, of course, John Baier and Steve 
DiBonaventura play tenors.) Also, the fingering of the chords is more 
closely grouped on the plectrum neck. However the plectrum does not have the 
"punch" a tenor has to get through to the stone deaf brass player in the 
front line when you are trying to maintain tempo, meter, rhythm, etc. in the 
rhythm section.

The tenor sounds shriller (Gee - tenor instead of baritone - go figure) than 
the plectrum, as its 4-string chords usually span about 2 octaves with the 
high pitch about an octave above the pianist's right hand in the same bar. 
The chords require wider spreading of the fingers on the neck which can be a 
problem for small hands. A tenor soloist frequently only plays a full chord 
on the downbeat and does single string melody on the inside strings between 
chords to reduce the shrillness and make life simpler. The tenor tuning in 
fifths aids this as well as probably making transpositions simpler.

Where the tenor comes into its own is as a band instrument. No matter how 
deaf the trumpeter is, or how loud, the tenor banjo WILL be heard if the 
player wants it to be. Therefore, I think it is the better choice for a 
rhythm banjo in a band. The pictures of bands in the old catalogs show many 
more tenor than plectrum banjos, and I have chosen tenor because my goal is 
not to be a solo virtuoso, but to be the most reliable rhythm player I can 
be.

The 19 fret tenor banjo probably is better for most players in bands than 
the 17 fretter. The extra string length does give a little more resonance 
("fullness" of tone), and the tenor needs all of that it can get.

And you are not restricted to plectrum and tenor banjos, some of the best 
known jazz banjoists played guitar-neck six-string banjos, Johnny Saint Cyr 
and Danny Barker did.

Now onto my soapbox:
Since "trad" jazz seeks to preserve at least some of the roots of the genre, 
it would seem to me that a beginner should be very aware that the earlier 
bands usually played for private parties (which meant dances) and public 
dances, Rarely for sit-down concerts. In traditional jazz, the emphasis 
should be on ensemble playing at tempi a human can dance to. In an ensemble, 
the wind instruments - and sometimes the piano - are the melody and 
countermelody players. The banjo is a rhythm instrument and helps take care 
of everything else: speed, volume, meter, rhythm, modulations to other keys, 
and anything else needed. Trad jazz is a job for a team, not a gaggle of 
individualist would-be stars. (Also, try some other kinds of tunes than the 
usual 4/4. The old jazz bands played a wide variety of types, including fast 
and slow waltzes, polkas, marches, one and two-steps, schottisches, 
cakewalks, and more.)

Also, as a dancer myself, I can state that your dancing customers do NOT 
want a bunch of stars or wannabe stars screeching for attention. When I am 
with a lady, I want to pay attention to her. The music is the foundation for 
the dance, I am the frame, and she is the picture. I am NOT there to listen 
to a concert by a virtuso, or would-be virtuoso, soloist and I dislike any 
attempt to call my attention away from my dance partner. This is subtly 
different from playing so well as a member of the team/band that we draw 
inspiration from it and dance better than we usually do - THAT we like and 
remember fondly.

Thank you for the chance to pontificate,
Phil Wilking, K5MZF, www.nolabanjo.com

Those who would exchange freedom for
security deserve neither freedom nor security.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barb Jordan" <jordan_barb at hotmail.com>

> 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?
>