[Dixielandjazz] Question about Banjos for Trad Jazz

[Phil Wilking]

I suspect this is because a lot of banjo players (especially beginners) play 
only with themselves (yeah, I know!) and do not work with other instruments. 
Among themselves they perpetuate the myth that any other key than C is 
"hard," even though standard tenor tuning makes playing in any key quite 
simple.

The tendency of instructors to start chord work with open string chords 
really just makes the idea of transposing more daunting because you can't 
move them. That's why I start beginners in the middle of the neck with 
four-string chords. With a relatively few basic finger configurations and a 
familiarity with the chromatic scale, Hey Presto! you can chord in any key 
and wonder what all the fuss is about. I mean ANY key; most Stephen Foster 
tunes were written in sharp keys, wonderful for singing, so try the original 
keys, or if you really want to get back at a pest, take your chorus of "Bill 
Bailey" or "The Saints" in F#, and playing country songs is no big deal.

Phil Wilking, K5MZF, www.nolabanjo.com

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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dwlit at cpcug.org>


> One important point that should be made explicitly, is the apparent
> difficulties tenor players seem to have with flat keys like Ab and Eb,
> perhaps even Bb. I don't know if this is a function of the stretching
> problem, but for trad jazz, those keys are essential, and the tenor
> players at banjo bashes avoid 'em like the plague.
>