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This particular page was created 06/11/2003 and last updated 28/11/2004
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| | This is the performers' section of the Irish Banjo website. Here you'll find an overview of banjo technique for Irish music. The focus here is on the Irish tenor banjo, but that doesn't mean you won't find useful stuff here even if you play a five-string banjo, a plectrum banjo or some other banjo type. I've divided it into three different sub-sections:- Solo playing
The Irish tenor banjo is mainly a solo instrument. This sub-section contains information about fingering- and plectrum technique, ornaments, scales, music notation etc. - Alternative solo styles
"Fiddle style" melodic solo playing may be the best known and most common Celtic solo banjo style, but there are other approaches too, such as theYes, I've made these names up myself. ;-) They do make a lot of sense though. Click on the links and see what I mean. - Accompaniment
Rhythms and chords for the Irish tenor banjo. This section is mainly for plectrum style rhythm banjo. I'll add a separate section for minstrel banjo style fingerpicking later. - The Irish tuned tenor banjo in other music styles
Did you think the Irish tenor banjo could only be used for Irish traditional music? Read this!
If you want to learn moreNo matter how informative a website is, it can never replace a good teacher. I'd love to give you personal lessons, but unless you happen to live in Northern Norway, that won't be very practical. If you really want to learn how to play the Irish banjo, you should contact one of your local Irish banjo teachers and ask for lessons. (And remember to tell him about this wonderful site! ;-)If you can't find a good teacher in your neighbourhood, your second best option is to get Gerry O'Connor's Absolute Beginners Irish Tenor Banjo video. A video is not as good as personal lessons, but it's the closest you can get. You might also want to have a look at Seamus Egan's instructional video Irish Tenor Banjo & Mandolin. It may not be as detailed as O'Connor's, but it takes you a few steps further. Both those videos are well worth the money.
Finally Gerry O'Connor has made an Irish Tenor Banjo Complete Techniques video. A bold title, but more than justified. If you prefer books to videos, you should try Complete Guide to Learning the Irish Tenor Banjo by Gerry O'Connor. Not only does he give you a graded course in Irish tenor banjo technique, he also tells you about the background to the banjo in Irish traditional music and includes 30 great tunes in standard notation and tablature.
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