Beginning Bluegrass Banjo

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Tablature is read from left to right, just like a book. The tab in the illustration instructs you to play the strings in the following order: 2, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 3, 1. Give it a try. There! You've got it. Now let your right hand rest for a minute. It's time to concentrate on learning to use your left hand.

FRETTING THE STRINGS

As you've already discovered, the act of fingering the banjo with your left hand is called fretting. Here are some tips to help you perfect your technique. [1] Keep your fingernails moderately short so they won't get in your way. [2] Bring your fingers straight down on the strings; don't let them lean over and touch adjacent strings. (No, your fingers are not too fat; you just need practice.) [3] Wrist position is the key to good, clean fretting. To get a better understanding of what proper wrist position is, hold your left hand, palm up, out in front of you, as though you're testing to see if it's raining. Now pretend you have a watchband on your left wrist, and try to touch that imaginary band by curling the fingers of your left hand toward you. Can't reach it? No, but you've bent your wrist much as you're supposed to when fretting your banjo.

Now pick up the instrument again, making sure to place your left thumb against the middle of the back of the neck and to bend your wrist just as you did during the watchband caper. This time, when you go to fret the strings, your fingers will come straight down on them. [4] It's helpful to think of squeezing the string between your fingers and your thumb when you're fretting. Pushing with your thumb will give you the leverage you need to produce clear notes.

What's that? Your fingers are getting sore? Let 'em rest for a minute. Even though banjo strings are easier to push down than guitar or mandolin strings, your digits will surely get a little tender until practice produces calluses. Don't get discouraged! Your fingertips will toughen up in no time.

YOUR FIRST SONG

All right, it's time to play your first song—" Shortenin' Bread." The melody is played on the second and third strings only. Remember: After each melody note (which is played with the thumb), pluck up on the first string open with your middle finger.

Ready? Here's the melody: third string open, second string at the fifth fret, second string at the third fret, second string at the fifth fret. Once you've played that, repeat the same thing twice and then add this ending: second string open, third string at the second fret, and third string open. Right after that, pluck or pinch the first and fifth strings at the same time to sound the final note. Don't forget to follow each melody note with the first string played open with the middle finger.

The illustration above shows you what "Shortenin' Bread" looks like in tablature (keep in mind that the numbers on the lines represent the frets to play). After you've practiced awhile and can play this song a little faster than you did on your first few tries, you'll see that the melody goes perfectly with the words.

Play "Shortenin' Bread" until your hand falls off (well, almost). While you're resting and patting yourself on the back for your great banjo playing, try cooking up a pan of real shortening bread. Then you'll be able to play the song with feeling!

BANJO CHORDS

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