That was my assumption Dave but watching @BanjoBen instructional video it’s clear that he is fretting the 12th fret… But the recent conversation about Taylor Swift and the background editing has me thinking he is playing along with a pre-recoding. We shall have to wait and see his response.
Are you tuning your 5th to A, or are you spiking it at the 7th fret for an A? That would make the difference. I just tried it on my banjo. When I’m spiked at A, the 10th (12th unfretted) fret sounds just like Ben’s video.
Yup. That’s definitely the difference. I had to get a B spike for that very reason when I was learning Dancing On My Grave. I tried spiking at C and tuning down, but it made it impossible to fret the 5th string where I needed.
I am confused, how would fitting a B spike make a difference in my case. I am tuned to A, the 12th fret (10th using a capo) sounds an E note and the 10th (8th using a capo)sounds a D note. To my ear the E note is too high for this tune but that just may be me. The TAB displays a D note.
Sorry, I didn’t mean the B spike would help in your case. You need an A spike for the same reason I needed a B spike. Your song is in A and mine was in B.
If you tune your 5th string to A, every fret will be 1 full step up from what it would be playing if you spiked at the 7th fret. Your ear isn’t deceiving you. You’re hearing an E instead of a D because your string is tuned 1 step higher than what you’re hearing in Ben’s video.
Think of it like this. If your 5th sting is tuned to G and you spike it at the 7th fret, the string itself is still tuned to G. It’s just as if you’re constantly fretting that 7th fret for an A note. Now, if you tune the string to A and you fret the 5th string at the 7th fret, you’re going to hear a B. That will be the case for every other fret as well. They’ll all be 1 full step above where you’d expect them to be.
Archie, he is fretting the “actual” 12th fret…in tab it would be designated as the 10th fret because the capo is up to frets…the TAB matches the video…the TEF does not…
I’m saying Ben’s 5th string IS spiked at the 7th fret, giving it an A note, which is functionally different from tuning the 5th string to A without using a spike.
Hi Dave, I realise that and that’s what I am doing. But the sound of my banjo fretted at the 12 fret (10th fret in this case because we are in A tuning) doesn’t sound right and I am thinking is this a typo, should I be fretting the 10th fret ( 8th fret in this case because we are in A tuning)
I agree on the video @BanjoBen is fretting the 12th fret with his thumb but what I am hearing on the video is a much lower note than I get on my banjo at that position. This is what I am seeking clarification on.
Right now I follow you. So because my fifth string is tuned to A rather than spiked at the 7th I should therefore fret the 5th string at the 10th fret to get my D note. And that’s the reason my 5th string fretted at the 12th sounds out…
I guess I need to go back and revisit @BanjoBen 's lesson on the use of capo’s,
Adding a wee footnote here for @BanjoBen . Might be worth reminding student’s of this little anomaly next time you do a lesson that involves fretting the fifth string. Not all banjos have spikes
If you can, that’s the way to go. In the cases where I was retuning the 5th string, I couldn’t physically get my thumb in place in time to make the note. Your mileage may vary.