I’m just starting with the banjo and have a basic question. It seems to me that the pressure you apply to fretting the banjo needs to be lighter than, say, the mandolin or guitar. The banjo seems less forgiving because string tension is slacker and so more sensitive to inadvertent bending and notes sounding sharp, especially up the neck. Do you think this is right? Thanks.
Fret hand pressure
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Hi @Timmy I can’t speak for Guitar & Mando players but I can share my own experience and leave it for others to fill in the blanks.
When I was a beginner I used to press way to hard on the strings and ended up with bleeding fingertips. As I gained experience I learned to apply less pressure.
When you apply too much pressure you distort notes likewise if you don’t apply enough pressure you end up with a dud note. Speed also is a factor here as are embellishments to the strings.
In short as you gain experience you’ll learn how much pressure to apply to any given situation. This might not be the advice your seeking but I do hope this is of some help.
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Thanks Archie. I think what’s going on is that I’m inadvertently using my left hand to help hold up the banjo neck, and as a result I’m bending notes slightly and making them play sharp, if that makes sense. I can hear it when I playback my practice. I think the answer is probably something you figured out long ago – a strap!
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You need a strap - balanced correctly - the left hand should not be holding up the banjo neck. Check out this lesson - in particular the Fretting Hand
https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/banjo-hand-positions-banjo?from_track=beginner-banjo
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Yes, you’re thinking correctly. Can you tell me which banjo you have? Most banjos with a tone ring will balance correctly while sitting in your lap, but if you have something like a Deering Goodtime the neck balance requires you to hold it up while playing.
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That’s exactly what I have – a Deering Goodtime (Americana 12" rim open-back). When I set the banjo between my legs the neck naturally falls down to my thigh. So I’m inadvertently using both my right forearm and left hand to support it. Not good. Also, I’m not used to playing something with a round body 
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Right, so the solution would be to get a strap that doesn’t slide on your shirt (leather). Or you can get any strap and glue a piece of suede on the inside shoulder portion so it catches. All good!
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Fret-hand pressure is an ongoing issue for me, too. Some notes are quite sharp because I’m using too much pressure - especially on the middle G string when playing the 2nd fret. I’m experimenting with different strings to see if heavier ones will help.
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Hi Dean,
Yes, lighter strings are easier to bend and thus easier to over grip. Heavier strings would help some with the effect, but not really with the root cause.
If you haven’t done this, give it a try… Place your finger carefully just below a fret and then barely fret a note, intentionally to where the pressure is not enough. Slightly increase the pressure with successive plucks until it makes a clean tone. I still surprise myself at how little pressure it takes to cleanly fret a note. That amount of pressure plus a tiny smidge is all one needs. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
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