Four Common and Useful Tunings for Bluegrass Banjo
So here is a quick heads up for all you new banjo players out there who are stuck in G. Courtesy of Jim Pankey
Useful info - Four Common Tunings for Banjo - Jim Pankey
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I’m starting to mess around with alternate tunings, but don’t really know where to go after I re-tune. The chords are different shapes and it’s like I never picked up a banjo.
I suppose somewhere there are are tabs for Cripple Creek in Double C tuning or songs I should be playing in D tuning. I’m struggling to use my limited knowledge of fretboard geogrphy to find the music.
But those alternate tunings sound really cool!
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Fingerings are a little different but once you begin to figure out where things are it’s like opening a cookie jar when mothers not looking. Drop C is fairly easy you mostly don’t fret the 4th string just keep it open and let it ring. Great for hammer-ons the twang really sings out. Just noodle around on the first two/three strings and see what happens. D tuning is awesome. slide & hammer ons Tunes like Ruben & John Henry dont get too hung up on fingering just slide and hammer and see what you can find I tell you the first time I tried D tuning it was like my fingers just knew where to go.
You’'ll find tabs on the Banjo Hangout and @BanjoBen has some lessons in Drop C also check out Casey Henry’s YouTube channel she does a few tunes in alternate tuning. Not as detailed as Ben but she does walk you through part of the lessons also Jim Pankey and others on the web.
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Ever since I watched Alison Brown on Deering Live, I’ve been messing around with Double C tuning. She said you can almost play “Here’s Comes The Sun” on open strings. Of course, she’s correct, and I’ve had a ball playing the opening measures!
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Tony Ellis is the king when it comes to Double C Tuning. I thinks Alison brown was greatly influence by Tony
This is just a taster there’s a ton more video’s out there on YouTube
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