Play your way to banjo-playing expertise Traditionally associated with country, folk, and bluegrass music, the banjo is accessible to anyone with the patience and willpower to learn it. This second edition of Banjo For Dummies does the rest of the work for you with updated practice lessons, teaching techniques, and step-by-step examples. With this guide, you will learn tips and techniques for selecting the right instruments and accessories, how to develop correct hand position and posture, and how to tune, care for, and make simple repairs to the instrument. An updated multimedia component features companion audio tracks and complementary video lessons that cement the concepts readers gain during their reading. Written by Bill Evans, an accomplished five-string banjo player, teacher, writer, and historian Includes access to "how-to" videos on Dummies.com Ideal for anyone who wants to learn to play this classic instrument For musicians hoping to lend their art an edge or interested learners looking to pick up a unique skill, Banjo For Dummies is a must-have, straightforward guide to success.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Part I: The Amazing Five-String Banjo 5 Chapter 1: You Want to Play What?: Banjo Basics 7 Chapter 2: Tuning Your Banjo 23 Chapter 3: Starting to Play: Fretting and Strumming 35 Chapter 4: Playing by the Rules: Songs and Tablature 53 Part II: Let's Pick! Basic Banjo Techniques 75 Chapter 5: Getting Right with the Right Hand 77 Chapter 6: Sliding, Hammering, and Pulling: Adding the Left Hand 103 Chapter 7: Working Up Your First Tunes: Clawhammer and Bluegrass 131 Part III: Playing Styles Past, Present, and Future 143 Chapter 8: Playing the Old-T ime Way: Clawhammer and Traditional Styles 145 Chapter 9: Playing Three-Finger Styles: Scruggs, Melodic, and Single String 163 Chapter 10: Playing Up-the-Neck Backup: Chords and Vamping 197 Chapter 11: Playing Historical Styles: African, Minstrel, and Classic Banjo 211 Chapter 12: Net working into Banjo Culture 223 Part IV: Buying a Banjo and Keeping It in Good Shape 241 Chapter 13: Finding Your Banjo Bliss: A Buyer's Guide 243 Chapter 14: Getting the Right Stuff: Banjo Gear 269 Chapter 15: Taking Care of Your Baby: String Changing and Basic Maintenance 291 Part V: The Part of Tens 311 Chapter 16: Ten T ips to Make Practicing More Fun 313 Chapter 17: Ten Great Banjo Players You Need to Hear 321 Part VI: Appendixes 327 Appendix A: Banjo Chords and Notes 329 Appendix B: Audio Tracks and Video Clips 335 Index 343

Author Biography

Bill Evans is an internationally celebrated five-string banjo player, teacher, historian, and recording artist, who has helped thousands of banjo players from all over the world in a professional career that spans over 35 years. He has produced numerous instructional DVDs and hosted hundreds of instructional workshops. Bill has performed on stages throughout North America, Europe, and Japan, and his CDs have topped both folk and bluegrass charts.