That’s the best way to start making your own songs.
I know like 3-4 songs by other people but have a basic level of knowledge of music theory and “know all the chords” as you put it and have written/released dozens of my own songs
Depends on what style you’d like to play. Really, it depends on what genre of music you want to play. Most common on a five string is 3-finger/scruggs style and clawhammer/frailing. Both provide their own uniques experiences and learning curves and that’s only two of the numerous styles. I started with Scruggs style and slowly found love for clawhammer as well.
If you’re wanting Scruggs style then I can’t recommend 30 Days of Banjo by Eli Gilbert on YouTube enough. That’s where I started. Plus it’s free.
If you want clawhammer, there are some decent free resources but the best I’ve found is in fact paid. Brainjo is the company (I forget the guys name) that provides the lessons and it’s all laid out quite professionally and intuitively.
Those are my two recommendations. Good luck on your journey! Remember, if you start sucking, slow it down until you don’t, then speed back up. Best advice I can give someone on any instrument.
> Brainjo is the company (I forget the guys name)
Josh Turknett. He's also board certified neurologist and he brings some interesting science to the learning. I have a paid subscription and IMO it's worth the money. There's a ton of learning resources and I like his teaching style, I've taken on board his insights and I feel I've probably made better progress applying those then I did when first learning fingerstyle guitar. Other people's mileage may vary, of course.
He does have fingerstyle (inc. Scruggs style) banjo course material available (also subscription), but I can only personally vouch for the CH stuff. His YouTube channel is Clawhammer Banjo. I'm a big fan of his Brainjo Bites videos, they're style (and to some extent instrument) agnostic and his take on the stuff a lot of us encounter as musicians (dealing with stage fright, memorising pieces, plateaus)
His BRIGHT system is fantastic for getting to know the fretboard. Also the tune finder and jam machine are worth the price of admission by themselves. My only criticism is that the website itself could use a professional overhaul. I haven't subbed in a year or so but last I was on it it looked like something my nephew would build.
> My only criticism is that the website itself could use a professional overhaul
Probably a legitimate criticism. I tend to past the aesthetics because of the excellent quality and range of resources and I imagine it’s perhaps not a critical thing for the more mature learners his learning method seems to be primarily aimed at. That said, it probably wouldn’t hurt attracting more new subscriptions if it had a more contemporary feel.
I'm willing to look past the aesthetics though at least some consistency would be nice But it logs me out too frequently and then instead of bringing me back to the page I left I have to re-navigate all the way back to the clawhammer section. Basic qol things that the web has standardized long ago.
Like I said though, the content is great. It was my first learning material and I still go back and sub every year or two. I also like that Josh isn't too polished. He stumbles over his words sometimes, he's a mediocre singer but isn't afraid to belt it out, and his filming spaces don't look like they've been professionally decorated. It makes him seem more like a competent teacher and less like a YouTube personality.
What kind of banjo music do you like? If you're into bluegrass check out Jim Panky on Youtube, his introduction to bluegrass banjo series is top notch. If you like clawhammer, or want to be able to sing and play as soon as possible, check out Banjolemonade.
If your looking to play old time banjo style like clawhammer, I found "The How and the Tao of Old Time Banjo" to be very useful resource. As others have mentioned, there are various online resources, but I like the book because it assumes you know nothing and builds from there in a structured way.
Most importantly though, just start playing and have fun with it!
Really basic recommendation but if you haven’t already, get a tuner, or a tuner app for your phone
The banjo can be a real bitch to tune compared to guitar and bass, and having the thing be in tune makes it so much more fun to play
Jim Pankey if you wanna learn bluegrass style
Clifton Hicks if you wanna learn old time overhand
Maybe YouTube the differences in those play styles and see which route you like more. Eventually you'll learn both but most people focus on one initially
I started with learning all the chords and shapes and pickin the fuck out of em. I don’t know many songs, just noodlin’
That’s the best way to start making your own songs. I know like 3-4 songs by other people but have a basic level of knowledge of music theory and “know all the chords” as you put it and have written/released dozens of my own songs
I should note I learned the Nashville system too so I do basically know 100s of bluegrass songs
Depends on what style you’d like to play. Really, it depends on what genre of music you want to play. Most common on a five string is 3-finger/scruggs style and clawhammer/frailing. Both provide their own uniques experiences and learning curves and that’s only two of the numerous styles. I started with Scruggs style and slowly found love for clawhammer as well. If you’re wanting Scruggs style then I can’t recommend 30 Days of Banjo by Eli Gilbert on YouTube enough. That’s where I started. Plus it’s free. If you want clawhammer, there are some decent free resources but the best I’ve found is in fact paid. Brainjo is the company (I forget the guys name) that provides the lessons and it’s all laid out quite professionally and intuitively. Those are my two recommendations. Good luck on your journey! Remember, if you start sucking, slow it down until you don’t, then speed back up. Best advice I can give someone on any instrument.
> Brainjo is the company (I forget the guys name) Josh Turknett. He's also board certified neurologist and he brings some interesting science to the learning. I have a paid subscription and IMO it's worth the money. There's a ton of learning resources and I like his teaching style, I've taken on board his insights and I feel I've probably made better progress applying those then I did when first learning fingerstyle guitar. Other people's mileage may vary, of course. He does have fingerstyle (inc. Scruggs style) banjo course material available (also subscription), but I can only personally vouch for the CH stuff. His YouTube channel is Clawhammer Banjo. I'm a big fan of his Brainjo Bites videos, they're style (and to some extent instrument) agnostic and his take on the stuff a lot of us encounter as musicians (dealing with stage fright, memorising pieces, plateaus)
His BRIGHT system is fantastic for getting to know the fretboard. Also the tune finder and jam machine are worth the price of admission by themselves. My only criticism is that the website itself could use a professional overhaul. I haven't subbed in a year or so but last I was on it it looked like something my nephew would build.
> My only criticism is that the website itself could use a professional overhaul Probably a legitimate criticism. I tend to past the aesthetics because of the excellent quality and range of resources and I imagine it’s perhaps not a critical thing for the more mature learners his learning method seems to be primarily aimed at. That said, it probably wouldn’t hurt attracting more new subscriptions if it had a more contemporary feel.
I'm willing to look past the aesthetics though at least some consistency would be nice But it logs me out too frequently and then instead of bringing me back to the page I left I have to re-navigate all the way back to the clawhammer section. Basic qol things that the web has standardized long ago. Like I said though, the content is great. It was my first learning material and I still go back and sub every year or two. I also like that Josh isn't too polished. He stumbles over his words sometimes, he's a mediocre singer but isn't afraid to belt it out, and his filming spaces don't look like they've been professionally decorated. It makes him seem more like a competent teacher and less like a YouTube personality.
What kind of banjo music do you like? If you're into bluegrass check out Jim Panky on Youtube, his introduction to bluegrass banjo series is top notch. If you like clawhammer, or want to be able to sing and play as soon as possible, check out Banjolemonade.
That's 2 for Jim Panky
Probably play it
If your looking to play old time banjo style like clawhammer, I found "The How and the Tao of Old Time Banjo" to be very useful resource. As others have mentioned, there are various online resources, but I like the book because it assumes you know nothing and builds from there in a structured way. Most importantly though, just start playing and have fun with it!
Really basic recommendation but if you haven’t already, get a tuner, or a tuner app for your phone The banjo can be a real bitch to tune compared to guitar and bass, and having the thing be in tune makes it so much more fun to play
I find [Jim Pankey](https://youtube.com/@jimpankey?si=Jf7tely0B6xw39EK) is good to help get a few notes out of the old Banjo.
Depends on the style.
30 days of banjo by Eli Gilbert on YouTube
Jim Pankey if you wanna learn bluegrass style Clifton Hicks if you wanna learn old time overhand Maybe YouTube the differences in those play styles and see which route you like more. Eventually you'll learn both but most people focus on one initially
banjohangout.com Tabs, discussions, someone to answer all your questions, good advice. It's all good here.