The Names of the Different Parts of the Banjo and The Three Different Ways to String a Banjo

The Names of the Different Parts of the Banjo

and

The Three Different Ways to String a Banjos

-Alan Arnell

Parts of a Banjo Resonator

There are 3 different ways that a banjo may be stringed.  The string styles of a banjos may be either the 4-string, 5-string, or 6-string.  

4-String Banjo

4-String Banjo

4-string banjo are called Tenor and 4-strings.  Tenor banjos have 4 strings on a shorter neck than the 5-string that I will discuss next.  Most players of Dixieland Jazz music use the 4-string banjo.  The 4-string,is usually strummed with a pick while using chords to make different sounds.  A plectrum banjo is quite similar to a tenor banjo but sports a longer neck.

5-String Banjo

Extra Tuning Key and Drone String

5-String Banjo

The 5-string banjo also has a longer neck and has 5 rather than 4 strings.  The extra string is called the drone string.  The drone string is shorter than the other 4 strings.  Generally there is an extra tuning key that is attached to the upper side of the neck for the drone string.  Bluegrass style of play is generally performed on a 5-string banjo.  Earl Scruggs famously resurrected the banjo at the beginning of the second half of the last Century with his unique style of finger-picking of a 5-string banjo.  Finger-picking is also referred to as using the clawhammer style.  His celebrated style of banjo play combined the traditional strumming and frailing technique along with picking the strings with 3 fingers.  Frailing is the style of play most used in traditional Appalachian Mountain Music. Pete Seeger also is one of the greats that showcases finger-picking of the banjo.

Many 5-string banjo have an open-back and a back resonator.  The resonator is really an open-backed banjo with a back (the resonator) fastened to the banjo.  Resonator banjos are most often seen in bluegrass or finger-picking banjo play.  The resonator helps increase the instrument’s volume of sound.  As you may imagine, a louder banjo will work better in group play with other instruments.  

An open-backed banjo is more than not used for frailing.  Some believe, this is because the banjo’s sound is dampened somewhat by the player’s body which gives the banjo a somewhat plunker sound.  Open-backed instruments are generally less expensive than those with a resonator.

Two Different Styles of Guitar-Tuned 6-Stringed Banjos

Guitar-Tuned 6-String Banjo

The guitar-tuned banjo is a more specialized type of banjo. This instrument has six strings that are tuned and played like a guitar. The 6-stringed banjo is a hybrid instrument, but handy for guitar players who want a banjo sound at times but do not want to learn a whole new playing system.

Banjo Heads

Banjo Heads

Banjos, like drums, have either real calf skin heads or synthetic heads. The differences are that while real calfskin has a mellower sound, it is susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity. It will loosen in cooler temperature and tighten as the temperature goes up. Synthetic heads can have the feel of real calfskin, but maintain a consistent tension through changes in temperature.

Would you like to know the Origins and the History of the Banjo?  If so check out  my blog post that does so at (LINK)

Do you like my posts?  Please share my blog with your friends

to keep me motivated and making posts.

Love and Peace and keep Rocking!

Checkout the Right Column for more Posts & Guitar TABS