I teach 1:1 lessons at my home in the Waitakere Ranges 20 mins from Auckland CBD. I teach on Tuesdays and Wednesdays either afternoon (good for homeschoolers, retired or shiftworkers) or in the evening.
Here are the styles of banjo that I teach:
5 String Banjo (gDGBD)
Bluegrass / Three Finger Picking
The 5 String is used a lot for bluegrass but is great for Celtic, blues, country, rock, jazz, classical – you name it! It is a lead instrument played with a plastic thumb pick and two metal fingerpicks.
Examples of bluegrass music – The Beverley Hillbillies, The Theme from Deliverance, Ballad of Jed Clampett, Where For Art Thou Brother.
Players & Bands – Earl Scruggs, Mumford and Sons, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Steve Martin, Bill Keith, Del McCoury Band, The Dillards, Bill Monroe, Billy Connolly, Old Crow Medicine Show, J.D. Crowe & the New South, Hayseed Dixie, the Punch Brothers.
Frailing, downpicking, clawhammer, mountain styles
This style uses your finger nails and the instrument is played by striking downwards on the strings. Frailing sounds awesome and is a really cool way to play the banjo. Check some players out on youtube like Mark Johnson, Stringbean and others.
4 String Banjo (DGBD)
The plectrum banjo is a rhythm instrument used for Dixieland jazz. It is strummed with a pick. I would start you off on the basic chords and strumming on easy songs then move up the neck and introduce some more sophisticated right hand patterns. Tuning CGBD or DGBD. I’ll provide all the material. Tenor Banjo GDAE is used for Celtic music. Its played with a pick.
The Lessons
My 5 string banjo lessons are based around a 49 track Practise CD. After you purchase the $25 Practise CD, I provide all other material. I also use computer applications like TABLEDIT – its cool! – I email you the instrumental or introduction that we have covered in the lesson and you can play it back at any speed on your computer!
What now?
If you want to discuss taking lessons please contact me.
Call me on Auckland 09 832 3886 or send me an email.
Here are my Contact Details