Many guitar players are intrigued by the unique sound of the banjo but might feel intimidated by the different tunings and playing techniques. If you’re a guitarist looking to explore the world of banjo without a steep learning curve, tuning your banjo like a guitar can be an excellent starting point. This approach opens up the banjo to guitarists, allowing you to apply your existing knowledge of chords and scales directly to this exciting instrument.
Why Guitar Tuning on a Banjo?
The question of whether you can tune a banjo like a guitar is often met with curiosity. The simple answer is yes, absolutely! Tuning a banjo to mirror a guitar’s tuning offers several advantages, especially for guitarists venturing into banjo playing.
For starters, familiarity is a significant benefit. As a guitarist, you’ve already invested time and effort in learning guitar chords, scales, and songs. Tuning your banjo to a guitar-like configuration means you can immediately transfer this knowledge. The chord shapes you know and love on the guitar become instantly playable on the banjo, eliminating the initial hurdle of learning a completely new tuning system.
This approach isn’t just for beginners either. Seasoned musicians have explored guitar tuning on banjos for decades, unlocking unique sonic possibilities and bridging the gap between these two stringed instruments. It’s a versatile technique that can be applied to various banjo types, opening up a world of musical exploration.
Guitar Tuning Across Different Banjo Types
The beauty of guitar tuning extends across various banjo types, each offering a slightly different flavor and playing experience.
4-String Banjos: Tenor and Plectrum
For 4-string banjos like the tenor and plectrum, adapting to guitar tuning is remarkably straightforward.
Tenor Banjos: Traditionally, tenor banjos are tuned in fifths, like a viola (C-G-D-A). However, tuning a tenor banjo to the first four strings of a guitar (D-G-B-E, low to high) brings a significant change in its sonic character. The traditional tenor tuning, with its wider intervals, can feel more spread out for guitarists. Guitar tuning, on the other hand, creates a more familiar and compact feel under the fingers. Chord shapes become more accessible, and melodies feel less of a stretch.
Plectrum Banjos: The plectrum banjo’s standard tuning (C-G-B-D, low to high) is already quite close to guitar tuning. Switching a plectrum banjo to full guitar tuning (D-G-B-E) only requires adjusting two strings. This subtle shift makes the transition even smoother for guitarists. Some plectrum players even refer to this guitar-like tuning as “Chicago tuning,” highlighting its popularity and practicality.
(Alt text: A Deering Plectrum Banjo, a four-string banjo with a longer neck, often tuned similarly to a guitar.)
5-String Banjos: Embracing the Fifth String in Guitar Tuning
The 5-string banjo, with its iconic drone string, might seem like a different beast altogether. However, even the 5-string banjo can be effectively tuned to a guitar-like configuration with a simple adjustment.
The key to guitar tuning a 5-string banjo lies in adjusting only one string. By tuning the first string (the thinnest string) up a whole step, you achieve a tuning that mirrors the first four strings of a guitar. Imagine tuning the first four strings to D-G-B-E, just like a guitar.
Let’s illustrate this with a familiar chord: the G chord. On a guitar-tuned 5-string banjo, you play a G chord by simply fretting the first string at the third fret, exactly as you would on a guitar. Similarly, a C chord is played by fretting the second string at the first fret and the fourth string at the second fret – again, just like on a guitar. The D7 chord also translates directly from guitar to banjo in this tuning.
Now, what about that fifth string? This is where the banjo’s unique character truly shines. While the first four strings provide the familiar guitar landscape, the fifth string, typically tuned to G (in standard banjo tuning), can be incorporated to add a distinctive banjo flavor.
For playing in different keys, the Earl’s Suspender Capo becomes your best friend. This specialized capo allows you to capo only the fifth string, enabling you to maintain your guitar tuning on the lower four strings while adjusting the fifth string to harmonize with different keys. For instance, to play in the key of A, you would capo the fifth string at the 7th fret.
(Alt text: Earl’s Suspender Capo, a specialized banjo capo designed to independently capo the fifth string, allowing for key changes.)
6-String Banjos: The Guitarist’s Banjo
For guitarists seeking the most seamless transition to banjo, the 6-string banjo is designed specifically for you. Deering Banjo Company, for example, produces 6-string banjos that are tuned exactly like a 6-string guitar. These instruments eliminate any tuning adjustments and allow guitarists to pick up a banjo and play immediately using their existing guitar skills.
(Alt text: A Deering Boston 6-String Banjo, designed to be tuned and played exactly like a six-string guitar.)
Embracing the Banjo Sound with Guitar Skills
Tuning your banjo like a guitar is more than just a shortcut; it’s a valid and creative approach to playing the banjo. It allows guitarists to leverage their existing skills and explore the banjo’s unique tonal landscape without feeling completely lost in a new tuning system.
Initially, you might focus on playing familiar guitar chords and melodies on the first four strings of your banjo. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually incorporate the fifth string (on a 5-string banjo) into your playing. Experiment with fingerpicking patterns, explore basic banjo rolls, and discover how the high-pitched fifth string can add a syncopated and rhythmic dimension to your music.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and break the mold. Banjo history is rich with diverse tunings and playing styles. While open G tuning has become standardized in bluegrass, countless other tunings have been used throughout banjo’s history, particularly in clawhammer and 4-string banjo styles. Guitar tuning is simply another valid and exciting addition to this rich tapestry.
Make Your Own Rules and Play!
Ultimately, music is about expression and creativity. Tuning your banjo like a guitar is a fantastic way for guitarists to access the banjo’s unique voice and potentially develop a fresh, innovative style. As Pete Werenick, a renowned banjoist, famously said, “If it sounds good, it must BE good.”
So, if you’re a guitarist curious about the banjo, don’t let unfamiliar tunings hold you back. Pick up a banjo, tune it like your guitar (adjusting that first string if it’s a 5-string), and start playing. You might just discover a whole new dimension to your musical journey and perhaps even inspire others to explore the banjo through the familiar lens of guitar tuning. Consider a Goodtime banjo as an accessible entry point to this exciting instrument. Tuning is just a means to an end – making music is what truly matters.
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