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 Hand103
Chapter 7: Working Up Your First Tunes: Clawhammer and Bluegrass131
Part III: Playing Styles Past, Present, and Future143
Chapter 8: Playing the Old-T ime Way: Clawhammer and TraditionalStyles 145
Chapter 9: Playing Three-Finger Styles: Scruggs, Melodic, andSingle String 163
Chapter 10: Playing Up-the-Neck Backup: Chords and Vamping197
Chapter 11: Playing Historical Styles: African, Minstrel, andClassic Banjo 211
Chapter 12: Net working into Banjo Culture 223
Part IV: Buying a Banjo and Keeping It in Good Shape241
Chapter 13: Finding Your Banjo Bliss: A Buyer’s Guide243
Chapter 14: Getting the Right Stuff: Banjo Gear 269
Chapter 15: Taking Care of Your Baby: String Changing and BasicMaintenance 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