How to Hold the Banjo

Lesson 9/52 | Study Time: 5 Min
Course: Banjo
How to Hold the Banjo

How to Hold the Banjo

  • Sit up straight on the chair as shown in the photo
  • The banjo should be close to your body in an upright position with the neck pointing slightly upwards.

The main aim is to be comfortable and have easy access to the banjo fretboard. A music stand will also be helpful if you are learning from a book or sheet music.

The left hand fingers are numbered as such:

Left Hand Position

The thumb should sit half under, half beside the neck in a relaxed manner as shown in the photo.

Left Hand Placement

Your fingers should be on their tips and placed just behind the frets (not on top of them).

Right Hand Position

The right hand is used to play the strings by plucking them with the thumb and first two fingers. Many players use a thumb pick and finger picks. This will be discussed later.

Support your right hand by placing the third and fourth fingers on the skin of the banjo as shown in the photo.

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Peter Gelling

Peter Gelling

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Class Sessions

1- Using Finger Picks 2- The Major Scale 3- INTRODUCTION 4- The Eighth Note 5- Notes on the 1st String 6- The Pinch 7- The C Major Chord 8- Playing Single Notes (Picking) 9- The Three Four Time Signature 10- LESSON ONE 11- Sixteenth Notes 12- Combining Melody And Accompaniment 13- Approach to Practice 14- The G Major Chord 15- Sequences 16- Alternate Picking 17- The Hammer-on 18- The Lead-in 19- The Pivot 20- Alternating Bass 21- Notes on the 3rd String 22- Finger Rolls 23- Rolls in Three Four Time 24- Left Hand Bar 25- Key of G Major 26- The 8va Symbol 27- Notes on the 4th String 28- The Pull-off 29- Cut Common Time 30- Parts of the Banjo 31- Songs Using the C Chord 32- Notes on the 2nd String 33- Chord Diagrams 34- The F Sharp Note (F<span class="symbolA">#</span>) 35- The Slide 36- Electronic Tuner 37- Minor Chords 38- Strumming 39- Combining Rolls 40- Playing The 5th String 41- Rhythm Patterns 42- Rests 43- Left Hand Fingering 44- Dotted Notes 45- How to Tune Your Banjo 46- Slide Finger 47- Chord Shapes 48- The Seventh Chord 49- How to Read Music 50- Chord Progressions 51- Music Notation 52- How to Hold the Banjo

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