Banjo Blitz Episode 19: Two Fretting Grips

[@audrybella6405]

Thank you Tom. I am a 62 year old new to music absolute beginner in every sense of the word. I love the sound of the banjo and have always wanted to learn to play an instrument. My wife gave me a banjo as a retirement gift and now I am getting on with learning to play. Surprisingly, the right hand three-finger picking came very easy and it was very natural to find my finger planting on the head. I am focusing early attention on roll patterns and timing and now just starting to work on some simple chords and fretting. Right hand was fun and easy (for me anyway). Left hand; well that is turning out to be a whole different story!! Right now it feels like it’s impossible!! This video provided great guidance where I really needed some advice. Thank you. P.S. I live in a somewhat rural area and have not been able to find a banjo instructor within 50 miles of my farm so for now anyway, it’s me and what I find on KZbin for instruction (along with some good beginner’s books). Your instructional videos are excellent. Thank you for producing them for us.

[@nvdawahyaify]

I love your videos. I am so glad I found them. I switch between the two grips. I use the fiddle grip when I am chording near the nut, and the classical guitar grip when I go up the neck.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Mike. Thanks for watching! Yes, I do the exact same thing in my own playing.

[@カスカディア国人]

The only instrument I’ve ever had to think about my grip with was the ukulele and I use one similar to a classical guitar grip on, I may reconsider that and start paying attention to how I’m using my other instruments. Now that I think about it I do hold my mandolin a certain way.

[@ArtyoneT]

Hi Tom! Enjoying your videos. Really hitting the spot in my learning. What kind of fretless beauty of a banjo is that? Looks like a big pot too. Why even play one without frets? I'm baffled.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hi ArtyoneT! That is my beloved Enoch model 400 semi-fretless. It's got a 12" pot that has gobs of tone and volume. It's a peach! Great question, by the way: why fretless? Well, I could give a dozen reasons, but really it comes down to being able to hit notes between the notes. Also, slides are so damned sweet on a fretless board...no bumps, just liquid-smooth tone. I'll be doing a bunch of videos on fretless banjos in the future. They're the bees knees! Thanks so much for your comment and question!

[@scottbroemsen8010]

That really is a gorgeous instrument.

[@matthewmurdoch7022]

Its a Kevin Enoch. Awesome

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Kevin's the best! Thanks for the comment, Matt!