Hey! I've been making a practice app for bluegrass banjo and having a blast with it, so I wanted to share, see if it's helpful and hopefully get some feedback.

Basically, the way it works is, rolls appear on screen for a set amount of time before moving on to the next one, gradually getting faster over the course of a 15-minute session. The rolls appear in random order, so it keeps you guessing. There's also a very cool mode called "Roll Shuffle", which gives you a continuous, randomized stream of rolls. It's VERY challenging but super fun! All of this can be customized too. I've gotten way faster and more precise since I started using it.

A little background: I started playing banjo about 20 years ago, but never got as good as I wanted to and eventually stopped after a few years. I never stopped loving banjo, so I started playing again back in March. I wanted to make sure I at least did my finger exercises every day. I figured 15 minutes a day would be a good start, and since I teach coding for my day job, I decided to build something to help me do it. I might finally be almost kind of okay at playing.

I've seen a lot of folks here interested in learning bluegrass-style banjo or improving their technique, so I hope this might be helpful! I posted it as a free TestFlight for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Anyone up for a test drive? Here's the link!

https://banjoroll.com

My wife says the whole game should be like this.

The truck's radio is playing my own recording of Keep on the Sunny Side, clawhammer.

i just received a used banjo that I bought from a music store. I know very little about banjo so far but the fourth string (I think) silent look right. Should that string go through the hole like the other strings do?

If the answer is yes, can I fix this on my own or do I need to take it to a music store?

if i can fix it in my own how would I do that?

thanks for any help you can provide

How do i make sure to not get ripped off or scammed if I buy one off of BHO?

What are some red flags i should watch for?

Are scammers rampant on there?

Does anybody know what happened with the 2000 hours of banjo guy on YouTube? I enjoyed watching him chronicle his learning process. He hasn’t uploaded for like a year now and it feels like a long lost friend at this point… if you’re reading this 2000 hours man, I hope you’re still picking.

I've really fallen in love with that Deering sound specifically from the Sierra. Unfortunately, I don't have 2-3 thousand in my budget right now. Are there any banjos that sound like this (or can with some modifications)?

I'd figure a Goodtime II, although it doesn't have a tone ring, which might make a difference.

Thank you.

When I started playing, I learned the foggy mountain roll incorrectly. Realized it not too far into my learning. Adapted and kept playing. It never quite sounded right though. Pulled up some tabs today and realized I was missing a note the whole time. Guess I have to try and relearn it... again.

Recently inherited my Grandfathers 4 string tenor banjo, all I know is that it’s CGDA tuning and maybe it’s supposed to be Irish.

I can only seem to find a few YouTube videos on “playing your first chords” nothing further than that. Does anyone have any advice, links, or places where I can find online lessons that go further?

My main goal is to get to the point where I can play some songs or “improv” around a campfire.

Hey yall
I have an Ibanez b200, which I bought because money was tight and I’ve noticed it’s really quiet, especially in a jam setting.

Some details: I don’t know if it’s ever been properly set up, I got it from a guitar shop. I also just switched to ddario light gauge strings and it definitely got quieter after that. I’m not sure if it has a tone ring, or maybe it just has a bad one(?)

Some questions:
Does string weight make that much of a difference re volume?
How can I get the banjo to be louder?
Do tone rings make banjos louder/is that an easily replaceable thing?

A new banjo is not in the cards right now, so I’d love to see what I can do to get my instrument to project a bit more. Thanks!

Edit for context: I’ve been playing three finger with picks for about a year, so I’m not brand new at it. It’s a pretty fine volume on its own, but I am struggling to play loud enough specifically in a jam

Picked this up off of reverb for a low price so I’m not expecting anything valuable, I mainly just want info on the builder. It wouldn’t surprise me or hurt my feelings to find out it was no brand or even just a cheap generic banjo. But if anyone has info, I’d like to learn! I’ve tried searching myself with not a lot of luck. I’m new to this so don’t even really know what I should be looking for. Thanks for whatever you have to offer.

One of the joys in my banjo journey right now is working tunes out from non-banjo sources, most often for me fiddle recordings. One of my favorite albums right now is Joseph Decosimo’s “Beehive Cathedral” which features some incredible fiddling in my opinion. This is the first tune I learned off that album, ”Billy in the Lowground”. I had to really push the limits of what I know how to do, to get the A part to come out the way I wanted. In the end I am pretty happy with how it came out, and wanted to share, hope you enjoy!

I’d also welcome feedback on either the arrangement or my playing! I notice watching this that my left hand moves a lot - when I compare the economy of motion in the left hand fingers to the right, the difference seems striking. I’ve been unable to “un-notice” this since recording and watching this video, and I am working on moving my left hand fingers less when I practice now.

Hi,

My daughter is interested in playing the banjo. I don't have experience playing any sort of instrument. She probably has an average 20-22" reach. Should I go with an open back travel banjo like the Gold Tone AC Traveler or an open back full size banjo with a capo? I really am clueless about this. Thanks for your help, and any other suggestions are welcome.

I learned this tune over the summer from Wes’s tab book. Eli Gilbert also has a video teaching it. It’s one of my favorite tunes from the Cascade album. Check out that album if you haven’t listened to it!

Hey, folks! ☀️

Sorry for yet another one of these posts, but I'm a bit torn. I want to start playing a banjo (coming from guitar), and really don't know what to choose between these 2 options, considering I found an RK B-stock that is significantly cheaper.

Any thoughts or additional tips are welcome!

Cheers!

Hey folks. We're a stringband from northern California called The Oldgrass Bluetime Band. Here's some Ruben's Train by the RR tracks out in the middle of nowhere.

About two days ago, my banjo fell from its stand and the fifth string peg slipped out. I tried to put it back in, but I cannot insert it fully. Any suggestions? (I tried a rubber mallet, but I’m way too scared of breaking the banjo neck.)
Also, I’ve been using my banjo for the past year without a railroad spike for the fifth string, mostly because of the feel. Do you think that the tension might have had something to do with the peg falling out in the first place ?

Hi guys! Just started picking on a banjo I bought on marketplace. I have no clue the brand or anything but it seems to be older. I was watching a video on how to restring one and the guy had a clamshell tail piece. Is my banjo missing something or is this just a cheapo banjo with a crappy tail piece? Thanks in advance!!

Edit: The banjo has no markings on it whatsoever to establish a brand.

Hi everyone!

I currently own a Gold Tone CC-Carlin 12, which I mainly play in open G and some double C/double D tuning with a clawhammer style. I'm thinking about adding a fretless banjo to complement it, with a budget of around €500.

I'm drawn to the different sound of fretless banjos, the warmer, more muted tone of nylon or Nylgut strings, and that rustic, old-time character. I'd also like something relatively lightweight and compact that I can easily pick up and move around. My Carlin is fairly hefty, so it would be nice to have something lighter and easier to handle.

At the same time, I wouldn't want to end up with a banjo that feels like a significant downgrade from my CC-Carlin 12 in terms of sound quality. For example, I'm wondering whether the lack of a tone ring or the use of composite materials instead of wood might make a noticeable difference. Ideally, I'd like something that sounds different because it's fretless and uses nylon or Nylgut strings, rather than something that simply sounds cheaper or less resonant than my current banjo.

I'm not necessarily looking for a historically accurate minstrel banjo or anything particularly specialized. I just want a fretless that offers a genuinely different experience from my Carlin and would be fun to play alongside it.

I've been looking at the Gold Tone AC-1FL, which seems appealing because of its price and weight, but I'm unsure about its composite construction and whether there might be better alternatives in my budget.

A few questions:

Would you recommend the AC-1FL, or is there another fretless banjo worth considering?

Are there any good used or budget-friendly wooden fretless banjos I should look out for?

How much difference does the rim material make to the sound compared with the fretless fingerboard and nylon strings? The CC Carlin 12 is the only banjo I have seen and play

Would the lack of a tone ring or the use of a composite rim make the AC-1FL sound noticeably less full or resonant than my CC-Carlin 12?

One more question: does anyone here play harmonica along with clawhammer banjo? If so, which harmonica keys do you tend to use most often? I have a Hohner Special 20 in C.in a drawer and was wondering whether it would work well with the tunes I play in open G, or whether it would be worth getting another key.

I'd appreciate any recommendations, personal experiences, or sound comparisons. Thanks! 😄

Hey everyone!!!

Started my Christmas shopping and my girlfriend has always wanted a banjo and I’m gonna make that wish come true this year. My budgets only about $600 and was curious if anyone had any recommendations for brands or specific style?

Thank you tons and have a good rest of ya day!