Hi & Salut

First post for me here, so please pardon my ignorance

I have just been involved in a discussion about multiple tunings on the Banjo Hangout Old Time Clawhammer Forum.

Does such a thing happen in the Classic Banjo world or is everything played out of the one tuning?

Thank you

Eric

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In clawhammer banjo-ness the banjo is a modified African harp. To get a higher or lower note on a harp one moves to another string. clawhammer banjo uses the same logic. the main notes of a given tune or song are found on open strings. and both hands are used for plucking. Naturally this engenders many tunings, each with their own sonic atmosphere. The logic of classic banjo is different. It is mostly chord based and scale based and the left hand uses standard positions to find the needed notes and their harmonies. Get the proper position down on the fingerboard and every note you need lies beneath your fingers. For these positions to be effective it necessary for the tuning to remain the same. So the two main tunings are identical except for the lowest string. An open G chord is not called "standard" tuning. It is called "elevated bass". That's because the bass string has been raised in pitch one step from the classic standard tuning gCDGB giving gDGBD instead. These two tunings are used for 99% of the repertoire. In addition there are special tuning for certain pieces. sometimes the second string is lowered from B natural to B flat. And then there is f#DAF#D etc.

The "Early Classic Style" mainly played in America up to the end on the 19th Century usually used eAEG#B  or "A" banjo tuning.  I believe that as the intervals between the tuning of the strings in A and  C notation Classic style is the same,  the Standard Chord shapes remain the same.

There are approximately 13 standard chord shapes to learn, and they are, in the main, played as  3 string chords.

I produced a flyer some time ago showing the shapes that can be used up and down the fingerboard when playing Classic Style.

You can download it here:

STANDARD CHORD SHAPES

Eric, I think you may have misunderstood something fundamental. Clawhammer technique on its own, apart from its usual repertoire, and its traditional context (accompanying solo singing, solo  or in combination with fiddle or a full band to provide music for dancing) can be played in one tuning or two.  For playing in your church group there is no reason you cannot stay entirely in open G or "drop C" (which a classic player would call "elevated bass and standard).  The many tunings of clawhammer banjo are there to provide sonic atmosphere for A Particular Kind of Music. They make the playing of this music easier, not harder.  For your purposes there is no reason not to use Clawhammer technique. Same thing applies for classic technique. It can be applied to any kind of music.   

Sure it makes sense!  In that case gCDBD is certainly the most versatile tuning, It is the tuning for plectrum banjo as well (minus the high 5th string). You are right, classic banjo plays in all keys. Well nearly, I have yet to encounter a classic banjo piece in G flat or in B natural, All the other keys, yup! . I love the thought of the banjo in church mixing with the other instruments. Why not? It's a great idea. And if gDGBD suits you better than gCGBD certainly go for it.  Good luck.

Eric Womersley said:

Thank you guys for your input. 

I do understand that multiple tunings are an Old Timey thing rather than a banjo thing. I was just interested to see if such things happen in Classic Banjo as well.

Part of the reason for following the Banjo Hangout thread was to see which, if any, of the tunings would be lend itself to a Church setting where we play in a variety of keys including some flat keys, where we sometimes change keys during a song and where, more often than not, there isn't opportunity to re-tune (it's a bit of a distraction during the sermon or prayers).

If I have understood correctly, the Classic Banjo repertoire ranges over a wide variety of keys, so I thought that the Standard tuning would be a good one to become familiar with. I am also interested in developing an up-picking style and, sad as it may be, I like a more "traditional" scales based approach to learning rather than the play it by ear that, perhaps, is more prevalent in the Old Timey world. Hence why I have ended up here.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks again

Eric

whoops, in the first sentence I typed gC  *D*  B D. I meant g C  *G*  BD. 

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