Different Keys?

[Austin]

I'm assuming so, but I'm unsure. Are there any Classic banjo pieces that go outside of the usual C major, C minor, G major, E minor keys? I know these are the keys best suited to the banjo and can see why so many pieces use them, I was just curious I guess.

[Trapdoor2]

Modulation is quite common, esp in the trio. Most of these are simple modulation, I-V, I-IV and then relative and parallel minors.

The most common keys live in the band between 3 sharps and 2 flats...but there's always room for other stuff on either tail of that bell curve!

[Jody Stecher]

There are  pieces in F, Bb, Eb and even Ab.  Many of these are within the ragtime repertoire. The library here is full of such pieces.  For instance check out the "Ragtime Oriole" (4 flats/ A flat major) or "Grace and Beauty" (3 flats/ E flat major). You can find the notation here and also hear the recordings of Fred Van Eps playing them superbly. 

[Jody Stecher]

For other-than-ragtime, check out, for instance Emil Grimshaw's Kentucky Memories or Plantation Episode. Or Colonial March by Parke Hunter (F and B flat).   And most of the vast C major repertoire of all sub-genres moves into F in the third part.   Some other C major and G major pieces move into other keys such as D major and D minor.  

[Richard William Ineson]

Morley's 'Moonlight Revels' has a movement in E major, Lawes' 'En El Camino' has a movement in Db major if I remember rightly  and one of Bill Ball's pieces has a movement in Gb major. 

[Joel Hooks]

The answer is "yes".

Plenty of American publications too.  The Walter Jacobs Banjo Collections have several "odd" key pieces.

It seems that you are new to "classic banjo".  I recommend a course of study in the Mel Bay Banjo Method by Frank Bradbury.  In my opinion this is the best graded banjo tutor.  It was originally published in two volumes and when the current edition was combined Mel Bay got the page order out of whack, I recommend getting the two volumes on ebay (usually for cheap-- like $5 each).  This work will introduce you to the various keys you will encounter, at a well graded pace.  

Also, you will not want to skip over any alternate fingering exercises-- they are the key to playing classic banjo.