Songs for a beginner?

[Eric Crum]

I am looking for some easy tunes to play while trying to learn... I downloaded "The Banjo and how to play it" but they seem to go straight from learning scales to some of the most complicated music I have seen...  Hoping there might be something a little less daunting to pluck around with...  Any suggestions?    Maybe something "Mel Bay" ish... :)

[thereallyniceman]

You downloaded a good tutor. Grimshaw's "The Banjo and How to Play it" is the one that I was taught from. BUT you don't need to do all the scales etc before you can have a try at a tune!

I suggest that you read and practise pages 1 -10 , and practise, and practise following the fingers shown on the exercises. Move on to "Alternate Fingering" on page 12 and work through the exercises and the C major scale and exercises to the bottom of page 14.

All the above will get you familiar with picking, clean fretting, alternating and getting an improving tone. THEN you can have a go at THE beginners tune for Classic Style:  The Sunflower Dance.  A Great tune for beginners and advanced players alike, and a great exercise.

I suggest that along with The Grimshaw Tutor you watch my Videos in the  "Learn to Play" section  as they show the correct way to hold the instrument, hand position, how to fret the notes and various chord shapes etc.

Available HERE:  Lessons

In the lessons there is a note by note video lesson on The Sunflower Dance...so you can watch the notes and the fingers while you play along!

You can download the score below or use the Grimshaw Tutor Page 26

Good luck and impress your friends :-)

[Eric Crum]

I have looked over most of your videos... Thanks for them... :)   I actually like the Grimshaw books. I just wish there were more practice songs before going on to the next step....  The book seems to be written for someone that is just starting banjo, but is already proficient in some other stringed instrument.... I downloaded a bunch of different books, and spent most of last evening cutting and pasting them together to make my own book...  :)    I have been playing Clawhammer and Irish tenor for a while, but this is my first attempt at anything banjo related using something other than tabulature....

[Joel Hooks]

For quick satisfaction and a very musical piece try the "Spanish Fandango."

Follow that up with a similar piece, easy and exciting "On The Mill Dam Gallop" by A. Babb.

Check out the" Banjo Players Favorite" by Bickford.  Filled with short two part pieces and what might be called "fiddle tunes."

 https://archive.org/details/BanjoFavoritesBickford

it is also in the "tutor" section on this site.

[German David Patarroyo]

Agreed with Joel, Spanish Fandango is really catchy and also a good exercise. I would suggest some tunes of the Agnew´s tutorial (for instance, Reckless Rufus, Electric Dance...) and the Bradbury´s book is also great!

Joel Hooks said:

For quick satisfaction and a very musical piece try the "Spanish Fandango."

Follow that up with a similar piece, easy and exciting "On The Mill Dam Gallop" by A. Babb.

Check out the" Banjo Players Favorite" by Bickford.  Filled with short two part pieces and what might be called "fiddle tunes."

 https://archive.org/details/BanjoFavoritesBickford

it is also in the "tutor" section on this site.

[Eric Crum]

Haven't been back here for a while... :)   Can you point me to where I can find "Spanish Fandango" and "On the Mill Dam Gallop" ?   My housemates are starting to get tired of hearing Sunflower dance... :)

[Eric Crum]

Never mind... I found it... :)

[carrie horgan]

There is a nice version in the Bradbury MelBay book too.