Visit Classic Banjo

Down at the bottom of the page is a link to BADGES. This was my first investigation and I hope that the badge appears at the top of this post. If it doesn't it's back to the drawing board. The code from this badge can be inserted into web pages if you wish the world to know that you are a member of this site.…

There's no upright piano in this house. Only this one.

It's a ...…

Please excuse so many posts, I'm just finding my way about the site, starting with this blog. I don't feel as though I'm qualified to post any discussions yet but I seem to have got one going, inadvertently, when I referred to hand positions. Thanks, Jody, for the detailed analysis of hand positions. I think it's really up to the person who plays the instrument which hand position is the most comfortable. I'm sure that speed can be achieved with practice whichever method is chosen as you…

When I play the piano, touch type or when I pick out a tune on the guitar my hands are slightly raised with the knuckles at the base of my fingers a little higher than the finger knuckles. Watching classic style banjoists their hands are down with the knuckles from the middle of the fingers and the knuckles at the base of their fingers more or less in line - for speed on the strings, so I'm told. I've seen Chris Sands in action, (I'm sure…

Hello Marc,

Thank you for your comment. To answer your question in one word - yes. I'm a fairly good sight reader but first time through I may leave out a few notes for the sake of keeping the tempo going. I may also hit a few 'bum' notes in my haste. Each time through I'll add a few notes that I missed. If I get to a place that is particularly tricky then I will have to practise in order to get up to speed.

I've never been really happy playing octaves. Being a sight…

Thank you for your welcome. Steve you are quite right. When I hear OH playing I certainly do know where he is. He's practising his latest piece at the moment so I know he's out of trouble. I know he should be doing the housework, Sylvia but I've let him off for today and he did mow the lawn yesterday! He made me a cuppa this morning so he's in good favour at the moment.

Mike, his piece of the moment is a medley of different songs and maybe he'll ask for an accompaniment - we'll have…

Hi there,

I just thought I'd pop in to see where my other half hangs out and have a nosey around the site by myself. You may have seen my left hand in one of OH'S videos and my head in another. I thought I'd post now and then from the perspective of 'the long suffering wife person who lives with a banjo player'. There will be no technical jargon, I'm afraid. I tried the banjo once, 2nd part to Sunflower Dance, I believe, but it…

I picked up a beautiful Washburn Presentation model today,unfortunately with a plastic head,but once i can find the right 12" skin head ,an original  tailpiece,and some original friction tuners,I will report more on it,meanwhile heres a photo…

Hello all. As long as we are talking about interesting banjos, you should check out the Romero banjos from Horsefly, British Columbia. Very nice looking. His skin heads are very unique.

Another site I am not sure if many of you have experienced is the Banjoworld website in Germany. It is pretty impressive. I think this man has Ray Jones beat as a collector.

first time posting,so i may mess this up!

some of the most beautiful english banjos i have seen are the ones made by Temlett and his son.i have owned a few,one of which i traded with bob brozman(he used it on a recent album,playing a blues piece!)

I will try and post some photos of a couple i kept,hope i can figure it out.…

Yesterday, I drove 2.5 hrs up to the Nashville, TN area for BUW (Breaking Up Winter). BUW is an Old-Time festival that has been held the first weekend in March for the past 15 or so years at a small State Park in Lebanon, TN (Cedars Of Lebanon State Park, no less).

This "festival" (it is really just an excuse to gather OT players and have an extended jam) is one of those places where you meet old friends, play a lot of music and unwind. I usually take a pile of banjos and spend a bit…

This is the midi piano file  ( for Marc  & those who would learn the tune ) of the lonely acc for Gypsy love ; from the piano_ arrangment  i have done myself ; i am not an expert of the tango   ; hope  it will be OK .

Tell me if it works and you can successfuly download the file because i had troubles in the past to upload something on the site

 …

I would like to put names on the face of these banjo players , please ;

pictures are from the old movie of the British Pathe where they are playing the pot pourri of marches ( Stars & stripes , W post march , colonel Boogey ) ; the chief is raymond but what is his real name ?

I think the ténor banjo is a Clifford essex  but what model & grade ? …

I would like to know if you have an idea about what could be the 2nd number  ( back of the head )on some Clifford essex banjos mod " clipper " .  ? ?

I have one with this particularity ( the number do not match at all the serial number of the perch pole )

and same thing for this other one here :

http://www.vintageinstruments.com/photos/inst31/essexpegs.jpg

I saw this title in the random view in the new Music Library here...and knew exactly what it referenced...and knew I had to hear it.

Here's the cover art from the original piano score:

"Scorchers" were bicyclists of the 1880-1900 period who rode as fast as possible and without regard to either personal or public safety. They…

Ian, a very nice job on the music library. I can see it filling out your golden years nicely. How would you prefer contributions? In PDF or are you going to convert? You are invited to take the PDF files from the Yahoogroup listserve and add them to your library. You can take any of them for that matter. Maybe if others see how quickly your library is growing, they will contribute as well.

i have the LP for may be 30 years at least ; but  a friend found this link for those who don ' t have the LP

http://www.filestube.com/bbEQfFsnU92IRCBpo9GIUi/Kings-of-The-Ragtime-Banjo-160kb.html

In an earlier post we were discussing how each of us files his/her music in their own library.  Most of the music we have is a copy of the original with some exceptions. I would like to know if any of you have given thought to your libraries and their continued existence after you are gone. I, for one, have a large library that I have been adding to over the years and I am concerned that when I die my library will just be thrown away with no thought as to its value. But, is there any value…

I just posted Georgia Grind on the Classic Banjo Yahoo Group site. The parts include 1st, 2nd, cello, and 3rd or piccolo. The music is in TIF format for ease in converting. If you are looking for any other orchestrated pieces, let me know.