How to Read Music on the Banjo

from: The Banjo According to Danny Barnes with Danny Barnes

This lesson is part of the course The Banjo According to Danny Barnes with Danny Barnes.

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Roots music iconoclast Danny Barnes reveals his systematic approach to the banjo, with one-of-a-kind insights on improvisation, reading music, getting a good sound out of the banjo, rhythm and timing, and more.

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The Right-Hand Stuff

Danny talks about the other roll he thinks is important to practice and have in your repertoire, the 1 2 1 5 roll. The 1 2 1 5 roll allows you to move a melody up and down the banjo neck on the first string. Danny shows you how to do that on a tune like Alan Munde’s “Deputy Dalton” and how to practice the 1 2 1 5 roll with a metronome. He also shows you a variation that moves the middle-index finger alternation to the second and third strings (2 3 2 5) and third and second strings (3 4 3 5).

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High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see closeups of both hands in action

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How to Read Music on the Banjo

Download Danny’s hand-drawn and hand-written booklet “How to Read Music on the Banjo,” available exclusively to his Peghead Nation students. In his own inimitable way, Danny explains everything that banjo players need to know about reading music, including note values, standard notation, tablature, scales, fingering, and more. In this video, Danny talks about some of the reasons he’s written this pamphlet, and gives you advice on using the information contained in it.

"How to Read Music on the Banjo" (Available to subscribers)