Lesson 1 — First three simple chords in the “C” family — C, F, and G7.
Lesson 2 — New chords including the dreaded “III 7” shape.
Lesson 3 — New chords and the circle of fifths.
Lesson 4 — Under construction.
Online One-On-One — Please leave a request with your email address in a comment below. The comment will be private and not seen by anyone but me.
If you find these lessons helpful, especially if you are using them as a teacher for instruction, please consider making a PayPal donation—of any amount—to help keep them coming! |
Do you teach online one on one lessons? I’m interested in learning plectrum – and could use some guidance
Hiya Scott – wow I’m am really pleased to find your work. I’ve been kind-of learning how to play my plectrum banjo for ages. It’s slow going as I keep getting sidetracked by mandolin and fiddle and music theory. I’ve never understood just how the PB can play the melody by defining the note on the top string of each chord. And now you’ve explained it. Yippee. I just worked through your 3 lessons and now eagerly await # 4.
Thanks so much for your time and skill getting all this together. Very much appreciated!
regards cath
please email me when you have more lessons up. I desparately need help with strumming. When do you anticipate more lessons available?
Hi Suzy, Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I had not received notice that you posted your comment until just now, six months later!
I’m not sure how to do a strumming lesson since I don’t have a suitable video recording setup. The best advice I can give is to start VERY slowly with just down-strokes and only increase speed when you can play chord changes smoothly and accurately. The up-strokes will happen almost automatically as tempo increases.
Hello,
I came to this site looking for information on plectrum banjo. I am an adult beginner but have frailed the 5 string for a couple years. I wanted to learn plectrum style so, I took the 5th string off and I am practicing with the mel bay melody chord system book. my left hand is used to chords so I’m making good progress learning the chords. I will be donating if I get a reply , my purpose for writing this is to get a reply and save your e-mail address and to learn more about plectrum banjo because it has always been something I’d like to learn.
Hello Louis,
I apologize for not responding to your comment from so long ago. I had not received any indication that you had commented and just now saw it.
I have been awfully busy playing so have not kept up with posting new lessons. I’ll try to get more material up soon.
Thanks!
Hello and thank you. I began playing tenor at 17 in 1957. In 1974 I was playing sing -a-longs at a Shakey’s Pizza in Chicago and wanted to switch to plectrum. I bought a Milton Burley Special. He built 4 of these by developing a 22 fret longer scale that could be tuned either as a tenor or plectrum. Made it so easy to keep using tenor as I learned plectrum and used it exclusively. So I would have been 34 yrs. old then. I’m now almost 79, still love it, still play it every chance I get, and am excited to find your site with lots of chordal melody insights. So, thanks again. By the way, I had the McNeil tenor system and now have the plectrum edition. My son plays tenor so he has my original banjo and book.
Keeping banjo
Great to hear that you are still playing and that your son is keeping the flame alive! Thanks for your comment!
Hello Scott,
I was looking around on your site. You’ll remember that we met in Amsterdam on 14 september with Tom, Peter and the other musicians. I could send you a few moments of video of that evening. But possibly you have already enough.
I was pleased to read your lessons. SO easy and explaining the basics.
Just wish there had been a more? to your lessons explaining how it all works to arrive at the playing stage of this music, I didn’t do too well with this question, but hope you are able to read into where I am as a beginner.
Brian, I will be adding more lessons in the near future. Be sure to master the chords in the first two lessons!
Brian, Lesson 3 is now available.
Hi! I play (well, try to play) 3-finger style on banjo, but also love dixieland and one day I’d like to be able to push my music beyond bluegrass and play all kind of songs and tunes. Removing the 5th string and lowering the 4th string to C, I know I can practice plectrum banjo chords…
I’m from Italy. Not much material about plectrum banjo or any teacher, as far as I know, down here. So, I’m looking for some good method to purchase, but there aren’t many. Unfortunately, “Learning to Play the Plectrum Banjo” by Buddy Wachter is currently out of print. Untill someone in the forum put a link of your blog: I think it’s a great work! I’m looking forward to the next lessons!
It’s usefull to have a guide… and I’m willing to give donations to keep this blog going!
Thank you, Elena. I’ll try to keep it going! Once I work out all the kinks in this particular WordPress theme I am using I should be able to write new lessons on a more regular basis. Lesson 3 should be available in a week or so.