A question for the banjo/mando players out there...I'm going to try and play with someone who has a b natural set of pipes and as I'm so new to the banjo, I've never experimented with capo'ing or re-tuning it... can someone offer some advice on what would sound decent? Capo up and re-tune? Down and retune? And err... I'm so much a beginner...specifically retune how many steps? Thanks!
To be exactly the same the D string would have to be at B (second fret on the G string) which is far to tune down I don't know how it would sound but if yu are playing Banjo it should be fine the Banjo can tune differently in fact 5 stringers tune differently all the time that is prbably the best way to do it if you are playing Mando butsince you are playing Banjo the neck is longer and won't matter as much. So for a capo it would be on the B in third postion fret # 9 which is very high for a capo but those two things would be the easiest I suggest tuning down. Try both see which onw you like more.
If you are talking about a tenor banjo, here is my solution to the problem: Tune all strings down a half step (Gb, Db, Ab, Eb) and finger the tune a half step up from what the pitch actually is. For a tune that sounds in B Major (since you are down a half step) finger as though it was in C. For F# tunes, finger in G, and so on. This might be an easy solution. And, for what it's worth, you can do the same on mandolin. You're playing as normal, but it's just sounding a half step lower to match the pipes.
Violynnsey - I like transposing tunes by fingering rather than re-tuning, as it gives them a different feel, and opens up different possibilities for variation. But it can be tricky to do on the spot. Some tunes are just not designed to be played in certain keys, and require, horror of horrors, *practice*.
If you are playing the mandolin, playing in B is fairly easy, the bluegrass players do it all the time. The best way to learn to play in B is to start with scales and go from there. It involves using your little finger a lot, but that is good!
As for the tenor banjo, the same rules apply. It is not that hard to play in B but a lot of tenor banjo players balk at it. Instead of tuning, just go ahead and use a capo and play with A fingering. A capo on a banjo is not a big deal, on a mandolin it is a pain in the because the capo gets in the way and it is no where near as satisfying as playing B in the open.
5 string bluegrass players play in the key of B by capoing on the 4th fret. The key of B now becomes the key of G as far as the left hand is concerned.
Your piper may not be that keen for people to play with him if he is going around with this set up. Perhaps a piper who can play in the norm keys is what is sought. I never have and I never will retune an instrument to play with a piper, a piper should be equiped to deal and stop the p*ssarsing around.
haha, well I wasn't thinking of the situation in that regard...piper in question is a real decent chap with d set in the repair shop. Actually I like the tone of the b set so much, so mellow and lovely in comparison to d pipes imho, just wanted to give it a try. Not to mention that due to my being a rather beginnerish banjo player, and some other extenuating cirucumstances there's just not a whole bunch of people jumping up out of their way to come play with me.... he's doing me the favor.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I'll muck around with them and I'm sure one will do the trick.
Getting to "b"
Getting to "b"
A question for the banjo/mando players out there...I'm going to try and play with someone who has a b natural set of pipes and as I'm so new to the banjo, I've never experimented with capo'ing or re-tuning it... can someone offer some advice on what would sound decent? Capo up and re-tune? Down and retune? And err... I'm so much a beginner...specifically retune how many steps? Thanks!
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by lawhistle
Re: Getting to "b"
That wouldn't be Joey, would it
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Eliot
Re: Getting to "b"
hi eliot - good guess. lol
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by lawhistle
Re: Getting to "b"
Our Joey? with a b flat set???
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: Getting to "b"
To be exactly the same the D string would have to be at B (second fret on the G string) which is far to tune down I don't know how it would sound but if yu are playing Banjo it should be fine the Banjo can tune differently in fact 5 stringers tune differently all the time that is prbably the best way to do it if you are playing Mando butsince you are playing Banjo the neck is longer and won't matter as much. So for a capo it would be on the B in third postion fret # 9 which is very high for a capo but those two things would be the easiest I suggest tuning down. Try both see which onw you like more.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Unseen122
Re: Getting to "b"
If you are talking about a tenor banjo, here is my solution to the problem: Tune all strings down a half step (Gb, Db, Ab, Eb) and finger the tune a half step up from what the pitch actually is. For a tune that sounds in B Major (since you are down a half step) finger as though it was in C. For F# tunes, finger in G, and so on. This might be an easy solution. And, for what it's worth, you can do the same on mandolin. You're playing as normal, but it's just sounding a half step lower to match the pipes.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by violynnsey
Re: Getting to "b"
Violynnsey - I like transposing tunes by fingering rather than re-tuning, as it gives them a different feel, and opens up different possibilities for variation. But it can be tricky to do on the spot. Some tunes are just not designed to be played in certain keys, and require, horror of horrors, *practice*.
Good solution, though.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by ragaman
Re: Getting to "b"
If you are playing the mandolin, playing in B is fairly easy, the bluegrass players do it all the time. The best way to learn to play in B is to start with scales and go from there. It involves using your little finger a lot, but that is good!
As for the tenor banjo, the same rules apply. It is not that hard to play in B but a lot of tenor banjo players balk at it. Instead of tuning, just go ahead and use a capo and play with A fingering. A capo on a banjo is not a big deal, on a mandolin it is a pain in the because the capo gets in the way and it is no where near as satisfying as playing B in the open.
Mike Keyes
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by mikeyes
Re: Getting to "b"
Restring with "standard" tenor banjo strings (CGDA) and capo at the first fret?
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by s1m0n
Re: Getting to "b"
5 string bluegrass players play in the key of B by capoing on the 4th fret. The key of B now becomes the key of G as far as the left hand is concerned.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by griffith
Re: Getting to "b"
Your piper may not be that keen for people to play with him if he is going around with this set up. Perhaps a piper who can play in the norm keys is what is sought. I never have and I never will retune an instrument to play with a piper, a piper should be equiped to deal and stop the p*ssarsing around.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by compaqjohn
Re: Getting to "b"
compaqjohn has a point, though....
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by violynnsey
Re: Getting to "b"
haha, well I wasn't thinking of the situation in that regard...piper in question is a real decent chap with d set in the repair shop. Actually I like the tone of the b set so much, so mellow and lovely in comparison to d pipes imho, just wanted to give it a try. Not to mention that due to my being a rather beginnerish banjo player, and some other extenuating cirucumstances there's just not a whole bunch of people jumping up out of their way to come play with me.... he's doing me the favor.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I'll muck around with them and I'm sure one will do the trick.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by lawhistle