Hey you guys, I'm probably asking for it, but I'm a complete & utter novice, who's just bought a banjolin. At least that's what I think it is, a little banjo with 8 strings.. I've never played a musical instrument in my life, but would love to learn the banjo. However, this is all I can get my hands on at the minute. Am I kidding myself or what? Is it 'easy' to learn to play, will it ruin any banjo potential I might have. Hope you'll indulge me on this. I've been reading your discussions on various topics and thought that if nothing else, people will give me their honest opinions!
Can't comment on whether it'll mess up your banjo potential (seriously doubt it!) but I do know a guy who bought a banjolin just to tinker on. Only a couple of years later he plays a mean mandolin (he now has two!) and has just bought a banjo - he's happy as can be, and ain't ne'er looked back.
er, but hardly ever plays the banjolin anymore. So welcome to it... and don't say we didn't warn ya
I'd be interested to know what make, where from etc etc.
I too am unable to tell whether it will affect any putative banjo technique - but I suspect that the answer is no. Although what you have is a banjo in the mechanics of how it works, it is a mandolin in the sense of how you play it. So though it won't hinder future banjo technique, neither will it help any more than any other mandolin.
Given that the only difference between this and a banjo is the length of the neck - all the other parts are the same, and so the price is the same. Why don't (or didn't) you buy a banjo and learn that from the start?
As for whether it's easy to learn - that depends on a lot of things other than simple possession.
1) You need the right number of hands.
2) You've never played any instrument in your life: - Well the banjolin is no worse to start on than anything else, and better than some. It doesn't take a great deal of skill or technique to get a sound out of it (compare perhaps flute, where some people take 3 weeks of practice just to get their lips in the right place to make a sound) - so you can concentrate on getting the notes in the right order.
3) You need some sort of regime to learn. This could be anything from sitting in your lounge and working it out for yourself, up to having (expensive) lessons from a professional teacher. Which ever way you go, there is a signigicant investment of time and effort involved in learning any instrument - especially your first one.
4) It's a loud thing. You will not be able to hide in the corner at a session. I'll bet a pound to a pinch of ground badger dung that if you do get going on the banjolin then you'll pretty soon get a mandolin for practicing without annoying the rest of the street, and for going to your first session.
It's a strange instrument to start on, right enough. I own one which I picked up in a second hand shop. It's not very good(some people say none of them are) and the action is a bit high. However, I started off with the mandolin. The banjo mandolin will obviously give a louder sound but do you really want that when you're learning?
By all means, keep it but I think you'll probably end up using it as a second or third instrument. I'd suggest mandolin as a first choice, if you're interested in fretted instruments of this kind.
I think strictly-speaking a banjolin has 4 strings like this: http://www.springersmusic.co.uk/Library/Instruments/Banjos/Bm%20banjolin.JPG I've got a couple of banjo mandolins (8 strings each, like a mandolin, and I've also acquired a Keech-style ukelele banjo which doesn't have much session potential but is great fun - shades of Vivian Stanshall.
Learn to play the mandolin first. A banjolin is basically just a terrible sounding mandolin. At least if you can already play it, it won't sound quite so terrible. In fact, it is very difficult to make a mandolin sound bad, so you won't lose heart nearly so easily.
I also play mandolin-banjo I've got an old Gibson and it sounds as good as mandolin -banjos sound.
You might want to baffle the sound a bit [stick a sock or a towel in it]They are loud and sound best when played with lots of other instruments.
Showaddydadito what sort of instrument to you play?
And obviously a better sounding one than Quirl has ever heard!
Some years ago - having never looked far enough from my little world to know they existed already, I invented the banjolin for myself from a variety of parts I had lying around the house. When this began to lose its newness, I began to look around various makers to see what was available. Most of the makers I found wanted to do a lot of silly decorative inlay and stuff, with an instrument stuck behind it almost by accident, but Andy came up with something he modified out of an Ozark banjo-ukelele.
No one at any session where I have played it has ever complained. I play it in a ceilidh band - and like it or hate it, it has a good loud clear sound and people dance to it.
showaddydadito; I'm on my second banjo-mandolin, the first was an old English one that probably came over on the Titanic.It was tiny with a 5" head.It projected well but was a bit weak on the G string.
I'm now playing a Gibson trap door model.It has a more even sound and with the trap door open I can hear myself in very loud sessions [more than 4 accordions] and when playing with any sax players.
Like you say Its loud and clear.
i remember listening to some tape of jerry garcia playing with david grisman, an interesting reversal of roles with garcia on the banjolin and grisman on the banjo, and they rolled tape after the song was through, garcia remarking something over a laugh like, "yes, it truly is an obnoxious instrument.." i couldn't agree more, but i've heard them played well and they've definitely got a cool sound when done right.
if your neighbor's don't have you evicted for practicing, then it shouldn't hurt your banjo potential at all, or your mandolin potential for that matter but i'd go about getting a banjo if that's what you wanted to start on - they're easier on the ears and they're about the same price, you can get one for 60 or 70 bucks if you look around a bit. mine was 85.
Advice re: Banjolin
Advice re: Banjolin
Hey you guys, I'm probably asking for it, but I'm a complete & utter novice, who's just bought a banjolin. At least that's what I think it is, a little banjo with 8 strings.. I've never played a musical instrument in my life, but would love to learn the banjo. However, this is all I can get my hands on at the minute. Am I kidding myself or what? Is it 'easy' to learn to play, will it ruin any banjo potential I might have. Hope you'll indulge me on this. I've been reading your discussions on various topics and thought that if nothing else, people will give me their honest opinions!
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by mell
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
Can't comment on whether it'll mess up your banjo potential (seriously doubt it!) but I do know a guy who bought a banjolin just to tinker on. Only a couple of years later he plays a mean mandolin (he now has two!) and has just bought a banjo - he's happy as can be, and ain't ne'er looked back.
er, but hardly ever plays the banjolin anymore. So welcome to it... and don't say we didn't warn ya
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Q
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
Mell
I play one. A lot.
I'd be interested to know what make, where from etc etc.
I too am unable to tell whether it will affect any putative banjo technique - but I suspect that the answer is no. Although what you have is a banjo in the mechanics of how it works, it is a mandolin in the sense of how you play it. So though it won't hinder future banjo technique, neither will it help any more than any other mandolin.
Given that the only difference between this and a banjo is the length of the neck - all the other parts are the same, and so the price is the same. Why don't (or didn't) you buy a banjo and learn that from the start?
As for whether it's easy to learn - that depends on a lot of things other than simple possession.
1) You need the right number of hands.
2) You've never played any instrument in your life: - Well the banjolin is no worse to start on than anything else, and better than some. It doesn't take a great deal of skill or technique to get a sound out of it (compare perhaps flute, where some people take 3 weeks of practice just to get their lips in the right place to make a sound) - so you can concentrate on getting the notes in the right order.
3) You need some sort of regime to learn. This could be anything from sitting in your lounge and working it out for yourself, up to having (expensive) lessons from a professional teacher. Which ever way you go, there is a signigicant investment of time and effort involved in learning any instrument - especially your first one.
4) It's a loud thing. You will not be able to hide in the corner at a session. I'll bet a pound to a pinch of ground badger dung that if you do get going on the banjolin then you'll pretty soon get a mandolin for practicing without annoying the rest of the street, and for going to your first session.
I'll email you some more info.
Dave
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
It's a strange instrument to start on, right enough. I own one which I picked up in a second hand shop. It's not very good(some people say none of them are) and the action is a bit high. However, I started off with the mandolin. The banjo mandolin will obviously give a louder sound but do you really want that when you're learning?
By all means, keep it but I think you'll probably end up using it as a second or third instrument. I'd suggest mandolin as a first choice, if you're interested in fretted instruments of this kind.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Johannes J
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
I think strictly-speaking a banjolin has 4 strings like this: http://www.springersmusic.co.uk/Library/Instruments/Banjos/Bm%20banjolin.JPG I've got a couple of banjo mandolins (8 strings each, like a mandolin, and I've also acquired a Keech-style ukelele banjo which doesn't have much session potential but is great fun - shades of Vivian Stanshall.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by RichardB
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
You've got Viv Stanshall's shades? I bet you look cool wearing them when you play the banjolele.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
signigicant?
Guernsey Pete will have my ass for that!
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
Learn to play the mandolin first. A banjolin is basically just a terrible sounding mandolin. At least if you can already play it, it won't sound quite so terrible. In fact, it is very difficult to make a mandolin sound bad, so you won't lose heart nearly so easily.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by ragaman
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
I also play mandolin-banjo I've got an old Gibson and it sounds as good as mandolin -banjos sound.
You might want to baffle the sound a bit [stick a sock or a towel in it]They are loud and sound best when played with lots of other instruments.
Showaddydadito what sort of instrument to you play?
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by McMandolin
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
McM - it's an Andy Perkins special.
http://www.andybanjo.com
And obviously a better sounding one than Quirl has ever heard!
Some years ago - having never looked far enough from my little world to know they existed already, I invented the banjolin for myself from a variety of parts I had lying around the house. When this began to lose its newness, I began to look around various makers to see what was available. Most of the makers I found wanted to do a lot of silly decorative inlay and stuff, with an instrument stuck behind it almost by accident, but Andy came up with something he modified out of an Ozark banjo-ukelele.
No one at any session where I have played it has ever complained. I play it in a ceilidh band - and like it or hate it, it has a good loud clear sound and people dance to it.
Dave
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
showaddydadito; I'm on my second banjo-mandolin, the first was an old English one that probably came over on the Titanic.It was tiny with a 5" head.It projected well but was a bit weak on the G string.
I'm now playing a Gibson trap door model.It has a more even sound and with the trap door open I can hear myself in very loud sessions [more than 4 accordions] and when playing with any sax players.
Like you say Its loud and clear.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by McMandolin
Re: Advice re: Banjolin
i remember listening to some tape of jerry garcia playing with david grisman, an interesting reversal of roles with garcia on the banjolin and grisman on the banjo, and they rolled tape after the song was through, garcia remarking something over a laugh like, "yes, it truly is an obnoxious instrument.." i couldn't agree more, but i've heard them played well and they've definitely got a cool sound when done right.
if your neighbor's don't have you evicted for practicing, then it shouldn't hurt your banjo potential at all, or your mandolin potential for that matter but i'd go about getting a banjo if that's what you wanted to start on - they're easier on the ears and they're about the same price, you can get one for 60 or 70 bucks if you look around a bit. mine was 85.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by gravelwalks