Last update 22/11/98
Part 1
Getting started with chords
There are lots of tutor books available that will explain the theory
and practice of playing the 5 string banjo in great detail.
So I'm not going to re-invent the wheel
This tutor is for the beginning player to help explain how to play a variety of
chords based on the idea of learning a chord shape and learning how by
moving a finger or two other chords can be played around the basic shape
First a little bit of Music theory
Western music uses a system of notes in twelve steps called half tones or semitones.
They are given names:-
(1)C,(2)C sharp,(3)D,(4)D sharp,(5)E,(6)F,(7)F sharp,(8)G,(9)G sharp,(10)A,(11)A sharp,(12)B
or
(1)C,(2)D flat,(3)D,(4)E flat,(5)E,(6)F,(7)G flat,(8)G,(9)A flat,(10)A,(11)B flat,(12)B
In our even tempered system the note between C and D is regarded as the same pitch
and is called either C sharp or D flat.
The convention adopted for the note names is a combination of these:-
(1)C,(2)C sharp,(3)D,(4)E flat,(5)E,(6)F,(7)F sharp,(8)G,(9)G sharp,(10)A,(11)B flat,(12)B
This symbol is used to indicate that a note is flattened by a semitone
This symbol is used to indicate that a note is sharpened by a semitone
The symbol # is available on typewriters but not the flattening symbol so a
small letter b is often used in its place :-
C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B,
Major Scales
The major scale uses the pattern below:-
start tone :interval of two: interval of two: interval of one
gap of two :interval of two: interval of two: interval of one
Thus the C major scale pattern is :-
start tone(C) :interval of two(D): interval of two(E): interval of one(F)
gap of two(G) :interval of two(A): interval of two(B): interval of one(C)
The C major scale is C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C
Doing the same thing for to find a G major scale:-
start tone (G) :interval of two(A): interval of two(B) :interval of one(C)
gap of two (D) :interval of two(E): interval of two(F sharp):interval of one(G)
The G major scale is therefore G,A,B,C,D,E,F#,G
The five string banjo uses frets to produce notes in the twelve step system.
The pitch of fretted notes is shown below
