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I have a Deering Goodtime 2 (resonator) tenor; ditto for the plectrum; my five string (played plectrum style) is an open back Goodtime.
A lot like Eddie Lang for that matter—and of course, Eddie played tenor too…
As did Carl Kress, which is why some of his tunes like Sutton Mutton aren't the easiest to play in conventional.
Speaking of that beautiful tune, and while I'm sure it's been posted many times before, why not again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOHtIfQqtw4
Of course, Bucky and John did an amazing homage with their duet arrangement but I can't find it on youtube :( - fortunately, Bucky's solo version is available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjZNAi0veMw&list=RDTjZNAi0veMw&start_radio=1
Whoa, I guess I’m a bit late to the party! And thanks for the invitation, Billy.
I miss all my old buddies here, hi Buco! Hi Bill!
I really should come back here more often but to tell the truth, I have been more into banjo than guitar for the past couple of years.
Now the banjo I play is a 22 fret plectrum banjo tuned CGBD. It’s probably the best banjo for chord melody, but not so much for single note soloing although it can certainly be played that way.. this is a recent recording I made…
https://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/media-player/audio_player2.asp?musicid=43921&archived=
Tenor banjo has a shorter neck, usually 17 or 19 frets and is usually tuned CGDA and is the best for single note playing. Chords on tenor banjo have a more strident sound which works great with a jazz band but in the wrong hands can sound a bit harsh!
Twenties virtuoso Harry Reser played both tenor and plectrum interchangeably, as does today’s greatest 4-string banjo player, the amazing Buddy Wachter. In the clip below he is playing CGBD plectrum tuning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3pMwpLwmUo
I’ve seen pictures of Django playing a plectrum banjo with a bunch of his buddies and I rather suspect he used DGBE tuning, known as guitar tuning or Chicago tuning. But since Django played violin, I’m sure he could get around just fine in fifths.
Chicago tuning works well for both single note soloing and chordal playing so I think a lot of you GJ players would be surprised by how quickly you could sound good on banjo if you wanted to.
Good luck!
Will
Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
There's also "Irish tenor banjo" tuning -- G D A E, I think, which requires a special set of strings.
I've been intrigued for a while by the idea of a cello banjo - nylon strings, usually tuned CGDA and seems to work well for Bach and Carolan tunes.
I did read they are on the heavy side though.
Rob MacKillop, who has appeared on Djangobooks playing Django pieces on guitar, has a number of cello banjo videos:
Never heard of cello banjo. Rob makes everything look easy. It was nice having him here.
This discussion makes me wanna tune my uke like a mandolin/violin and start learning those tuning in 5ths chord voicings.
I have new strings on the banjo, tuned to EBGD and playing ok. A recording will follow but... I haven't told my wife I bought it and if she hears me playing a banjo, she's going to start asking questions. In the words of James Taylor, "I'm just not willing to go that far".
I haven't told my wife I bought it
... the universal dilemma!