What tuning should a banjo be in?

The most standard 5-string banjo tuning. This is referred to as “Open G” Tuning because the banjo is tuned to an open G chord, meaning that if you strum the banjo without fingering any of the strings on the neck you will be playing a G chord.

Can you tune a 5-string banjo like a tenor?

I think the scale length of a standard 5-string banjo is a little too long to safely tune like a shorter 17 or 18 fret jazz tenor (CDAE)….with regular tenor strings. However, you could easily remove the 5th string and tune it as a plectrum (CGBD).

What is standard tuning for tenor banjo?

This relates to the tenor banjo because standard tuning for a tenor banjo is tuned the same as a viola/mandola (C, G, D, A). Irish players often tune their tenor banjos also in fifths, but one octave below a violin/mandolin (G, D, A, E). What is a Tenor Banjo ? A tenor banjo is a short necked banjo that has 4-strings.

What is the 5th string on a banjo for?

The short fifth string is what makes the banjo unique. The fifth string is also called the “thumb string” or “drone string” because the early “clawhammer” banjo technique involved the thumb picking the fifth string often creating the syncopated sound that is associated with the banjo.

Can I tune my banjo to guitar tuning?

Tune your five string banjo to guitar tuning by only raising the first string one whole step. Yes… you heard me right…. That’s the ONLY difference from a guitar. Then, on the first four strings, play any guitar chord that you would play on the first four strings of the guitar.

Can you play Irish music on a 5-string banjo?

A 5-string banjo can participate in all of these but the techniques required are different for each. For the Irish, it’s pretty much as others have said- a mix of melodic with some single string and the occasional scruggsy section (used sparingly, only where it fits and is not leaping all over the other players).