I've just restored my grandfather 1920's windsor "zither" banjo, having never played a guitar let alone a banjo I found your video really helpful. I feel as if my brain is no longer attached to my fingers though, perseverance is the key i guess.
Picked up a banjo as my first instrument ever with NO prior knowledge about any music theory at all, your videos are super easy to understand, slow paced and super helpful!! Thank you :)
Thanks, after reading so many positive comments I was beginning to think I was a complete dolt. (Well, maybe I still am, but this just plumb evades me) Like you, it seems someone would need to know quite a bit to just jump in here and pick this up.
Seriously, thank you John. You’re the teacher I can’t afford - you’ve solidified the stuff I’ve learned by ear and taught me the technical skills to progress as a player🙏 god bless
These videos are terrific. Zero superfluity, just the lesson. Totally worthy of Patreon support, which I will do right after I practice my inversions. Thanks John
ANNOUNCEMENT: 1-on-1 virtual banjo lessons are now available! I'm currently offering weekly beginner lessons for those just getting started, and one-off lessons for those who just need help with a single song, lick, or technique. If you want personal instruction, you can sign up here: calendly.com/johnmoorebanjo/banjolesson
I enjoyed your step-by-step video it helped out a lot mostly because I learn by visually seeing someone else play and you did it slow enough for me to keep up with you thanks
Holy cow finally someone explaining the very basic of starting to play thank you so much, JOHN. I have been playing guitar for quite some time. I’m more of a drummer than a jammer, but I finally bought a banjo and this is an awesome video again 1000 thank you man.
This is very helpful. I really must take time to learn this. I always get lazy with chords and just want to learn to pick. Great video, keep em comin' 👍
Theory question… so I’m in that… learn a song or learn scales phase… and I have a question.. say I’m playing freestyle scale stuff to a back beat… I can easily play little riffs… my question is… do I constantly think and try to add rolls into the riffs to make them more complex, OR do I just play riffs and go in and out of rolls on the way in and the way out of riff… hope that makes sense… I’m trying to get in the mind of a banjo player who’s free styling to a beat…
I am consulting youtube about the decision whether or not to buy strings for a secondhand four strings banjo., You don't seem to use the fifth string if you even have one on there, couldn't quite make it out, and so it all seems pretty straight forward once I get the strings on it. Thanks a lot for summing up western music theory for banjo players in eight minuts.
This video helped me so much!! Now I'm starting to understand the music scale. It was so confusing for me at first! But you really broke it down and made it understandable.
Excellent John. I’m a long time finger-picking guitar player and am looking to learn the banjo over this COVID winter. You’ve motivated me to press on. Thank you.
This REALLY helps! My first instrument is piano and any instrument I pick up, I base it off what I know from that. They way you used a little theory (when referring to the inversion of chords) really clicked. Thank you! I think I’m gonna be able to actually play this instrument now
I understand how you feel I too am challenged with music theory but I promise overthinking it will not help & as you "don't think about" just do it it'll make sense as you move up the neck.. watch the patterns& pick pick pick! No light bulb going off you'll just get it when your hand knows it
I always got the impression you were self taught in the beginning. But as time went on you got deep into theory. Did you get formal education in music theory or is it still self taught?
Great video! These are things I realized on my own after playing for a few years. I have noticed that very few banjo teachers or instructive banjo videos show these chord positions and the theory behind them at an early stage. This is something extremely useful! I hope many beginner banjo players see this video. I wish I had seen it when I started out. Please make more theory-based content where you go in depth into the thoery of what you play on the banjo. I find that rather interesting and useful.
Really benefited at the second or third time watching (over months) and take apart the inverted fingering change with the help of my piles of copied stuff I print to practice and learn from, such as my ten page "A Musical Approach To Learning The Banjo Neck" that I will now study more than just print making it a more useful tool. It's handy to go back and forth in the vid to let it all sink in. Thanks
Judging by the comments people are getting a lot out of this video. Maybe I need to watch it again and again, because it is totally evading me. It seems like so much is being packed into this it would take a long time to understand it if I ever did manage it. Thanks for the video, but it just plumb evades me. I'll try to watch it again a few more time.
This was great. I have one request when you get time, could you show how to vamp up and down the neck during slow songs, I think it sounds great during a song when pickers vamp chords up and down the neck, like during the G part of a song they will chord it in different spots on the neck. Thanks in advance.
This is the best chord & root & Inver video I,ve seen.I have dyslexia & trouble learning.I,ve never been able to get it,root e.c.t, now I am getting it.Thankyou John. p.s. can you do one on the 1,3 & 5 chord stuff,I don't get it yet.cheers
I always wanted to play an instrument and i had the grand idea to make it the banjo instead of the standard old guitar, even though noone round here i know teaches or plays banjo haha Thats where videos like yours come in especially handy
OMG, I have been trying to figure this out for years. You just solved one of my biggest barriers to learning the words. Do you do this on minors, sevenths, etc??
Yesss!!! This is similar to how my guitar teacher taught me, and I was scouring the internet for the banjo version. THANK YOU for saving me so much time and headache!! Do you have a video showing the minors, sevenths, etc as discussed above?! Thanks again:)
I have subscribed to you channel simply because of this very clear explanation. I look forward to more of your teaching and wish you the greatest of success online!
This video is great! I dont own a banjo yet, but I'm using this to help me learn chords in open g on guitar, and this made my life so easy! Thank you!🙏
This is one of the most helpful videos I’ve seen on RUclips for a beginner banjo player like myself. Thank you.
I just spent more time than I want to admit teaching myself this and you explain it in 8 minutes.
I've just restored my grandfather 1920's windsor "zither" banjo, having never played a guitar let alone a banjo I found your video really helpful.
I feel as if my brain is no longer attached to my fingers though, perseverance is the key i guess.
Picked up a banjo as my first instrument ever with NO prior knowledge about any music theory at all, your videos are super easy to understand, slow paced and super helpful!! Thank you :)
this is NOT for beginning players, definitely NOT !..............it's too advanced. He assumes a beginner knows the position of notes and their names.
Thanks, after reading so many positive comments I was beginning to think I was a complete dolt. (Well, maybe I still am, but this just plumb evades me) Like you, it seems someone would need to know quite a bit to just jump in here and pick this up.
Seriously, thank you John. You’re the teacher I can’t afford - you’ve solidified the stuff I’ve learned by ear and taught me the technical skills to progress as a player🙏 god bless
These videos are terrific. Zero superfluity, just the lesson. Totally worthy of Patreon support, which I will do right after I practice my inversions. Thanks John
ANNOUNCEMENT: 1-on-1 virtual banjo lessons are now available! I'm currently offering weekly beginner lessons for those just getting started, and one-off lessons for those who just need help with a single song, lick, or technique. If you want personal instruction, you can sign up here: calendly.com/johnmoorebanjo/banjolesson
To much talk no good
very good job and very helpful thanks
I enjoyed your step-by-step video it helped out a lot mostly because I learn by visually seeing someone else play and you did it slow enough for me to keep up with you thanks
Awww heck yes! Mando & guitar both have moveable chord patterns, so you sir just saved me HOURS of practicing chord charts. Thank you!!
Thanks John, this is really useful. And yes more of this please. Thanks. 😎👍
Holy cow finally someone explaining the very basic of starting to play thank you so much, JOHN. I have been playing guitar for quite some time. I’m more of a drummer than a jammer, but I finally bought a banjo and this is an awesome video again 1000 thank you man.
This is very helpful. I really must take time to learn this. I always get lazy with chords and just want to learn to pick. Great video, keep em comin' 👍
This just blew my mind! Thank you!
Sorry JOHN I meant to say drummer not drummer again thank you so so much
Very good. So I can just Barr if I can't make first root hand position quickly enough playing with someone else quicker than me?
Pretty soon they'll say thT western music scale is a racist scale lol 😆😂🤣😅😄thanks for your video
Theory question… so I’m in that… learn a song or learn scales phase… and I have a question.. say I’m playing freestyle scale stuff to a back beat… I can easily play little riffs… my question is… do I constantly think and try to add rolls into the riffs to make them more complex, OR do I just play riffs and go in and out of rolls on the way in and the way out of riff… hope that makes sense… I’m trying to get in the mind of a banjo player who’s free styling to a beat…
I am consulting youtube about the decision whether or not to buy strings for a secondhand four strings banjo., You don't seem to use the fifth string if you even have one on there, couldn't quite make it out, and so it all seems pretty straight forward once I get the strings on it. Thanks a lot for summing up western music theory for banjo players in eight minuts.
This video helped me so much!! Now I'm starting to understand the music scale. It was so confusing for me at first! But you really broke it down and made it understandable.
I'm weird and learned the sharps scooted up the scale as flats but it works the same. I think it's from learning trumpet years ago.
Very helpful Thanks
nice work, however i cant even cover the frets without covering two strings at the same time, oh the of being a new player
Excellent. life-long guitar player, two weeks old on the banjo! VERY helpful. God bless you, sir!
hai john is the open g chord in the same family as the second inversion or bar cord
Cheers mate that was a big help as Hank would say I saw the light all the best from Blighty thats got you thinking
Excellent John. I’m a long time finger-picking guitar player and am looking to learn the banjo over this COVID winter. You’ve motivated me to press on. Thank you.
This REALLY helps! My first instrument is piano and any instrument I pick up, I base it off what I know from that. They way you used a little theory (when referring to the inversion of chords) really clicked. Thank you! I think I’m gonna be able to actually play this instrument now
Thank you!! Woohoo!!!
Se la didascalia è sempre presente su tutto lo schermo nn si s riesce a vedere le posizioni della mano
this is the best example of music theory and chord construction, including inversions, I think I have ever seen on any music lesson. Bravo sir!
Now I get inversions. Thanks!
unfortunately, this made zero sense to me. I just can't get theory, i have too many questions. :/
I understand how you feel I too am challenged with music theory but I promise overthinking it will not help & as you "don't think about" just do it it'll make sense as you move up the neck.. watch the patterns& pick pick pick! No light bulb going off you'll just get it when your hand knows it
You make the best vids
I just found this John. Just learning banjo as a retiree.... An Old retiree😁
Thank you. I'm going to check out mor of your posts!
Me to. Frustrating at times.
Are you able to play yet? I feel stuck. Trying to learn clawhammer.
You wouldn't be in the OKC area? I am a retiree too.
If you play in other keys other than G, such as playing in A Major, do you need to change the 5th string to A? Thanks
If you're capoing up to change keys then yes. You'll need to re-tune your 5th string to match the key.
Drummer
Great Job!
i have never understood how playing multiple strings can count as playing one note...
I use the term "note" wrongly for "chord". Have to catch myself.
I always got the impression you were self taught in the beginning. But as time went on you got deep into theory. Did you get formal education in music theory or is it still self taught?
Still self taught. It's amazing what you can pick up from conversations at jam sessions and RUclips videos.
Great video! These are things I realized on my own after playing for a few years. I have noticed that very few banjo teachers or instructive banjo videos show these chord positions and the theory behind them at an early stage. This is something extremely useful! I hope many beginner banjo players see this video. I wish I had seen it when I started out. Please make more theory-based content where you go in depth into the thoery of what you play on the banjo. I find that rather interesting and useful.
This short video has a ton of utility. It helps to demystify chords and the fretboard. Thank you immensely.
Very good
Wow! So well explained, so clear, and in such little time!! Thank you so much (from Canada) for the video!!
You always take sooooooooooo long to get to the point. I thought it was just recent videos, but nah.
Have you watched any other teachers explain this??? I’ve watched hundreds….His is the EASIEST by far, and I’m getting him as a music theory idiot😎.
Really benefited at the second or third time watching (over months) and take apart the inverted fingering change with the help of my piles of copied stuff I print to practice and learn from, such as my ten page "A Musical Approach To Learning The Banjo Neck" that I will now study more than just print making it a more useful tool. It's handy to go back and forth in the vid to let it all sink in. Thanks
Judging by the comments people are getting a lot out of this video. Maybe I need to watch it again and again, because it is totally evading me. It seems like so much is being packed into this it would take a long time to understand it if I ever did manage it. Thanks for the video, but it just plumb evades me. I'll try to watch it again a few more time.
Very good, John. I love banjo but I always started then gave up. Hopefully this time I will stick with it. You present very well. Thanks.
Great job new to banjo this will be much like 5 string guitar, Keith Richards 6th string removed and open G tuned, thanks.
Is anyone else having mega trouble getting your fingers to land those placements? Am I crazy? It seems impossible.
Hi from New Zealand,
Newbee to Banjo playing, keep the video clips coming. Thank you for sharing your professional Banjo skills, with the world.
This was great. I have one request when you get time, could you show how to vamp up and down the neck during slow songs, I think it sounds great during a song when pickers vamp chords up and down the neck, like during the G part of a song they will chord it in different spots on the neck. Thanks in advance.
This is the best chord & root & Inver video I,ve seen.I have dyslexia & trouble learning.I,ve never been able to get it,root e.c.t, now I am getting it.Thankyou John. p.s. can you do one on the 1,3 & 5 chord stuff,I don't get it yet.cheers
I learned a lot. Or would be cool to come up some exercises to memorize and work on speed and accuracy
Mind.blown! Brought my banjoying to a new level, thank you so much!
This totally helps my very visual brain that's now addicted to the banjo!
I absolutely love this video very helpful thank you.
That really does open up the neck of the banjo.
Thanks👍.
I have been struggling between bluegrass and claw hammer. I would appreciate your insights.
Very good teaching. Can you do a short video explaining I IV and V theory? Thanks
Really really really good lesson!!! Easy and worth!!! Thanks
Great video. Thanks for doing what you do.
This is a VERY helpful video for beginner and intermediate players alike!
🎉😊
I always wanted to play an instrument and i had the grand idea to make it the banjo instead of the standard old guitar, even though noone round here i know teaches or plays banjo haha
Thats where videos like yours come in especially handy
Like #101 Here: Thank you!! Very helpful indeed.
OMG, I have been trying to figure this out for years. You just solved one of my biggest barriers to learning the words. Do you do this on minors, sevenths, etc??
Works on all chords. For minors, you would flat the 3rd interval and the 7th would drop the root, or octave root by 2 semitones.
@@JohnMooreVlogs I just watched your video on more of that. Wow, you have answers sooo many questions for me. I am joining your Patreon.
Yesss!!! This is similar to how my guitar teacher taught me, and I was scouring the internet for the banjo version. THANK YOU for saving me so much time and headache!! Do you have a video showing the minors, sevenths, etc as discussed above?! Thanks again:)
I have subscribed to you channel simply because of this very clear explanation. I look forward to more of your teaching and wish you the greatest of success online!
Very helpful video, and very clearly explained, thank you, Davy
Thank you very helpful for enjoy practice banjo
This is great! I really want to make finding chords all over the fretboard automatic. Great tool!
Fantastic! John this was great for a NEW banjo, but years in bass player. You are helping to unlock the code. Much appreciated.
Thank you! You are open my mind! Really thank you!
WOW! Way too easy from what I've been learning and practicing!
Thanks so much. A great lesson, presented in a very clear manner.
Extremely useful. Cheers!
Wow, this finally makes sense! Thank you!
Awesome - extremely helpful for a newbie
Thanks, Mike, for a great lesson. You have made it much easier to make progress using your method.
straight to the point, great job! Thank you.
what a great help to me. I bought my banjo 2 years ago but i was making a noise without knowledge. This guy is brilliant
Hands down the best instructional banjo video I've ever watched!
Wow, what a great video. Subbed, and keep it up!
Great understandable explaination.
You make it so easy .really going for it👍
This video is great! I dont own a banjo yet, but I'm using this to help me learn chords in open g on guitar, and this made my life so easy! Thank you!🙏
Super helpful and easy to understand.
Thanks for your help. I'll look out for you in the future
that's really clear. Thank you.
will this work for clawhammer too
Best lesson ive seen so far on youtube ! hats off to you sir !
How do you know which notes/chords skip 2 frets with a sharp in between them and which ones have the next chord a single fret up?
B and E are the only notes that do not have a sharp between them.
Nice teaching!
Great teacher
very helpful!
Witchcraft!
very good
3:04
the dislike lost his ring finger to a corn picker
sorr of suggesta dobro
Thanks for taking your time to make this video, it was very helpful
Happy picking Malcolm