A good posture makes playing much easier. The banjo should sit still so both hands can move freely. Take a few minutes at the start just for posture – it pays off.
Sitting down
- Sit on a chair without armrests, feet flat on the floor.
- Rest the round body on your right thigh (left-handers: left).
- The neck points up at an angle, roughly so the headstock is at shoulder height.
- A strap helps even when sitting: it carries the weight, so your fretting hand doesn’t have to hold the neck up.
The fretting hand
Your thumb rests lightly on the back of the neck, roughly behind your middle finger. Press the strings with your fingertips just behind the fret wire. Keep your wrist relaxed and not sharply bent.
The picking hand and the picks
In bluegrass style you play with three fingers: thumb (T), index (I) and middle (M). Most players wear picks: a plastic thumb pick and two metal finger picks for index and middle finger. They make the sound loud and crisp.
- The thumb pick’s blade points down toward the strings, across the thumb.
- The finger picks sit on the pad side of the fingertip, not over the nail. The metal blade sticks out just a little past the tip.
- Snug enough that nothing slips, but not so tight that it pinches or tingles.
- Many bluegrass players rest their ring and little fingers lightly on the head, near the bridge. It anchors the hand.
Next, get to know the banjo’s strings and try your first rolls.