History and Information
The banjo is a plucked, fretted string instrument that originated in West Africa. The most popular type of banjo played today has 5 strings, but there are also 4-string (“plectrum”) and 6-string (“zither”) varieties. The banjo is used extensively in bluegrass and folk music, but it is very versatile and can play almost any genre of music.
When to Start
Students can start banjo lessons as young as age 6, depending on a student’s dexterity and fine motor skills. Most instructors will incorporate reading music into their lessons, so students should know at least some reading and counting fundamentals.
Getting a Banjo
There are several makes and models of banjos available for rent or purchase. For very young students, you may want to consider renting instruments for two reasons: 1) they will most likely grow out of instruments quickly and 2) they may lose interest (although we hope they don’t!). Most stores provide repair services for instruments that they rent out. We can give you recommendations for places near you to buy or rent your banjo. Please contact us, and be sure to include your location!
Books and Supplies
Your instructor can tell you which books and supplies are appropriate. Most books and many supplies, including strings and cases, are available online. We can recommend stores near you where you can purchase supplies and music for your banjo, if you prefer to do so in person. Please contact us, and again, remember to tell us where you live!
**Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We can help provide you with additional resources.**