Banjo Lessons: 1 Fundamentals

Learn how to play banjo with an award-winning banjo player and teacher. Part 1 covers fundamentals like holding and tuning a banjo, reading music, and basic finger picking.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. Getting Started

• Holding the banjo
• Tuning
• Fun with tuning

2. Hand Position and First Songs

• Intro to chords G, C, and D7
• "This Little Light of Mine"
• Right-hand position: Part 1
• Right-hand position: Part 2
• Left-hand position
• Reading tablature
• "Ode to Joy": Part 1
• "Ode to Joy": Part 2

3. Picking Techniques

• Finger picks
• Alternating thumb roll exercises
• Forward rolls: "Boil Them Cabbage Down"
• Mixed rolls: "Boil Them Cabbage Down," part 1
• Mixed rolls: "Boil Them Cabbage Down," part 2
• The slide: "Boil Them Cabbage Down"

4. Rolls and Practice

• How to practice
• Osborne roll: "Boil Them Cabbage Down," the F chord
• Osborne roll: “Boil Them Cabbage Down, ” variation on the 5th fret
• Osborne roll: Fingering
• Osborne roll: "Sourwood Mountain"
• Rolling backup
• D chord
• Note emphasis

5. Basic Bluegrass Tunes

• "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore"
• "Penny's Farm"
• “Wildwood Flower”: Key of C
• Osborne roll: “Old Joe Clark,” part 1
• Osborne roll: “Old Joe Clark,” part 2
• Osborne roll: “Cluck Old Hen,” part 1
• Osborne roll: “Cluck Old Hen,” part 2

Conclusion

• ArtistWorks and Next Steps