Banjo · Chapter 3 of 23

Holding the Banjo

Sit comfortably, let the banjo rest where your hands can reach it, and keep everything loose. The two playing styles use the picking hand differently, so we set up both.

A comfortable way of holding the banjo makes everything after it easier. There is no single correct position, but there are a few things nearly every good player does.

Sitting

The chair

Use a chair without arms. Sit near the front edge, back straight but not stiff, feet flat on the floor.

The banjo

Rest the rim on your right thigh (left thigh if you play left-handed), with the head facing out and the neck pointing up and to the left, at about the angle of a clock hand at ten o’clock.

The strap

A strap holds the banjo’s weight so your hands don’t have to. Adjust it so the banjo sits in the same place whether you sit or stand. Resonator banjos are heavy; a wide strap helps.

Hold the banjo close to your body, with the head nearly upright. You should be able to see the fingerboard by glancing down, without hunching over it.

The fretting hand

Your left hand (right hand for left-handed players) presses the strings against the fingerboard. Fingers are numbered 1 (index) to 4 (little finger); the thumb is T.

The thumb rests lightly behind the neck, roughly behind your 2nd finger. Don’t squeeze.
Curve the fingers and press with the fingertips, just behind the fret (on the nut side), not on top of it.
Press only as hard as you need for a clean note. Try pressing lightly until the note buzzes, then a little more: that’s enough.

A C chord, with finger numbers in the dots. Each fingertip sits just behind its fret.

The picking hand: two set-ups

Three-finger (bluegrass)

Wear a thumb pick and two metal finger picks on your index and middle fingers, with the blades curving under the fingertips, on the pad side. Rest your ring and little fingers lightly on the head, near the bridge, as an anchor. Pick close to the bridge for a bright, crisp sound. The thumb (T) plays the 5th, 4th and 3rd strings, the index (I) mostly the 3rd and 2nd, and the middle (M) mostly the 1st.

Clawhammer (old-time)

No picks. Curl your hand loosely, like a gentle claw, with the middle (or index) finger slightly out in front. Play over the end of the fingerboard, where the sound is round and warm. The back of the fingernail strikes down on the strings; the thumb rests on the 5th string, ready to catch it. The motion comes from the wrist and forearm, not from flicking the finger.

You can learn both. Most players lean toward one, and the course teaches both side by side: three-finger rolls first, then clawhammer, then more of each.

Sit with your banjo and check each one.

I’m on the front of an armless chair, feet flat.
The banjo rests on my thigh with the neck angled up, and the strap takes its weight.
My fretting thumb rests behind the neck without squeezing.
My fingertips press just behind the frets.
My picking hand is relaxed, and my shoulders are down.

Try it. Without fretting anything, pluck the 3rd string with your thumb, the 2nd with your index finger and the 1st with your middle finger, slowly, over and over: thumb, index, middle. Then, clawhammer style, let your hand drop so the back of your middle fingernail strikes the 1st string, and your thumb lands on the 5th string. Let the strings ring.

Look after your hands. Warm up with a few slow minutes before playing fast, take breaks, and stop if anything hurts. New fingertips will be tender for a couple of weeks; short, frequent practice is kinder to them than one long session.

Remember

Armless chair, banjo on the thigh, neck angled up, a strap for the weight.
Fretting fingers 1–4 press just behind the frets; the thumb rests behind the neck.
Three-finger: thumb pick and two finger picks, anchor near the bridge. Clawhammer: no picks, strike down with the fingernail, thumb on the 5th string.