How to Warm-Up to Practice Banjo
Sep 22, 2025When sitting down for a banjo practice session, a warm-up is a great idea. This gets your mind in a good and patient state as well as gets you into the groove for a longer banjo practice session. A good warm-up ensures that your joints are ready, and your hands and mind are in sync with your instrument.
If you’re diving into a banjo session, here’s a simple way to warm up:
1. Start slow with basic rolls (or simple Bum-Ditty’s for Clawhammer)
Begin with a few basic rolls at a slow and even tempo. The key is to get the feel of the banjo while keeping the rhythm steady. For example, try playing the alternating thumb roll slowly.
2. Increase the Tempo Gradually
Once you feel comfortable with the slower pace, start increasing your tempo bit by bit. Don’t rush it. Keep the tempo consistent. Your hand should feel nice and relaxed.
3. Try Different Rolls (& Bum-Ditty Variations)
Practice various rolls, such as the Forward Backward Roll or the Foggy Mountain Breakdown Roll. Each roll exercises different parts of your technique and helps to build muscle memory, and helps warm you up. For these, focus on clarity of tone and consistent rhythm and pace. For clawhammer banjo players, try working variations on the Bum Ditty. Strike the first string four times on the strike of the bum-ditty, then the second string four times on the strike of the bum-ditty, then the third, then the fourth. After you complete this cycle, go down to one strike per string of each Bum Ditty. Then reverse and/or mix up the order.
4. Positioning
Pay attention to your hand placement. In this video, I am playing more toward the center of the banjo head to ensure that you can see my hand clearly, but typically, you’d want to play closer to the bridge for a clearer tone. Further, you want to always practice with proper banjo positioning (how to hold the banjo) as well as proper right and left-hand technique/position. For clawhammer players, you should be playing closer to the base of the neck (where it meets the drum).
Basically, you're wanting to fine-tune your picking "mechanism" (hand and brain) as well as the positioning of the banjo in your lap and your hand position in relationship to the banjo. You want to do all of this at a slow and precise pace and ease into more complicated playing.
By incorporating these exercises into your warm-up routine, you’ll improve both your speed and precision. Take your time—your fingers will thank you later!
