Banjo Mountain Blog

How to Play "Rocket Man" on Banjo bluegrass banjo learning banjo pop songs

Elton John's "Rocket Man" is a slow-burn classic, and the banjo gives it a wistful, wide-open qualit...

How to Play "Wouldn't It Be Nice" on Banjo bluegrass banjo learning banjo pop songs

The Beach Boys packed "Wouldn't It Be Nice" with sunshine and one of the most joyful intros in pop. ...

How to Play "I've Just Seen a Face" on Banjo bluegrass banjo learning banjo pop songs

The Beatles' "I've Just Seen a Face" is practically begging to be played on banjo. Paul McCartney wr...

How to Play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on Banjo bluegrass banjo learning banjo pop songs

Nirvana's 1991 anthem might be the last song you'd expect to hear on a five-string, and that's exact...

The Open-Back Banjo vs. Resonator Debate banjo gear learning banjo

In the decades I’ve spent teaching 5-string banjo, a fairly common (and thoroughly reasonable) quest...

What Is the Fretless Banjo (And Why You Might Want One)? banjo makers learning banjo

What is a fretless banjo? Let's start with frets. Frets are the metal strips inserted into the finge...

How to Increase Banjo Picking Speed: The Right Way to Practice banjo tips bluegrass banjo clawhammer banjo learning banjo skills

One of the most common goals for banjo players is to increase their picking speed. But how do we lea...

How to Warm-Up to Practice Banjo banjo tips bluegrass banjo clawhammer banjo learning banjo

When sitting down for a banjo practice session, a warm-up is a great idea. This gets yo

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How Often Should I Practice Banjo to Improve? banjo tips learning banjo skills

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “How often should I practice to improve my playing...

The 25 Essential Jam Songs To Know on Banjo banjo tips bluegrass banjo clawhammer banjo learning banjo

We asked our Banjo Mountain community what songs come up the most in jam sessions. In addition, we a...

How Often Should You Change Your Banjo Strings? banjo tips learning banjo skills

Tips for keeping your banjo sounding its best—no matter how often you play.

As a quick sidenote:, ...

When to Use Drop Thumb in Clawhammer Banjo (Beginner’s Guide) banjo tips clawhammer banjo learning banjo

One of the most common questions banjo players ask as they dig deeper into clawhammer style is: “Whe...