Metamora Old Time Music Festival

Banjo

Page history last edited by gail 2 mos ago

Build Your Own Banjer

Tom Harleman will show you how to build a banjo from from a few simple materials The Piney Wood Model

Material list:

1 - 2x4 - from 36 in. to 48 in. long (neck and body)

1 - plastic bucket lid 10" or 12" (resonator)

fishing line (strings)

1 - 3/8 in. dowel rod - 12 in. needed (5 - 2.5 in. tuning pegs)

1 - 3/16 in. dowel rod - 6 in. needed (5 - 1 in. handles for tuning pegs)

And then learn how to play it

In the beginning before bluegrass, people banged on this old time instrument. It was called a banger or banjer. A style of banging developed called, clawhammer. Form a claw with your hand and hammer on a banjo. Learn to play simple fiddle tunes on the banjo, "Little Black Dog Trotting Down the Road" and "The Black Cat That Wouldn't Catch a Rat". Build a banjer, Bring a banjo or use one of mine. Work on techniques to better banjo banging.