Banjo
The banjo is an instrument which enables the musician to absorb and reinterpret diverse musical influences in new an unique ways; It is this process which formed the styles that we now consider to be traditional: bluegrass, country, mountain, and jazz all come from the creativity of people who lived at musical crossroads. Once the most popular instrument in America, the banjo is now enjoying a renaissance and again expanding beyond its traditional limits.
Sessions
I play banjo in recording sessions for albums, games, movie and television soundtracks. I also actively compose and arrange music for the instrument.
I will be happy to play to banjo for your project and help bring your score to life. In addition to traditional sounds and techniques, I can play in alternate tunings, with non-standard techniques and tone colors, and with an expanded palette of sounds. This includes banjos of various sizes, from banjolin down to cello banjo, and the recent innovation of bowed banjo.
I can read music or play by ear from a reference track.
All recordings are studio quality with optimal mic placement, available in stereo or mono, ready to drop into your project timeline.
Check out the examples on this page for the tonal possibilities of the instrument, and visit the sessions page for more info.
Banjo Tones
The banjo has a surprising array of tone colors available beyond the familiar metallic twang. When strung with nylon or gut strings, it can sound warm, punchy, deep, mellow, and natural - much like an instrument from the old world. Larger or smaller sizes of rim alter the response of the instrument to different frequencies.
Check out these unusual banjo sounds
As your banjo instructor, I will help you achieve your goals, whether they be to master traditional tunes, better your technique, play in jams, learn and arrange new songs, or compose your own tunes. We will learn the old and traditional ways, like clawhammer, two finger, three finger, as well as more modern styles and approaches; this will build your technique and skill. We will follow your inspiration and learn the music you love, whether or not it is in the traditional banjo cannon. We will bring your own compositions to life, so that the instrument will tell your story.
Lessons are available at my studio in Longmont, CO, or online via Zoom. Contact me to set up an appointment.
Lessons
An original tune by my student Alex
Whatever your instrument, I will specifically tailor a lessons program to meet your individual needs. I will make sure that you engage with the music you love and start making music right away - not just practicing. Every bit of theory, history, or technique you learn will be related to the music you are studying, much of which you will choose. We will move at a speed suitable to your life, without pressure. All styles of learning and all ages are welcome.
My friend Chuck Ogsbury has been making banjos since the 1960s, and over the years the good people at the OME shop in Boulder, CO put out some of the best banjos on earth. It has been my good fortune to have made friends there and to have played a great many of their models and prototypes before they closed their doors in 2024. Chuck and the gang are still making banjos today, under the name of Starr. Chuck also still makes UTE banjos, and his son Zen runs the ODE company. They are all fantastic instruments and over the years I have made video demos for many of them.