The 5 String Banjo

The 5 string banjo may be tuned in the open G formation, meaning strumming all 5 strings without fretting gives the musical sound of the G chord. The first string is the note D; the second is B, third is G, fourth is D and fifth is G.

Chords in all musical instruments are made by playing multiple notes at the same time. The three basic notes of a chord are the Root note, the Third note and the Fifth note. The Root note on the 5 string banjo is the third string or G string. The third note in the G chord is B which is the second string and the fifth note is D which is both the first and fourth strings. The fifth string of the 5 string banjo is G and is used as a drone to enhance any chord that has the G note in it. It is never fretted and is never played unless the chord being played has a G note in it.

Using the index finger as a bar, cover the first four strings and press very hard between the nut and the first fret, getting a little closer to the fret than the nut. At first it will be hard to get each note clear, but with practice your index finger and thumb will gain strength. This is the G# chord. Slide your finger bar between the next two frets and this is A, the next is Bb, then B, then C, then C#, then D, then D#, then E, then F, then F#, then G. Notice we have traversed the entire musical scale from G back to G, the last being an octave above the open G.

The basic musical building blocks are the seven notes from A through G and using these notes we build the seven musical chords from A through G. Using these chords we build the seven musical keys from A through G. The three major chords of a key are the Root chord, the Fourth chord and the Fifth chord, noted by musical theorists as I, IV and IV chords.

The Key of G consists of the chords G, C, and D (open, 5 fret, and 7th fret).

The Key of A consists of the chords A, D, and E (2nd fret, 7th fret, and 9th fret).

The Key of B consists of the chords B, E, and Gb (4^th fret, 9th fret, and 11th fret).

The Key of C consists of the chords C, F, and G (5^th fret, 10th fret, and open).

The Key of D consists of the chords D, G, and A (7th, open, and 2nd fret).

The Key of E consists of the chords E, A, and B (9^th fret, 2nd fret, and 4th fret).

The Key of F consists of the chords F, Bb, and C (10^th fret, 3rd fret, and 5th fret).

Songs and music are played in keys and are played using the 3 major chords of each key. Our banjo is tuned in the open G chord and so requires no fretting. Slide your finger bar down to the fifth fret and you have the C chord and down two more frets we have D chord. We have just played the chords of “Oh Susannah” and multitudes of other songs.

Let’s play “Oh Susannah”.

G D

I came from Alabama with a banjo on my knee

G D G

I’m going to Louisiana my true love for to see

C D

Oh Susannah, don’t you cry for me

G D G

For I came from Alabama with a banjo on my knee.

To pick “Oh Susannah”, at first use your thumb and flail away, singing in your mind the words and play the chords. Later use your thumb and fingers to play notes in the chords that sound like notes in the song.