How Many Strings Does A Banjo Have Step by Step 2021

Do you know how many strings does a banjo have in its round body? If not, then let’s not delay the exciting facts about a variety of strings.

Every string present in the banjo has its features and produces a unique sound. Most people came across the problem of banjo’s sort in the old era. It used specific tunes and chords for every type of string.

Variation of keynotes and styles differentiate each string from the other. Competition of banjos with other musical instruments between players and audience was also an issue.

Read More:  Violin for Professionals 

Afterward, that competition makes banjoists underconfident because we more preferred the guitarist in the musical industry. Here we will squeeze out the best answer to your problems. So, let’s get started…!

How to String a Banjo

First of all, to understand how to string a banjo, you need to know the components that make a banjo. The membrane region consists of a tailpiece, bridge, and banjo head.

At the same time, the neck region consists of the fretboard, metal strings headstock tuners. Every component has a role when banjo strings are getting done. 

Be careful when you begin to change the strings. Make sure to get the same set of strings for your banjo which you are currently using.

Having the same set helps you maintain your banjo’s intonation, and it will not make the pitch lighter or heavier. As a first step, lose the already present strings clockwise one by one to avoid any hustle.

Lose them enough so that when you cut them individually, they will not pop up directly at your face. Cut each string while holding them and start from the fretboard, then cut from the tailpiece.

The tailpiece is present at the bottom of your banjo and has a lid on it. Take off the cover from the tailpiece and pull strings carefully. Then comes the bridge component, which keeps floating.

For that problem, we can pencil mark the position of the bridge before taking off the strings. Now, please take out your new set of strings and hold a string from its loop end.

Unlike the guitars, which have ball ends, it’s interesting to know that banjos have loop ends. So, take the loop end of the single string and pass it through the tailpiece’s hook.

Make sure to pull the string tightly and let it go through the slots. Afterward, the string will pass through the bridge and made its way towards the fretboard.

Keep the string straight and tight all the way. Then comes the point where you allow the string to pass through the headstock hole.

Measure the distance of approximately three fingers from the fretboard and wrap the string around the headstock tuner. Wrap the strings 2 to 3 times to keep them in a fixed position. Tangle the tuner anti-clockwise from below.

Lastly, Make sure the string must be in the direction of the turning post. Likewise, you pick other strings and get them done like you did the first string.

After you string your banjo, then check some points before you tune your banjo. Firstly, put back the lid of the tailpiece and fix your banjo bridge’s position at the mark.

Then stretch up the strings by holding a string between your thumb and fingers. Make sure to apply light pressure as we know that the strings used in the banjo are much lighter than any other instrument.

After stretching up the strings, we see that the position is loosened up to half a step. So, we readjust the pitch by twisting the tuners. Finally, adjust each string one by one until your banjo gets ready for tuning again.

How Many Strings Does a Banjo Have

Banjos are the instruments used in old times for fun. People liked to go out for entertainment in orchestra and dance bands where they played banjo. Variety in banjo makes it more attractive for the audience.

Unlike the other instruments like guitars, violin, etc., the types and strings for banjo are not constant. Here, we will discuss the strings and the varieties they have:

Five-String Banjo

• It consisted of 5 strings with a closed back and was most popular in the early 19’s.
• Initially, most folk people prefer this banjo because of its unique fifth key known as “drone string,” which makes its specific tune.
• Have a moveable tailpiece that allows you to maintain proper pressure on the bridge, ultimately setting up its tone. 
• Commonly have 22 fretboard length and can be played differently. The best thing about the five-string banjo is to set up its tune.
• Tuning keys in fretboard played in the open position, which ultimately makes the other keys to get played easily. five-string banjo starts its play from a simple picking and then leads it to different fingerpicking styles.
• When the banjo is played with fingers, the movement will be high pitch scale, and the direction of the thumb will be a low pitch. 
• The wide variety in this banjo makes it’s most popular, and it helps to achieve much knowledge about different music styles and instrumentation.

Four-String Banjo

• Consist of 4 strings, as shown by the name, and developed in the early 19’s.Have two types, “plectrum banjo” and “tenor banjo,” with its subtypes.
• Plectrum banjo used to play with a pick in place of fingers and Produce a high-pitched sound.
• Tenor banjo came into view in 1918. Tenor banjo contains a short neck, and its membrane is like a violin. Mostly played in dance bands, and its neck was not longer than a forearm.
• Subtypes of tenor banjo: “Vega banjo” and “Resonator banjo.”
• Vega banjo also consists of 4 strings and has a long neck, which makes its appearance clear.
• Have its uniqueness as you can differentiate the sound even in the presence of other band members.
• Long neck tenor banjo mostly played in the orchestra and also in dance bands.
• Also, it can hold down the rhythm during the entire play. Banjo has an open back at its membrane region. 
• Resonator banjo was developed in 1923 and used to play in full orchestra. The loud sound, but for playing in a full orchestra, the resonator is placed at the membrane’s back.
• So, the wood protected the back of the banjo with a wooden piece of suitable size. they attached a metal piece to this banjo named “flange.” Flange helps to deliver the sound louder to the audience.

 Six-String Banjo

• Banjo’s latest form is its 6-string banjo instrument, which was popular after the five-string.
• Combines the style of both old times like ukulele and modern times music like a guitar.
• Because the guitar touch in 6 string banjo makes it easier to learn for beginners.
• If you know how to play guitar, then keep the same style for this banjo; you will see it produce different sounds.
• It is more straightforward than a five-string banjo and has a closed back with a resonator, making the sound louder and brighter.
• Have an affordable price and mostly played in bands or whenever you want to strum on your own.
• Lastly, the most crucial element of the banjo is its quality. 

How to Make a Banjo

Finding primary material is the first step to make a Banjo. The most commonly used material in a banjo is hardwood. So, to make a banjo, you have to find a type of wood that can produce a distinct sound.

High-quality banjo is made up of maple, walnut, and cherry wood. Apple, mahogany, sycamore, ash, alder, poplar, hickory are also used in banjo making.

In an excellent sounding banjo, three or more layers of wood of different kinds are used. The criteria for selecting wood is that it should be light and durable.

Usually, dense wood is layered in the center of less thick lumber. Layers are then glued together and left to dry. After the wood dries, the process of making the body of the banjo begins.

Cleanly scribe a circle on the wood according to the size of the banjo you want. For this process, you can use the bottom of a bucket to draw the circle. Scribe two loops of the diameter you wish to for the banjo.

Cut these two pieces for them to be mated. You can use a saw or a jig to cut these pieces. Firmly attach these pieces and leave some space on opposite sides to stick the banjo’s neck and tail.

Sand the edges so that there are no corners left. Now the process of making the neck is started. A lumber of size 2×4 is taken, and a 25-27 inches long neck is made out of it.

This neck is then attached to the banjo’s sound box, where they left space for this purpose. You can use screws to connect the neck and body; glue is also used for extra strength.

When the neck is attached to the body, it is time to use some material to cover the sound box’s face. Many types of materials are used as a cover for a sound box, including plastic, animal membrane, leather, fabric, etc.

You can also use artificial leather to cover the sound box. Stretch the material and tightly attach the material to the body. Attach eye screws on the farther end of the neck of the banjo.

You can use use the eye screws according to the strings that are intended for the banjo. Columns can be of different materials, such as Nylgut or metal, but if you are making banjo for fun, you can also use nylon fishing lines.

Cut two pieces of wood for the rear end and the diaphragm of the banjo. Attach the details to the banjo and then tie the strings. Tune the banjo and start playing.

How to Play Banjo Chords

Well, the key to playing banjo chords is the movement of fingers and hands independently. There are twelve major chords in a banjo. The most common types of chords are G, C, D, and D7.

The G chord is also called an open chord, as you don’t have to press your fingers against any string. So, you don’t have to tune the G chord manually.

The practice can be straightforward for the new players as the G chord is tuned, and the players only have to coordinate the fingers well.

When going to higher levels, hands’ independent movement can be challenging; you can quickly solve this difficulty. To play the G chord, your thumb will strike on the third string.

Your index finger will then hit the second string, and your middle finger will [strike on the first string. Repeat this finger movement to familiarize yourself with the necessary G chord tune.

It is recommended to use picks to play the instrument to prepare you for playing without using fingers. When you are fluent in moving the fingers, then try moving the fingers backward fluently.

Now moving to Frets, put your hands on the fifth fret and press the first three strings with the side of your index finger, then play the pattern mentioned above again.

An important thing to note is the movement of hands. You have to grab the banjo so that the sound of the instrument is not affected. If you place your finger on the fret, then the banjo will give a dull sound.

You either have to put your finger before fuss or just after fret for a better sound. You have to move your fingers to the seventh fret and hold the strings there to play the D chord.

Making themselves fluent in these movements can be difficult for some peoples, but there is a secret to reinforce yourself. The secret is to try different combinations for better understanding and control over the banjo.

You can figure out how to bend your hands cleanly to produce a better sounding note. Remember, you are trying to move your two hands independently, which can be challenging. It takes some time, and the key to that is patience.

How to Tune a 4 String Banjo

The most commonly used tuning in a four-string banjo is G, D, A, E. As we all know, a banjo is an assemblage of parts in all different scale lengths.

If the tuning is not done right, then the banjo will not sound as good as it should. Banjos tend to be out of tune often; that is why we have to tune them continuously. An out of tune banjo will not sound as good as it should.

One of the things you should remember while tuning is that you do not need to have your banjo tuned perfectly because every banjo is a tad different.

Resonation is different so as long as your scale is in the right place. Your banjo is tuned for up to 7 frets automatically. You want to adjust three areas, namely the middle and two ends of the board.

It depends on the player, where he wants to play notes. If the letters are to be played up the neck, you should tune out the channel.

If messages are to be played at the nut, you should tune for near the nut and higher for higher notes. If you play all over the place, you should adjust for as low as possible and as parallel as possible.

It is impossible to get your strings parallel, but you can try to get as close as you can. You can not tune a banjo correctly on all parts of the neck, so you should try to get the most optimal tuning.

So, the trick to do all this tuning is by electronic tuners. There are many types of electronic tuners in the market. If you are a beginner, you should go for a not expensive and durable tuner.

The benefit of having an electronic tuner is that it reads a banjo well and helps to tune your banjo optimally. The ideal spot to attach your tuner is at the head of the banjo so that it can read the vibrations nicely.

The thing to note is that your banjo will become untuned after a few times of playing. So you have to continuously retune it so that it sounds the best when you use it. Tuning is an art. You can use an electronic tuner if the tune is right by listening to it.

How to Change Banjo Strings

Changing the strings of the banjo is very important at least every two months. As the lines get dirty, it becomes difficult to play the banjo. Your fingers cannot glide over the dirty strings easily.

It is for those people who do not play it more often. But those who play it regularly should change the strings once or twice a month. Different manufacturers use different materials.

Even if strings of the same material are used, you feel them different if made by other manufacturers. Nickel-plated steel strings are the most standard type of lines used as they have a bright tone.

Stainless steel strings are also used as they are resistant to corrosion and stay a little longer. The coating on the strings causes a difference in tone depth. It is not very difficult to change banjo strings.

If you do not feel the strings smooth and silky when you glide your fingers on them, then it is the right time to change the strings.

A fresh pack of strings, string winder, string cutters, chromatic tuner, and pencil are the tools required to change the strings. Banjo sounds different when its strings are dirty.

Do not cut the old strings of banjo all at once because the bridge may fall off. Mark the place on the banjo where the bridge stands with a pencil.

By doing this, you can find the place to set the bridge back if it falls off. Cut one of the strings with the cutter and unwind it from the tuner.

Be careful while pulling strings out, as the banjo may get scratches. Place the new strings and wind them on the tuner. After 3 or 4 revolutions, go for the final by applying a little tension.

Conclusion

To make a banjo and to change its strings, it is imperative to know how many strings does a banjo have in total. You can conclude from the above-given information that it is not very difficult to make a banjo or play it.

Just by using good material in its manufacturing, you will get a nice banjo. Keeping it clean and changing its strings regularly also helps a lot in its maintenance.

Many different banjos are available with four or five strings. None of them is hard to play. With a little care, you can maintain your banjo in good shape. And with a bit of effort, you can play it fluently.