How to Play the Irish Tenor Banjo : Banjo Basics

you are a horrible teacher- you arent teaching anything the way you are doing this

Irish banjo is tuned GDAE just like the mandolin and violin thanks to the late great Barney McKenna

G'day from Australia! I used to play old-timey jazz on a 4-string tenor banjo, tuned C,G,B,D. Now, because I'm playing mainly guitar, I retuned my banjo to D.G.B.E, so I can use modified guitar chords on it, and all my guitar scales work too, of course. I also play ukulele, which I tune standard G,C,E,A. (=guitar 5th fret.) So far, so good. After watching your video, Peter, I am tempted to try tuning in 5ths. Fifths make for consistent interval patterns, I can see that. You make it look easy!

Peter, I tried it, tuning G,D,A,E. How was it? ... I learned the I, IV, V7 chords very quickly, but ... what about the scales? I realized why the viola players wanted to carry their previous tuning over to banjo - the same reason I wanted to carry guitar tuning over!

Very good video and explanation except he is explaining the traditional jazz tenor banjo, tuned CGDA not the Irish tenor banjo which is tuned gDAE

Could this work on a bluegrass/resonater banjo?

When I bought my instrument, I wasn't looking to play Irish music per se, but I did want to make some chords and create my own "compositions". This was helpful, so thank you.

I'm just starting to play the tenor banjo. I would like to play it sounding like this guy's banjo, but I can't seem to get the tuning right. Just what is he tuning it to?

Hi Peter,
thx for the videos. Maybe I'm a little bit silly. I'm Violinist and want to begin playing Benjo. Which should I buy? Sorry... didn't get it. :-0

I don't understand. He says "if you're a mandolin player you already know".
I play mandolin, in GDAE tuning, as is standard. Tenor banjo is DGBD standard. How is this the same thing?

I don't know how this is supposed to be a tutorial on how to play Irish banjo. If you don't know how to play in the Irish style, why even waste people's time?

Really great information and so nicely presented. Thanks for sharing!! Regards Jimp

Hey here's an idea ! maybe you could show the people how to play a simple song like twinkle twinkle little star or happy birthday . Checkout TENOR BANJO TUTORIAL C TO G . In about 5 minutes I learned how to play 5 songs and I got my banjo yesterday . Do you actually think anyone is going to be able to play that chord you show as a beginner ? Checkout TENOR BANJO TUTORIAL and try to think of a SIMPLE song you can teach that can go from there . Thanks .

For all the people who don't seem to understand in the comments the tenor banjo is often played in jazz

Not always irish

Yep, disappointing that this is about Jazz and not Irish 😡

Wait, how is this banjo in the clip tuned? It’s not irish tuning?

Ah, the famous Irish song, "Louie Louie."

I finally found out how the mandolin chords work. Thanks, not that easy to work out with most internet sheets showing the more complex variations and no mandolin tradition whatsoever in your country to learn from. Saved me much thinking and research. (I stick to guitar and base, mando is just a very cool toy,)

This guy is very good. The tenor banjo ain't just exclusive to irish music !!

I'm a 5 string Player who plays tunes in 2 finger thumb or index lead, and I did some research and found this guy Paul Roberts playing 2 finger thumb lead style on the Irish Tenor Banjo it was so mellow and so beautiful. One of these I'm gonna have to get an open back tenor banjo to play 2 finger that I learned from Paul Roberts.

WORTHLESS WORTHLESS WORTHLESS. You have NO idea what you are talking about. WASTE of time watching your ego flow.....

I’ve just started to learn the Irish tenor banjo but I like the American style as well , I will learn them chords.

is it possible to tune a 5 string banjo into GDAE?

By any chance do you sell mandolins and what price can I pay for an Eastman 515 or 315

Brilliant...thanks!

Thank you so very much for this video, I've gone through many guides and this has been the most helpful

Hello, curious if you can make a video on some basic beginning chords, G , D , E, A , etc.. I'm more of a visual learner not chord chart, if you have time.. Thanks :)

What is Irish about this video? Any advance on "nothing"?

In absolute terms you can play any banjo on any style, but in Irish music, the GDAE tenor banjo is the most used. And we rather play the melody. Once again, we do what we want, but his video is unfortunately neither representative nor relevant. Sorry but it is a waste of time.

Nice. What model is that one please?

Lovely video 😊

I think you're playing jazz tenor (CGDA) and not Irish tenor (GDAE).

A better title would be "Tenor Banjo in 'Irish" Tuning" as the "Ol' Timey Tuning" is the same as mandola, fifth below mandolin. Granted absolutely nothing would have changed fingering wise since the relative relationship between the two is the same.

How in the Hell I'm supposed to tune this thing. My grandpa gave it to me and I don't know what to do with it. I've tried just about everything

This applies to Tenor Guitar too.

Hey guys, maybe you can help me: I just pulled out my old banjo and i wanted to try the GDAE Tuning. But I have the feeling, that my banjo would explode if i tune my first string on G. What is the worst thing that could happen? If its only the string which could die, i would give it a shot, but i am afraid of my whole banjo. Are there banjos which can only be tuned CGDA ? Thanks for the help and greetings from Germany.

I play the fiddle a little and I notice the banjo seems easier to adapt to then the guitar . The guitar has weird scale patterns it seems compared to the fiddle.

This shouldn’t be called “how to play the irish tenor banjo”

It’s a great tutorial on basic shapes for a tenor banjo (in standard tuning) used for ragtime, jazz etc. but in trad Irish music, tenor banjo is a played as a Melody instrument to play tunes as the fiddle or whistle might.

There is nothing irish about this video

👍

This man is talented and knowledgable but i think he has no understanding of the music played on these. I mean its melody instrument in. Irish music this is not. I mean louis louis? Easy? We irish tenor players still get no respect

This is not even in the same solar system as Irish Tenor Banjo

This isn't Irish banjo

Thanks! Can you modify your post to include how your banjo is tuned in the demo? GDAE ??

Ffs I couldn't follow you at all

Great lesson!

An Irish tenor banjo has 17 frets.