Chords?

[ayreforce pyper]

Being a beginner (tenor banjo), I tend to stick to the melody of a tune when I am playing. I can throw a few triplets in here or there, but I keep it simple for now. But, as I do not intend to stay a beginner forever, I would like to start to get a better understanding of how to flesh out the sound of a tune once I have it down. When I listen to other players, the one's I find most interesting are those that seem to be playing chords along with the melody notes. To my ear, it sounds like the melody note and the chord are being played at the same time. Other times, it seems like the chord is substituted for a melody note.

So, my question is, how do you do that?

How do you know what chord to play in place of a melody note?

How do you play the melody with the chord at the same time?

How do you make chords on a tenor banjo?


Also of interest, what do you like to use besides triplets when improvising a tune? Arpeggios? Hammer-on's? Pull-off's?



Cheers,



James

[Tim2723]

Hi James,

I don't want to sound like I'm evading your questions, but it's going to be difficult and confusing to try to answer them on a forum like this where we're limited to text and pictures. To accurately convey all that info we would need musical notation, tablature, chord charts, fingering diagrams...the written language of music. I'd suggest that you seek out a couple of good tutorials and instructional DVDs, maybe even a teacher. That will let you progress faster and with far less confusion than anything we can post here. Proper instructional material can make the subject crystal clear in a few pages.

[crookedtune]

There are many tutorials out there about chord melody, particularly for guitarists. (I don't play tenor banjo).

A common approach is to find the appropriate place on the fingerboard where you can play the proper chord with the melody note being the highest (typically first string) note in the chord. Through trial-and-error you can work out your own chord melodies. Start with a very simple tune and just experiment.

But before anything else, buy a book of tenor banjo chords, and memorize the basic shapes for your major, minor and dominant chords. Those are the building blocks for everything else.

[JohnConoboy]

I wonder if you aren't hearing partial chords, double stops, and ornaments rather than a full chord. I don't think most tenor banjo players do full chords, at least not a lot as they tend to be loud and jarring. Check out the playing of John Carty, Enda Scahill, and Brian McGrath who are all fantastic tenor banjo players. Enda Scahill has a good banjo tutor book and CD.

[ayreforce pyper]

Thanks for the replies.

I have been listening to Scahill, McGrath and Carty a lot lately, which is why I am curious about the chords. I assume they are only partial chords, as suggested. I imagine it is much like when fiddle players bow more then just the melody note. I think it just adds more interest and fullness to the melody.

I play frailing banjo, and one of the reasons I like frailing is because you get those "extra" notes in with the melody notes that add to the flavor of the tune. Rhythm and melody at the same time. That is kind of what I am hearing when I listen to the above mentioned players. Something else between the melody notes.

I found a mandolin chord book...I imagine that since they are tuned the same (I play GDAE), I can use the same partial chords where they will fit into the melody line.

I do have Enda's tutor, which is good, but I do not learn as well by reading about how to play. I am working through it, though. It is easier for me to hear and see it in a video, or better yet, in person. I just haven't run into an experienced banjo player in my area yet.

Cheers

James

[Nanohedron]

I just haven't run into an experienced banjo player in my area yet.

Well, keep practicing with the less experienced ones in the meantime. The grille marks look just as good on them, too.

[ayreforce pyper]

There aren't any more inexperienced ones.........