Learning Bluegrass Banjo: First Steps

Tuning, reading tab, and playing roll patterns

These beginner banjo lessons will help you get started with the basics, from tuning your banjo to playing essential bluegrass roll patterns. You will follow a step-by-step process to learn the banjo through mini-lessons. Each mini-lesson includes a video and banjo tab for you to practice with. Go ahead, dive in and have fun!

1

FreeHow to Tune Your Banjo

Learn how to tune your banjo using an electronic tuner

First, let's go over the tuning of the banjo. Although banjo players use many different tunings when playing, the most popular one and the one primarily used for bluegrass music is open G, which lo...
2

FreeHow to Read Banjo Tab

Lines, Numbers, and Letters in Banjo Tabs

Banjo tablatures, commonly known as "tabs," is a simplified form of musical notation and is specifically designed for stringed instruments. Tunefox features tabs for all of it's banjo songs, licks,...
3

FreeRight Hand Position

And How To Wear Fingerpicks

Where your banjo is positioned in your lap will help you find the correct right arm and hand position. Make sure your feet are planted flat on the ground and you're sitting with nice, upright postu...
4

FreeThe Alternating Thumb Roll

Your First Roll Pattern

Learning roll patterns is a great way to get familiar with right hand technique on the banjo. In this lesson, you'll learn your first roll pattern - the alternating thumb roll.
5

FreeThe Forward/Backward Roll

An Eight Note Pattern

This eight note pattern is an essential part of Scruggs style picking. For learning purposes, let's split this up into two phrases of four notes.
6

FreeThe Forward Roll

The Ultimate Bluegrass Roll

In this lesson you're going to learn one of the most essential roll patterns for playing Scruggs style melodies and backup - The Forward Roll.
7

FreeBONUS: Combining Roll Patterns

Forward Roll, Alternating Thumb Roll, and Forward/Backward Roll

Here you'll learn how to combine roll patterns. In bluegrass banjo songs you wont really ever stick to one pattern so it's good to practice playing different rolls together.
8

FreeWhere to now?

Learn three chords in the next lesson series!

We've talked in depth about right hand technique and how to practice your roll patterns. Now it's time to bring in the left hand and play some chords! The great thing about banjo is that you can pl...

FreeHow to Tune Your Banjo

FreeHow to Read Banjo Tab

FreeRight Hand Position

FreeThe Alternating Thumb Roll

FreeThe Forward/Backward Roll

FreeThe Forward Roll

FreeBONUS: Combining Roll Patterns

FreeWhere to now?