From the monthly archives:
Extreme Video Banjo Lessons! We push learning the 5-string to a whole new level.
Ryan's Tablature Book Volume #1: 
Third Fret Lick: 
Recent Comments
louisricci: ryan:wasgoing to music store for lessons,find your vidios to be a much better teacher am more than happy with the move. hope some day to be able to play well. lou
Ryan: Yes, we just posted the “B” part to Cripple Creek to the site. Click here to view the video lesson. Thanks, Ryan
Louie8ball: Hi, just joined the site and still figuring out the navigation. Has part 2 of this lesson been posted yet?
braden derrow: hi i have been searchin the internet all day for dueling banjos tabs for the banjo and i had no luck at all. if you could sent me them i would be very greatful.
montecassels: Ryan: Today is my first, I am a 76 year ole bluegrass loving ole man with no muscial ability except good listening over the years, I have collected quite a collection of ole timer Autographs with a lot of them now in Glory playing for our Lord. Any way I got my banjo last year and...
Anthony Williams: Hi Ryan, Merry Christmas from Melbourne,Australia. What’s the best way for me to get the best out of what you’re offering? I don’t have a webcam or skype,but i did see an option as a premium member. Only just beginning but have wanted to be a great banjo player...
Elvin Basinger: What about bela Fleck? He seems to take the banjo to a different level.
Ben Frihauf: Hi Ryan, Thanks for the Tab. I will get to working on John Hardy ASAP. Ben
jscoboe60: After taking a break from banjo. It was great to have all the lessons to review. Thank you for the great teaching.
Brandel: Another suggestion is Emerson bridges made by Kelly Emerson, the son of the great picker Ben Emerson. There are three different bridges available: Power bridge, Vintage and Sweet II. I have tried the first two and are very satisfied. Bought a Vintage bridge on eBay 3 weeks ago and...
hughcline: What model gibson banjo do you have?
banjosammo: Ryan, my friend and I play hymns every week as volunteers at a local prison. I play banjo, my friend plays acoustic. We play any hymn with just chords. Roll patterns don’t work, so I have learned to constantly improvise to what sounds good with the timing. Do you have any tricks...
taylorclark: Ryan, awesome lesson. I just read how to do it and wasn’t feeling that good about it so I looked up this lesson and ready to go tackle my first restringing! Thank you!
Dean Shipwash: I love the way you make it so helpful !!!
banjo donnie: Ryan Been making some progress on the banjo which I’ve been practising for 9 months now. Seem to do rolls OK, but tunes are a problem. I can hit the right notes but have no rhythm and fail pretty much in accenting the melodies, so what I play is hardly recognisable. Actually I...
Jim: I have been playing guitar for several years and have just recently taken up the banjo. My problem is which rolls to learn and get good at first? I am not having problems with chords. I usually play regular with others and I find that the only banjo rolls I know are not always in time with...
kellythompson: Ryan, I am really looking forward to seeing what you have in store for 2010. I am so glad I signed up just the other day; not only am I playing more than ever before, I got a sweet deal on the membership. Thanks for teaching me! Kelly.
rodneythompson: Hey Ryan, Just logged on for the first time and it looks like this is what I need to further my playing. Thanks for all your help and I look forward to getting the time to use your site. Thanks Rodney in San Diego Ca
charlesbowlin: Hi Bryan, I need a little help. In practcing the forward and backward rolls I seem to get the sane resulting sound no mater what roll I am playing. I it the emphesis you put on the first and second string that make the difference? Thanks for your help. Charles Bowlin
GOT BANJO: I play very often when I am stressed or upset about something. I usually play Cripple Creek, then Cotton Eyed Joe, and finally just work on every roll pattern/chord change I know. I usuallly play untill I can’t remember what roll I am trying to do or remember what I am...
bill musgrove: alwaws appreciate a good new lick. thanks
perrydavis: I see in some of the adds that there two propics.. one is plain and the other is angled.. What is the difference??
kevincampbell: thank you for showing this
Bernie Dotterweich: good stuff – thanks
Wyatt: Hi Ryan–great site. Today I heard a musician talk about “tuning down” his instrument. He was on NPR in Austin and it was after he was done performing. By tuning down, does he mean he is de-tuning (removing tenions) from his instrument to save the life of his strings you...
harrywright: Ryan, I have tried all evening toto get the patterns (9 minute video to come up on my computer, I have all the basics Icons but cant get any of them to down load? Please help me. Thanks Harry Wright. hrwrg3@aol.com
joe: yea I can’t find any tab at all for a tenor other then a few lessons here and there how about a few tabs ahms-ahms for the needy lol
fasteddie: Can’t seem to get through a song without having to think about what I’m playing which ends up being a missed frett or string with my right hand. Other parts of a song can be played without thinking about what I am doing. Doesn’t seem to be the same place in a song...
Donnie Hoover: Many thanks for all of your time & Expertise on the banjo. Everything that you offer to me is a blessing.
Jack: Ryan, Figured it out, got the tabs for Old Joe Clark, amazing what a right click can do… thanks. Jack
Slick Grant: I am looking for dueling banjos tab for a tenor banjo. Can you help me out? Thanks SLick Have a great day GOD BLESS
Pammylu: Ryan, your video of the John Henry tune has fueled me with even more determination about learning to play the banjo. Even though I am just starting, I must tell you and others that after an afternoon of repetitive practicing and trying to have the breakthroughs I need to progress on even...
Randy Cheatham: 1. Kenny Ingram 2. Rob McCoury 3. J D Crowe 4. Earl Scruggs 5. Chris Talley It is tough to narrow it down to just five.
waynev: G’day Ryan I asked a wile ago if you could do a beginners lesson on fire ball mail is this possible ????? or am I up the creek without a paddle . love the site . Wayne
Mark Watts: Is your JOIN NOW area designed primarily for experienced banjo players or would a beginner just learning also find a great deal of beginning video banjo lessons?
normanrimmer: Hi i am another member from the uk. I am now retired. In my youth i learned the trumpet and saxaphone. I love Bluegrass so I decided to learn Banjo.
George Robinson: 1. Earl Scruggs 2. J.D. Crowe 3. Ron Block Here’s where it starts getting fuzzy… 4. Jim Mills 5. Sammy Shelor That was difficult!
NickBanjo43: Earl Scruggs , no doubt!
David: Hi Ryan! I am a veteran guitar player but a beginner banjo enthusiast looking to purchase a 5 string banjo some whrere in Orlando or online. Do you have any suggestions? Is there something inexpensive but not cheap? One that is already set up! Also where can I get 1 on 1 lessons near...
Sheila: Just read your article. I especially like #6 that says I’m not too old and #7 where I don’t have to be afraid. With all of the people that go through our home (my daughters run a music studio here) I have an audience whenever I want (which is usually never). It keeps one...
Stevesrustyone: Hi Ryan, The name of the C tune is “Sweet Sunny South”. I think AP Carter wrote it. Tony Rice and I think Tim O’Brien recorded it. Good tune I had for got about it. Thanks, Steve
Irving Weiner: Ryan, am I correct that in the tabs T means Thumb, 1 means Index, 2 means Middle, and X means Mute?
jimholmes: Ryan: I would like to see lessons on how to play in keys besides G, A, B flat and B etc on up the neck. When people I’m jamming with go to D, C, E or F, I’m hard pressed to come with a lead break. I feel there must be a trick out there somewhere that I’m too dense to...
Jim Risner: thanks for the tab stuff i am a new (1 week) player and i dont have a clue what the tabs even mean is it fingers(#) or frets ?
Mikeec: Ryan, I cant open the tab files. What type of file are they. Thanks
Strummin' Babe: Ryan, I’m a beginner and love your site. It would help me if you mentioned what tuning you’re using for your songs and licks. Unless I have a keyboard and can hammer out the tune, I don’t know how it should sound. So, just tell us you’re in “open...
Timothy Schroeder: can you teach a left hander who can’t read music ? lol
logan: my boyfriend got me a 6 string banjo with a closed back,and i was so excited. the only problem is i am having trouble finding learning tools to help me. i have no musical background, and at the moment am frustrated because i want to learn so bad but have no aid. i was impressed with your...
marklesage: I seem to finding alot of stuff for my stage so far. I really like the format as you delve right into the stuff. I need to see your fingers alittle better and I really need you to telme where they go, specially the left hand. the lessons are just what I need and in the way i can...
Bob Davenport: Thanks for the quick reply about an old man trying the 5-string. In your reply you offered a lesson on line if I had a web cam. I do on my Aspire netbook. But.I’ve never used a cam. When I learn I’ll get back to you. In the mean time.in picking, do the fingers just rake...
alex nicholson: hey id love for you to send me a video on how to play deuling banjos on the banjo i have tryed youtube but none explain enough thank you
Gar: Giddy up! Just say when : – )
JohnM: Hi Ryan, Love the new layout, I need to focus more on my learning – I flit about from book to U tube to banging away on my own – hopefully this will help me to stick to one thing. Appreciate all the work you put into the lessona and the site. Regards, John from Devon, England
flashgordon: I enjoyed Martins tune, I would like to learn it, hint hint. hahahaha. Thanx Martin
scott: Ryan:I have been playing the guitar for a little over 1 year. I have found tabs through (guitar pro) which light-up numbers(frets) on the strings as the music plays. My father-in-law is practicing the banjo and I was wondering if there are any similar tab CD’s for banjo songs.
berne: I have been reading alot about the anchoring of the finger/fingers. My problem is that i had my right hand injured and they put pins in the broken bones to heal. My ring finger and 4th finger move together. I have tried to plant two fingers and get this clicking up in the hand. So I have...
martinm: I have a 1967 Gibson Mastertone copy. There are no serial numbers to this instrument. This banjo was assembled in 1967 by a local Gibson luthier in Monroe, LA who passed around 8 years ago. From speaking with his daughter, I learned that during this period, the Gibson’s...
banjomike: Hi Ryan, Just found this part of your web site – BanjoExpert.com Calendar. Is “Naro Less” an online lesson? Could you please explain how this works and are we able to see or join your lessons? Thanks and Regards, Mike
Jim Shampine: Ryan, when you mean life-time member for 47.00 does that mean I pay only the 47 dollars just the one time and have all your lessons for as long as I want?
Nick Jones: I think I am causing the stress when I play Cripple Creek over and over again I seem to be a bit Stuck on it.Just starting to learn foggy mountain Breakdown though the should ease some the stress in the house cause I will be able to play two tunes then
james bundick: if you can, please send me the banjo tabs for dueling banjos.thanks im just startingto learn banjo
kim lodwick: I am interested
paddythepicker: Wow! Double wow! That’s just flat out demoralizing. It just became one of my favorite clips, too. Wish I could figure out who all the other players are. I’ll probably kick myself when I find out.
LexingtonBanjo: I too find playing the banjo is a great stress reliever. Primarily I think it’s because banjo takes your mind off of all the stuff that’s stressing you. It helps produce some endorphins too because it’s fun to play. Any how. Stressed? Pick a bit.
linda orff: i have a question i was 64 in march i want to know if i am to old to learn to play a banjo i dont know anything about cords but i love bluegrass music
wbgair: Tina: Here’s the scoop. The banjo is easy. Pickin’ like Bela is not so easy but getting off the ground? That’s easy. One of those books you bought has a forward roll in it and probably an easy version of Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down in the key of G. Regardless of what...
Tom: Adrian just form your fingers to the shape of the chord then pull off and try to retain the shape then put them back down. worked for me! Tom
Bob R: Hello, I’m new to this site, can anyone tell me if the tab is available for this song, and if so where can I find it? Thanks, Bob R bfr310@msn.com
tina: how can i learn to play this banjo that i have i love it, i just can’t seem to get a start on how to play, please e-mail me with a answer i have bought books and watch videos and dvd’s and everything but i just can;t seem t get it to work for me; any inf, will work so please...