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[AlohaDawg]

My goal is to Banjify some of Rocks Greatest Songs, starting with Stairway to Heaven.

Miss Ellie already plays the Guitar and the daughter sings not unlike the daughters of George Clooney in O Brother Where Art Thou (Shes Boh-na-fied) so it should be fun. I'm working on scales and of course, picking with the first two fingers and the thumb is kind of a challenge but we'll get there.

if/when I meet any of you in person, I expect you all to sing out:

"Hey grandpa! Whats fer Supper?"

I also expect only AugustWest to get this reference....

[AugustWest]

"Hey grandpa! Whats fer Supper?"

I also expect only AugustWest to get this reference....

Yum Yum!

Grandpa Jones is a fellow Western Kentuckian, from Henderson.  He worked a lot with Merle Travis, the pioneer of thumbpicking, who was from my Dad's home county of Muhlenberg.  You may have heard a reference to Muhlenberg County in John Prine's song "Paradise".  Paradise is gone now, as the song says, but it's easy to locate the site.  While traveling on the WK Parkway, you'll cross the Green River.  Just after you cross, the huge Paradise TVA Coal burning power plant is visible to the south.  Just past that you can see what's reputed to be the worlds largest earth moving machinery.  They figured, why move the coal, let's just burn it right here next to the strip mine.

Back to the banjo...  I've always wanted one and one day I will take it up.  If I understand correctly, a banjo is strung the same as the 4 high strings on a guitar.  This would make the transition easier for me if true.  Also, my guitar playing style was closest to fingerpicking, so I may be suited for the banjo.

[AlohaDawg]

This here Banjo (he swings his thumb over to the couch, pointing to a 5-string Fender) is tuned D - G- B - D - G (in piano key order, but not string order: see below).

The two D's and two G's are an octave apart; the higher D being just above middle C. The rub, though, is that the strings are not in order. One G is the 5th string and is strung shorter than the others; it stops between the 4th and 5th fret and the tuning peg is right there off the side of the neck. The rest run the length of the neck, DGBD. The two G's an octave apart are separated by the 4th string, the lower D left to right.  Looking at the neck they are GDGBD.
Open chord is G.

Baritone Ukulele tunes just like the 4 smallest strings on the guitar (DGBE) but the soprano and banjo Ukes tune a funny way; AECG, all in the same octave and out of tone order (on the piano the tones are ordered CEGA where C is middle C). I found four different ways to tune a four-string banjo (including the guitar tuning Pappy West mentions); they seem analogous to the different Ukulele tunings.

Those wanting a decent Uke should check out some of the people that hand make them here in Hawaii; they may cost less than on the mainland for a high quality instrument.

Ukulele means jumping flea in Hawaiian, by the way.

[Gimpson]

Banjo!!!! Also, Bela Fleck, who I might go see when I get home.

I saw Bela in Lawrence last night, and the show was not as rousing as I've seen in the past.  He does have a Ukelele player and a Theramin player with him this time...

[V-Adore]

Congratulations to Da Dawg on both upcoming kidlet and banjo. (I would also congratulate the other Dawg family members, but I am uncertain on congratulation etiquette regarding banjos. Also, it is "banjos," right? Not "banjoes?")

[Ben-San]

I believe the correct plural for banjo is the Hebraic "banjoth" with a hard th. If not, it probably should be.

[jay-ell]

I think the correct plural is "banjough."

[V-Adore]

I think the correct plural is "banjough."

The only problem with this is that I keep parsing this as "banjo, ugh," and I can't stop, even though I know that at least this banjoing occasion is one of joy.

[AugustWest]

I think the correct plural is "banjough."

In Soviet Union, Jough bans YOU!

[AlohaDawg]

Banjo!!!! Also, Bela Fleck, who I might go see when I get home.

I saw Bela in Lawrence last night, and the show was not as rousing as I've seen in the past.  He does have a Ukelele player and a Theramin player with him this time...

I hope I'm not the only person who said to him/herself "what is a theremin"? It sounds like an over the counter cold and flu medication.

Is this right ? Because if it is, now I have to get a pocket PC.

[slink]

I have always wanted a Theramin.

And worst is my friend who is an engineering grad could undoubtedly make me one if he wasn't so lazy and anime and porn steeped.

[andalucia]

I have always wanted a Theramin.

Yes, a thousand times yes.

Rad rad rad.

[wombat]

I was just being cross about what a theramin had to do with Atlanta, when I remembered that I'm a moderator of this forum.

Subsequently I realized that I'd mistakenly put 'birthday' in the title instead of 'Father's Day,' but I can't figure out how to change a title.

Carry on.

[jay-ell]

Subsequently I realized that I'd mistakenly put 'birthday' in the title instead of 'Father's Day,' but I can't figure out how to change a title.

To change a title, edit the "subject" line in the first post in the thread.  

It took me far too long to figure that out.  

Carry on, and nicely done.

[AlohaDawg]

I was about to ponder what the point was of splitting a thread in a wild card category, but you know, when you get Giddy on those mad mod powers, you gotta let them loose once in awhile, right?

Also, I still don't have a clue as to whether what I found, called a Theremin, is anything close to what you guys are talking about and keep calling a Theramin.

Edit: I am listening to Peter Pringle playing "Somewhere over the Rainbow" on the Theremin and it's, well, really spooky. Occasionally it eerily sounds like a human voice. Kind of like the end music from Star Trek which I am now pondering whether that was female voices or a few theremins. I don't think I could hear this music at night. It would be too weird and scary.