LEARNING BANJO IS EASY.

Whether your dream is to play clawhammer or bluegrass, you can learn banjo and learn quickly. Just follow our lessons in order.

LEARNING

BANJO IS EASY

Whether your dream is to play clawhammer or bluegrass, you can learn banjo and learn quickly. Just follow our lessons in order.

LEARNING BANJO IS EASY.

Whether your dream is to play clawhammer or bluegrass, you can learn banjo and learn quickly. Just follow our lessons in order.

Bluegrass Banjo

 

Also known as three-finger style or Scruggs-style (after Earl Scruggs whose innovative approach influenced generations of players)  the picking consists of an up-picking motion by the fingers and a down-picking motion by the thumb. Traditionally the player wears finger picks on the thumb, index and middle fingers.

Clawhammer Banjo

A much older style of banjo playing, often referred to as “old-time banjo”, clawhammer picking is primarily a down-picking style. The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept fairly stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist and/or elbow, rather than a flicking motion by the finger.

Bluegrass Banjo

Also known as three-finger style or Scruggs-style (after Earl Scruggs whose innovative approach influenced generations of players)  the picking consists of an up-picking motion by the fingers and a down-picking motion by the thumb. Traditionally the player wears finger picks on the thumb, index and middle fingers.

Clawhammer Banjo

A much older style of banjo playing, often referred to as “old-time banjo”, clawhammer picking is primarily a down-picking style. The hand assumes a claw-like shape and the strumming finger is kept fairly stiff, striking the strings by the motion of the hand at the wrist and/or elbow, rather than a flicking motion by the finger.

Banjo Mountain Students

Just before my 78th birthday, I decided it was about time to actually learn the banjo, something I’ve wanted to do since the 1980’s.  I bought a new Deering Goodtime 5-string and searched YouTube for beginner lessons.  I tried several before I discovered The Banjo Mountain, but when I did, I knew I’d found the right place to start.

The site design is excellent — simple, straightforward, and easy to understand and navigate.  It also has a a metric-buttload (a old programmer’s term) of well-organized content.

There are hundreds of lessons, comprising both videos (with professional production values, unlike the sometimes hard-to-watch amateur attempts) and supplemental materials like tablatures for the lesson, which I often print out so I can refer to them when practicing.

H. Marc Lewis

Retired Software Programmer, Spokane Valley, WA

I started playing banjo about a year ago. I started with bluegrass style as I really wanted to play along with my husband and his guitar. Later I decided to try clawhammer style as well. Banjo Mountain has both!

I have corrected some bad habits I learned while using Youtube and I am really doing well now (my husband is impressed). Banjo Mountain lessons are very helpful and I am feeling more successful!

Belinda M.

Adirondacks, NY

Banjo Mountain Students

Just before my 78th birthday, I decided it was about time to actually learn the banjo, something I’ve wanted to do since the 1980’s.  I bought a new Deering Goodtime 5-string and searched YouTube for beginner lessons.  I tried several before I discovered The Banjo Mountain, but when I did, I knew I’d found the right place to start.

The site design is excellent — simple, straightforward, and easy to understand and navigate.  It also has a a metric-buttload (a old programmer’s term) of well-organized content.

There are hundreds of lessons, comprising both videos (with professional production values, unlike the sometimes hard-to-watch amateur attempts) and supplemental materials like tablatures for the lesson, which I often print out so I can refer to them when practicing.

H. Marc Lewis

Retired Software Programmer, Spokane Valley, WA

I started playing banjo about a year ago. I started with bluegrass style as I really wanted to play along with my husband and his guitar. Later I decided to try clawhammer as well. Banjo Mountain has both!

I have corrected some bad habits I learned while using Youtube and I am really doing well now (my husband is impressed). Banjo Mountain lessons are very helpful and I am feeling more successful!

Belinda M.

Adirondacks, NY

200+ BANJO LESSONS

WITH BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED COURSES IN BOTH BLUEGRASS AND CLAWHAMMER. CHECK OUT “PONY EXPRESS” TO SEE OUR QUALITY.

A PERFECT LESSON

MULTIPLE CAMERA ANGLES TO CLEARLY SEE THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND AS WELL AS THE INSTRUCTOR.

TABLATURE

ALL SONGS COME WITH TABLATURE (A MUSICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE SONG) AND WE TEACH YOU HOW TO READ IT. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THEM OUT.

CHAPTER MARKERS

USE CHAPTER MARKERS TO JUMP TO A PARTICULAR MEASURE OF THE SONG YOU ARE PRACTICING. TRY IT ON “JOHNSON BOYS” BY CLICKING ON THE THREE LINES WITH DOTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VIDEO PLAYER BAR.

A PERFECT LESSON

MULTIPLE CAMERA ANGLES TO CLEARLY SEE THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND AS WELL AS THE INSTRUCTOR. CHECK IT OUT IN “SHADY GROVE.”

TABLATURE

ALL SONGS COME WITH TABLATURE (A MUSICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE SONG) AND WE TEACH YOU HOW TO READ IT. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THEM OUT.

CHAPTER MARKERS

USE CHAPTER MARKERS TO JUMP TO A PARTICULAR MEASURE OF THE SONG YOU ARE PRACTICING. TRY IT ON “JOHNSON BOYS” BY CLICKING ON THE THREE LINES WITH DOTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VIDEO PLAYER BAR.

FOLLOW THE PATH

Stop wasting time on Youtube. Follow our step-by-step path as we take you from the first step of how to hold a banjo into the proficiency of playing your first song!

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

When you start a course, you can track how far along in the course you’ve progressed. Easily jump back to the lesson you left off at any time.

John has been teaching both Bluegrass and Clawhammer Banjo for over 30 years to students ranging from 5 years old to folks in their mid-seventies. He has toured the world playing banjo as well as recorded for artists like The Wrecking Crew.

FULL ACCESS TO 200+ LESSONS

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3-Month Subscription

$25/month
  • Full access to Banjo Mountain (200+ lessons) for $75 saving you over 35%.

  • Bills every 3 months. Cancel anytime.

1-Month Subscription

$40/Month
  • Full access to Banjo Mountain (200+ lessons) for $40.

  • Bills monthly. Cancel anytime.

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