Banjo forum recommendations

andyg_prs

Sorry - wasn’t sure which forum to use. 

Any recommendations for Banjo forums? - I just started to fill in for a player we lost from our country band.

The song in question is Not Fair, Lily Allen. 

There’s no banjo videos / tutorials / tab for it. Even the banjo on the original video is mimed. 

I can play the chords and even banjo rolls that fit - but it just sounds like me playing guitar on a banjo!

I’ve tried one forum but no responses. 

Any recommendations for forums?

Thanks
Andy

barnstorm

Assume the one you've tried is Banjo Hangout? Certainly the place with the most knowledgeable people, but it skews a bit old and traditional. Not to say you won't get helpful responses eventually.

As someone who doesn't play banjo but enjoys some banjo music, I'd just say that there's nothing wrong with a slightly 'guitaristic' approach. This is a great video that includes (a fragment of) the same piece played in the three main styles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpUq6P5Avo8 

I don't know the Lily Allen song, but if the part just seems wrong to you played in any style other than Scruggs, note that slides and hammer-ons are as big a part of the sound as the roll. There are masses of 'Scruggs-style for beginners' resources, and I'd bet if you work through a video or two on YouTube you'll quickly pick up enough to change the feel of what you're playing.

andyg_prs

Yup, that's the forum.  That playing just blows my mind and shows how far away I am from being a banjo player.....and yes, I need to work through stuff....it's just that I am playing with the band on Thursday so had hoped to shortcut how to get from where I am to where I need to be a bit faster....I'll keep ploughing away.

barnstorm

I'm sure you'll get there quickly as it is. Clawhammer's a different story – have periodically tried learning a bit on ukulele and made minimal progress. Absolute sorcery.