Hey there,
I just wanted to share with you this great new music from John Butler. Its banjo loop, you can join to me while I listen to this for 20th time. 
This makes me wanna play banjo sooo much… is banjo “same” like playing guitar? Do I need to learn only new chord shapes? Like if I can play guitar, I can play banjo at the same time? Any banjo player here? 
What do you think about this music? I really love John Butler.
The banjo he is playing in the video is a 5 string and if in standard tuning is G D G B D. There are also 4 string and 6 string. 6 string are tuned the same as a guitar.
Hi Michal,
nice share, sounds great! I love me a good banjo tune, too!
I own a 5-string Banjo and attempted to learn it a few years back (and plan on getting back at it in the future). As Rick mentioned, it is tuned differently than the guitar and the style of playing is also kind of different. Even though it’s a stringed instrument, too, it is different from playing guitar.
There are various ways of playing, most common is picking using metal finger picks and thre fingers as in Bluegrass and Country and shown in the vid, so there are some similarities to fingerstyle guitar. But due to the fifth string being the highest, it’s kind of different from feeling and articulation, especially as this highest string is played by the thumb and often more emphasized than the lower ones.
There is also a pick-strum-mix as often played and taught by Pete Seeger. A little different, but also widely used, is the so called frailing, a kind of pick-strum mix as well (I haven’t looked into that technique myself, though).
All these things have in common, that often accompaniment and melody playing are combined, which is quite tricky to learn in the beginning, as you have to really focus on which notes to accent, while having the accompanying ones as equal as possible - all of that mostly at high speed.
5-string Banjos are hardly ever used for strumming only, same for 4-stringed ones. 6-string Banjos can be played like a guitar easily, though. But that will be completely different from what is shown in the video you shared.
@stitch Good to know! Thanks. And do you know which version is most popular? Like guitar has string variations too, but 6 string is most common.
@Lisa_S Thank you for deep reply. I am working on fingerstyle blues on my 6 string acoustic guitar - maybe its foundation for being able to play banjo one day. I am gonna check techniques and names you mentioned, I wanna know more.
I really like this video and also that one where a guy is playing for the fox.
Banjo for fox here:
I think the 5 string is. It’s used a lot in Bluegrass and Country. The only song I know that uses a 6 string banjo is Mandolin Wind. Rod Stewart is playing one.
I agree, the 5-string Banjo is the most commonly used. The 4-string Banjo was common in Irish folk, but nowadays, I often see them use 5-strings, too.
The 6-strings make the transition from Guitar easier, as you can basically play it alike. It will have the tone of a Banjo, but not quite the sound. You will miss that typical “kick” from the high G with the 6-stringed version.
Working on fingerstyle on guitar is certainly a good training for picking the Banjo, too. Also some left hand techniques (Slides, Hammer-Ons and Flick-Offs) are common for both. Nevertheless, it will require a little relearning, but you will have a foundation to build on for sure. Good luck!
Hello Michal!
Lisa S. @Lisa_S is 
percent correct in the information she provided above. Many Bluegrass banjo players are accomplished guitar & mandolin players as well. A lot of strumming/picking hand techniques are very similar & “translate” well from instrument to instrument. Assuming that you are right handed, left hand techniques vary a bit as do the chord shapes. Other musical elements such as rhythm, keeping in time etc. are the same. I agree with Rick @stitch that 5 string is the most common/popular. John Butler & “the fox guy” are both playing open-back type of banjos - some have a heavy wooden back & are known as Resonator banjos.
Frailing (also known as Clawhammer) is essentially a discipline that’s different than fingerstyle guitar but mot impossible to master, given time & practice - the hard part is that a lot of banjo “strum patterns” (for lack of a better term) are very fast, even in slower songs. There are other methods to play banjo - in some cases they differ based on the type of banjo you play.
Here’s an interesting link to the types offered by the Deering Banjo Company… one of the premier makers here in the US.
Years ago, I had a banjo & was attempting to learn from method books with cassette tapes… I got frustrated with my lack of progress & gave the banjo away - one of my musical regrets…
I really love banjo in the mix of the music I love… it really adds an “Old Timey” feel to Country music & is almost a requirement for Bluegrass!
Can’t wait to see what you decide to do about this new-found GAS attack!!! 
Tod
@stitch thanks for reply. Gonna check them.
@Lisa_S Good to know that I am building foundation for something else, thanks.
@CATMAN62 Thank you for another deep reply. I am checking right now Thomann banjos. But I just want to know more about it… I am still beginner Grade 2 with my spin off with fingerstyle, so it will take time. I also got at home some Yamaha keyboard about 1 year which I have not touched yet and it wasnt cheap. Guess too many instruments isnt the way for me now. But I got my whole life in front of me, so maybe someday.
Interesting choice for an instrument. My quite limited knowledge about banjo suggests that bluegrass is a bit like acoustic shredding with lots of intricate patterns.
As for guitarists, John Lennon’s first instrument was actually the banjo taught to him by his mother. Jerry Garcia also started on banjo and moved on to the guitar later on. Steve Martin (the comedian) is an accomplished banjo player. Among contemporary players, Béla Fleck seems to be the most appreciated, he plays in a variety of styles.
This is a sort of banjo classic (the whole film is not so idyliic):
Hello Józef!
The guitar part of “Dueling Banjos” is not easy but it is reachable for an Intermediate guitarist.
The Intro was the first thing I learned by ear & any time I play the first 9-10 notes, it is immediately recognized by anyone listening!!!
It’s very fun song to play even at a reduced tempo (my version!!!) & as a plus, no singing required!!!
Tod