instruments

Banjo

Roll Into Bluegrass Banjo

12 lessons4 modules9h 0m durationbeginner level

Instructor: StretchLearn Faculty

About this course

This course teaches the three-finger Scruggs picking style that defines bluegrass banjo, built on the standard open G tuning (gDGBD). You move from holding the instrument and reading tablature through forward, backward, and alternating-thumb rolls, the G-C-D chord vocabulary, and left-hand color tools like slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and chokes. By the end you can play simple tunes with a clean, driving roll and keep your banjo in tune and in good condition.

Curriculum

Module 1: Meet the Banjo and Open G Tuning3 lessons

Anatomy of the 5-String and Why the Fifth String MattersPreview45m
Tuning to Open G (gDGBD)🔒45m
Holding the Banjo and Fitting Fingerpicks🔒45m

Module 2: The Foundation Rolls3 lessons

The Forward Roll🔒45m
Backward and Alternating-Thumb Rolls🔒45m
The Forward-Reverse Roll and Pinch Patterns🔒45m

Module 3: Chords and Fretting-Hand Technique3 lessons

The G, C, and D7 Chords🔒45m
Slides, Hammer-Ons, and Pull-Offs🔒45m
The Choke and Up-the-Neck Chord Shapes🔒45m

Module 4: Your First Tunes and Instrument Care3 lessons

Reading Banjo Tablature🔒45m
Playing Cripple Creek and Boil Them Cabbage Down🔒45m
Head Care, Bridge Setup, and String Changes🔒45m