Banjo

The banjo came to America with the slaves when they were brought from Africa. Around 1840 minstrels started traveling the United States performing shows. Their shows usually included a banjo, a fiddle, and bones as a percussion instrument. This helped the banjo gain more widespread recognition and acceptance.

Modern banjos have four or five strings. The strings from lowest to highest are D-B-G-D-G. The top high G string is shorter than the rest of the strings. It doesn't run the length of the instrument like the rest of the strings. The neck of the banjo has frets that are used to shorten the vibrating part of the string in order to produce different notes.

Banjos can be found in bluegrass bands and other folk music ensembles. It has been used extensively in movie sound tracks.

Study the image provided and listen to the sound sample of the banjo to gain an understanding of this instrument.

Listen to a sample of the banjo: