Myth: The Head Should Be As Tight As Possible
There are many myths surrounding the banjo that are repeated on line, in conversations and even in magazines. Some of these myths have been repeated so often that they have become “folklore” or “legends” or what is worse, “assumed to be fact.” Some myths are purely false, some are “not the whole story” and some reflect a subjective opinion, but are not fact and some…well, you can be the judge.
Myth: The Head Should Be As Tight As Possible
SUBJECTIVE: The tighter the head, the snappier the banjo. BUT…. When the head is extremely tight, the fourth string sounds very thin. The tighter head reduces the bass response. If a head is too loose, the banjo can’t resonate quickly, it becomes sluggish. That sluggishness is preferred by some players as it is interpreted as “plunky” or “old fashioned” or “traditionally desirable”.
We tune our banjo heads in between G and G# which is where most pickers seem to like their banjo head tension. Some players tune their heads around A, B or even (wince…) C. Head tension is absolutely a matter of personal preference and the sound of the banjo is the focus, not the note the head is tuned to. The “tuning the head to a note” reference is just a guide. It is good to try several degrees of tension to determine what you like. (Also, it’s best to tune the head “between” notes…not to an exact not… hence we tune between G and G#.)
We will address many more "myths" in future emails. Stay tuned....
