Starting Banjo. (c)2006 David Raleigh Arnold  Not to be sold.           p1 of 3 
Contact info: http://www.openguitar.com, or 703-573-6955

These two maps of the fretboard show where most of the notes on the banjo are.
String indications are usually within circles, but here you find parentheses.
Make notes by pressing the end of your finger on the string 3/16 of an inch
behind the fret. The most important thing about left hand position is that the
thumb is straight across the neck, and never along it. Having the thumb along
the neck is the worst habit that a beginner can acquire. The left wrist may
bend out as much as necessary, but should not bend in toward the neck. If you
are left handed, it is best to get a left handed instrument, and visualize
charts like these by imagining that you are looking through the neck from
behind. Do not make left handed diagrams.

    Location of Notes            Relative Tuning Diagram (0) = open string
(5)(4)(3)(2)(1) = string
 |  d  g  b  d' = Open string    d  g  b  d' Starting with g(0), tune b(0)
 |  __________                   __________  from b(3), tune d'(0) from d'(2),
 |  ---------- = nut             ----------  tune d(0) from d'(2), and tune
 V  |  |  |  |                   |  |  |  |  g'(0) from g(0).
    |  |  c' | = on 1st fret     |  |  |  |
    ---------- = 1st fret        ----------          2
    |  |  |  |                   |  |  |  |       1  /\ 3
    e  a  |  e' = on 2nd fret    |  |  |  |       /\ || /\ 4 
    ----------                   ----------    _  || || || /\
    |  |  |  |                   |  |  |  |   ( \ || || || ||
    f  |  |  f' = on 3rd fret    |  |  d' |    \ \|| || || ||
    ----------                   ----------       Left Hand
    |  |  |  |                   |  |  |  |                   m <-- middle
    |  |  |  f#'                 |  b  |  |      index --> i  /\ a
    ----------                   ----------                /\ || /\ q
    |  |  |  |                   |  |  |  |  thumb --> t_  || || || /\
 g' |  |  |  g'               g' g  |  |  g'           ( \ || || || ||
 -------------                -------------             \ \|| || || ||
 |  |  |  |  |                |  |  |  |  |               Right Hand

Automatic chromatic tuners vary from $90 to $12 or less. Be cheap, but get one.
Over the years, it can save you a whole lot of time.  Use a gift guitar tuner
and be thankful, but do not buy one.

The old style of playing chords is to strike downward with the nail side of the
RH index finger.  If you are doing that, keep your thumb on the (4) string.
The guitar or bluegrass style is to use t for (3), i for (2), m for (1).  For
these chords play only the first three (3)(2)(1) strings for now.

 G     C     D7    G7     Em    E     Am    E7    A7    B7    D     A     Dm
====  ====  ====  ====   ====  ====  ====  ====  ====  ====  ====  ====  ====
||||  ||||  ||||  ||||   ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||
||||  ||1|  ||1|  ||||   ||||  |1||  ||1|  |1||  ||||  |||1  ||||  ||||  ||||
++++  ++++  ++++  ++++   ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++
||||  ||||  ||||  ||||   ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||
||||  |||3  |2||  ||||   |||3  |||3  |2|3  ||||  ||23  |2||  |1||  |111  |1||
++++  ++++  ++++  ++++   ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++
||||  ||||  ||||  ||||   ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||
||||  ||||  ||||  |||4   ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||||  ||2|  ||||  ||23
++++  ++++  ++++  ++++   ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++  ++++
                                                             ||||
In old books you may see x instead of t, a dot instead       |||4
of i, and two dots instead of m.                             ++++