“Rob brings many things to the table that the banjo world desperately needs: A high level of music education/knowledge, a proven, critically-acclaimed performance record on several fretted instruments, a strong sense for historical preservation, a delicate musical touch on an instrument mostly known for loud and fast entertainment, and—the thing I personally need the most—a swift kick in the pants! He is raising the musical bar for all of us, and I for one look forward to the hard work ahead just to try to keep up.” Ron Hinkle
Rob, I think he (A. J. Weidt) IS being recognized, and it’s due to the wonderful work that you do for the BANJO world! Needless to say your ability and performance of the material is strikingly wonderful. You bring a Noble Legitimacy to the banjo world that has been missing for far too long! We all owe a debt of thanks to you for bringing these wonderful things to our attention. These last few years have brought some new heroes of the banjo to me and you my friend are certainly one of them!! Your friend Eddy (Davis)
Bach on the Tenor and Cello Banjos
Overview of Tenor and Plectrum Banjos
The Deering Eagle II Plectrum Banjo
Frank Littig – early tenor banjo composer
Raising The Standard – Traditional Tenor Banjo
The Scottish Early Ragtime Orchestra
Pegs on Cole Banjorine, c.1890
Rob MacKillop ~ Musician 
Rob, don’t know how you feel about oriental music (Vietnamese, specifically) but here’s an instrument and technique you might find interesting. Sort of a three string fretless (and very long necked) banjo-like instrument, and a one finger strike-in-both-directions technique (as well as I could tell from the video). I believe this is the instrument known as the Dan Tam, but I’m not certain. If so, it’s covered with snake or lizard skin and is remarkably close to a banjo sound.
Cheers, John. Thanks for that – it does indeed sound like a gut-strung fretless banjo. Where is the percussion sound emanating from? Inside the body? And is it some kind of gourd? Very nice.
I’m pretty sure that the jingly percussion sound is from an instrument made from several chains of linked metal rings joined at the top and played by bouncing it up and down (by somebody off-camera). Various web pages say the dan tam has a soundboard with holes in it and is covered in snake skin. They also say it’s played with a pick as well as fingers. I saw a short video of pick playing but I accidentally closed the window and can’t find it again. Played that way, it sounded like a very deep banjo playing something close to slide Delta Blues. I couldn’t find a better description of it in English. It’s a little annoying that I don’t know more about it since I actually plucked at one a bit, a very long time ago. I’d mostly forgotten about it until somebody posted that video on the Delcamp forum. Anyway, I’m glad you found it interesting. Cheers – John.
There are a few moments where the jingle syncs perfectly with her finger stroke, but that might just be good ensemble playing! But it did make me wonder. There are some African instruments with jingles on the instrument. Anyway, I do appreciate hearing this. Thanks again, John.
Hey Rob, I’ve followed all your channels on youtube for a very long time. I love your work with baroque style guitars. The other day I was handed a tenor banjo that someone was trying to get rid of. I play five string and mandolin among others so im giving it a go. I’m trying to find some music to get into the repretore. I like the stuff you play on four strings and I really like the sound of Irish music but all the Irish tenor banjo players I can find play so fast that they don’t let the melody or any tone come through. Any suggestions on who I should listen to?
Hi Joshua,
Thanks for your nice comments. I don’t know anyone playing the stuff I play. That’s not at all arrogant of me, it’s just that the tenor players I’ve heard play either jazz or Irish styles. I like those styles, but prefer the earlier styles which are not popular any more. More’s the pity. There are free scores elsewhere in my banjo pages, so have a look, but almost nothing in tab. You have to learn to read the dots – maybe you can already. Any questions, just ask.
Rob
hello rob your pages are great I wanted to ask you about the way to play bass call clawhammer banjo has some historical relationship with the styles that you comment or is more a modern invention a greeting
What do you mean by “bass call”?
hello what is low is a mistake when writing my computer has some keys that costs to press only I refer to the technique that is seen in next video
Ok. Clawhammer is a slightly different technique, similar too. In the old minstrel style, the 5th string is not used as much as in clawhammer, and the index finger plays sometimes extended passages on its own.
hello rob thanks for the information if it is similar to the style you tell me … the clawhammer if it reminds me more the way to play the acoustic guitar of the old bluesmen as more rhythmic hitting the string