Jordan is a Hard Road (Minstrel banjo, Briggs 1855)

A somewhat sloppy rendition of Thomas Briggs' 1855 arrangement of Jordan Is a Hard Road, played on a Menzies tackhead banjo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jordanisahardroad
• briggs
• banjo
• earlybanjo
• minstrel
• 1855

[pkalldayful]

i have a very important questions im makeing a tackhead banjo because im 15 and dont have enough money and have already built a guitar if i put a truss rod in the neck will i beable to put steel strings on it or the tension of the head wont beable to tak eit?

[usonian]

@pkalldayful, Those are good questions! My guess is that steel strings on a skin, tack head might be too much tension - but I am no expert. Have you checked out the Banjo makers group on Yahoo? groups.yahoo.com/group/banjoma­kers/

[pkalldayful]

@usonian i will check it out thank u very much

[PanWilson]

My oh my. There's a timing challenge. Good job!

[usonian]

@haygarthtony Yes, just downpicking with the back of the index finger nail and thumb. The mechanics are more or less like clawhammer, but there's more rhythmic variety in a lot of the early style tunes.