This is PDF Document that was Early Banjo Primer. It is based on an in depth look at the Early Tutors, and the work of Frank Converse, showing a cohesive path from the Briggs' and Rice books up to the monumental work by Converse in 1886 where he codifies the technique developed on a folk instrument into a cohesive and definable style.
This is a collection of ten progressive works to implement the essentenial elements of Stroke Style playing. Learn these, and you will have no problem in playing 90% of the 19th Century repertoire.
The Rice "Strike" aka the Converse "Combination", major and parallel minor keys, playing higher on the neck, simple Dactyl and more complex odd rhythms, flowing fiddle-like single lines, pull-offs, hammer-ons, slurs, chords, 3/4 and 6/8 timing,
My most popular tutorial
THE KERR'S PROJECT
This adventure will dive into the great Kerr's Merry Melodies. This is a series of 4 fiddle books from the 19th Century . Traditionally, fiddle and violin musis was a great source of music for the 19th Century Banjo.
I present the material in 4 ways.....Tab, fingered and unfingered, as well as notation fingered and unfingered. The fingerings are the result of applying the principals found in the Analytical Banjo Method by Frank Converse. This does indeed, codify a folk tradition. It is done through a few basic principals.
The use of Strikes (or Combinations)
Use of the thumb and / or Hammer Strokes
Use of Pulls, Hammer ons , and Slurs
Using these techniques is what will create a flowing, banjo specific arrangement.