What are the differences in plectrum, tenor, 5-string, and 6-string banjos?
A Plectrum banjo has 22 frets and is tuned in an unusual way: C-G-B-D. This tuning creates “narrow” voicing which can make for mellower sounding chords. Also, more intricate and subtle chords can be played on the plectrum. That’s why many believe the plectrum is better suited for “chord melody” playing. The plectrum banjo is usually strummed with a flat pick using chords and is traditionally associated with Dixieland jazz and 1920s pop music. While good for chords, plectrum tuning can be challenging for single string work when compared to the tenor because the tuning from string to string is not symmetrical. A tenor banjo usually has 19 frets – sometimes 17 frets – and is tuned in fifths: C-G-D-A. That tuning makes chords “bright” because of the range of tones from the high string to the low. (The range of tones in a chord from high to low – or low to high – is called the “voicing.”) The tenor banjo has a wide voicing when compared to the plectrum. Because a tenor is tuned in fifths, s
