The first banjo roll I’m going to teach you is the forward roll. You have to be proficient at the forward roll if you are going to play bluegrass banjo, so let’s get down to business. Your thumb picks down on the 5th string, your index finger picks the 2nd and your middle picks the 1st string.
This exercise is written using eighth notes and is counted like so: One and Two and Three and Four and. As usual make sure to count while you are playing and keep a slow, steady pace. The counting for this example is written as 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + . . . repeat.
Listen to The Forward Roll Here:
Practice the forward roll until you can play it smoothly. When you feel comfortable and confident with the forward roll, it is time to increase your speed. Remember not to sacrifice accuracy for speed, in other words, there is no sense in playing fast if you can’t play well.
What you should know.
- The forward roll on the banjo.
- How to count eighth notes.
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