Friday, July 5, 2019

History Of Custom Made Banjos

By Timothy Edwards


Whatever it is that you have in mind. Nothing beats a melodious adventure in West Africa. West Africa has a very rich history and culture and up to date they have a wide and vast choices of musical instruments that we could always choose to learn any day. Today, I am very interested with one thing and it is their custom made banjos.

These Banjos has been hitting the online community recently. But before any thing else I will be sharing to you the history of this lovely instrument. Banjo is just one of the few instrument that is rich in history and in cultural relativity. It is one tool that has made a great impact to the lives of the people in West Africa.

Originating from West Africa since as early as the 17th century they have been calling this type of instrument as the gourd. The so called gourd is made out of horse hair for strings, a hollowed gourd and a wooden neck. It is also just one of the 60 plucked lute instruments to date.

What thrills me is the fact that the Banjo is the most under-ranked instrument in the family of strings. This could be caused by the mere fact that it is mainly functional but what lacks most of exposure. Banjos are once called out to be studio instruments not until its consistent exposure and promotion in the 1940s.

This string instrument is something that I find very easy to learn and to even play. It gives you a very defined, raw, metallic and rusty sound that is very different and organic to that of a guitars vibe. Mostly, you can find some of its uses in most folk and country music that are recently produced.

The guitar took place right after Banjos reign. It was exactly the replacement. In comparison, the guitar was way harder to use and needed much more grip than that of the banjo. The Banjo may have been softer in sound and is more organic and rustic but it has the capacity to produce a greater country effect that the guitar could not provide.

Underestimated might have been the term used by most people of the Banjo but what they do not know is of its wide contribution to the country and folk scene. It has also a great contribution to the singers who had made an impact as they are performing with their banjos on the stage.

I would say that this stunt in promoting Banjos again in the market is really something we could look forward to. Not only that we are preserving just a part of a culture but we are advancing in a length-waive of an empowered generation that is aware of an advocacy and of cultural musicality.

It is extremely exciting to hear more. I wish to have more promotions of ethnic instruments in any ways possible such as these as an example. The next time you think of learning an instrument do not forget to bring yourself to the nearest shop that offers you their custom made banjos.




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