What Is the Origin of the 5-String Banjo?
There's no one inventor of the five-string banjo, and instruments similar to it have existed in many cultures and locations, including India, Africa and the Middle East. Today's instrument is a direct descendant of one played by slaves in the American South. That instrument was adopted and adapted, becoming mainstream during the 19th century, as minstrel performances exposed audiences to the instrument.
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Description
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The five-string banjo has a round body, a neck and five strings, with the fifth string shorter than the others for use as a "drone" string.
Ancestor
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The direct ancestor of the modern banjo is a gourd instrument with neck and strings attached, which moved to the United States and West Indies from Africa with the slave trade.
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Historical References
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References to the banjo's gourd ancestor start in the early 1600s, when explorer Richard Jobson saw it during his travels to Africa. In the 17th and 18th century, the instrument was played in the West Indies, and Thomas Jefferson wrote about the use of the "Banjar" by slaves in 1781.
Music
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As it developed, the musical genres that incorporate the banjo include Appalachian, minstrel, classical, jazz, Celtic and bluegrass.
Adoption
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After the banjo began spreading beyond the plantation, it was first popular in the context of minstrel shows, traveling beyond the U.S. by the miid-18th century; then enjoyed popularity as a parlor instrument, where players adopted a style of playing inspired by classical guitar; and finally, after a fading popularity, enjoyed revival as a bluegrass instrument in the mid-20th century.
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Resources
- Photo Credit The Jimston Journal
