Irish Banjo Lessons

Welcome to my suggested Learner Paths.

If you’re new or feeling overwhelmed by the many lessons available, these curated paths will help guide you. I’ll keep updating and adding new lists as fresh lessons become available, so you’ll always have a clear direction on your learning journey.

Beginner's Path

Technique Path

Challenging Path

Lessons with a strong beginner technique focus

Lessons designed to improve an array of techniques

A series of more challenging lessons

  • Toss The Feathers

    A very comprehensive lesson on picking and ornamentation

  • Sporting Paddy

    Triplets, Triplets and more triplets! I discuss all of the ways that you can play and place ornamentation in a reel

  • The Musical Priest

    A terrific lesson on difficult high B notes and how to play, avoid and substitute the awkward notes and fingering

  • Jim Ward's Jig

    An in-depth discussion on jig picking patterns

  • The Black Frog

    I use this lesson to discuss several different ways you can vary jig rhythm using emphasis and ornamentation

  • The Mason's Apron

    Perhaps the biggest banjo tune of all time! This lesson takes in all 7 parts plus a wonderful version played by Micho Russell, called Micho's Masons

  • Pressed For Time

    This Scottish bagpiping tune offers tremendous opportunities to understand and master cross picking patterns

  • Banish Misfortune

    This jig lesson tackles the techniques of variation and using ornamentation to create many different moods in a tune

  • Fishers Hornpipe

    This is a big lesson on ornamentation, chords and awkward picking

  • Cousin Sally Brown

    This old time tune offers lots of opportunity to learn new techniques and new rhythmic emphasis