How to Keep a Banjo in Tune While Playing It
- 1). Tighten the head before you play so the banjo stays in tune while you use it. If pressing on the head with a finger changes the instrument's pitch, tighten the head. Use a small wrench to turn the hex nuts a quarter rotation at a time. Do not adjust them in order around the circle of the head. Instead, adjust one, then the one opposite it. Then go to the head's other axis and adjust the hex nuts at its ends. Finally, fill in the ones in between, always alternative sides of the head. This system keeps the tension balanced across the instrument.
- 2). Avoid putting stress on the neck while you play. If your banjo's neck does not fit tightly to the rim, the instrument's own weight against the strap may pull it out of tune, and you may need to play sitting down and support the banjo in your lap. If your banjo's neck does fit tightly, overstressing it will still warp the tuning, so avoid putting pressure on it.
- 3). Keep the button screws on the tuners tight. If the tuners will turn to a soft touch or from the force on the strings while you play, tighten them. They should remain loose enough to turn easily when you want them to, but too tight to turn by accident.
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