5-String Banjo Left Hand Technique

Subject: Tell me it ain't so
Date: Sun, 09 May 2004 19:03:57 -0700

Is the left thumb used to press on any string while playing a 5-string banjo?
I have a left thumb but the middle joint is missing, this makes the thumb
stiff at the middle joint. A banjo player told me a long time ago that I can
not play a 5-string banjo if I can't bend the left thumb to press on the strings;
Is the correct?

Greetings,

There are some players that do use the thumb when above the 5th string...never below that I've seen...

Now, I personally prefer to always use my fingers when fretting the 5th string...and never my thumb. So, it's really personal choice and certainly is not a requirement in the effort to learn to play banjo. Hence, yes, you can learn banjo without using your thumb to fret the 5th string; I've been playing without fretting with my thumb for over 30 years now...Mickey
--