Free Introductory Lesson
Banjo Lessons in Colorado Springs, Taught by Bluegrass Players
Learn three-finger (Scruggs) or clawhammer banjo from teachers who play in bluegrass bands. Rocky Mountain Academy of Music teaches private banjo lessons for kids, teens, and adults at our studio on North Academy Blvd near Union, for first-time pickers and experienced players alike. Your first lesson is free, so you can meet your teacher and see how lessons work before you commit. Students come to us from all over town, from Manitou Springs D14 and Cheyenne Mountain D12 to Academy District 20 and Falcon D49.
Who Banjo Lessons Are For
- Complete beginners. No experience or music reading needed.
- Guitar players adding banjo for bluegrass, folk, or Americana
- Bluegrass fans who want to learn Scruggs-style three-finger picking
- Old-time music lovers drawn to the rhythmic sound of clawhammer banjo
- Players who want to jam or join a string band
- Adults. Plenty of our banjo students are adults learning the instrument they’ve always wanted to play.
From Your First Roll to Your First Jam
Lessons are built around your goals and the styles you love. Most students work through:
- Rolls and right-hand basics. Forward, backward, and alternating rolls, the foundation of bluegrass banjo. Or the clawhammer stroke, if old-time is your goal.
- Left-hand techniques, including slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs
- Your first tunes. Classic songs in open G tuning that sound good early, learned from tab and by ear.
- Breaks and backup. How to take a solo, vamp chords, and play behind a singer or fiddler.
- Timing and tone, working with a metronome so your playing is steady and clean
- Playing with others. The tunes, keys, and habits that let you keep up at a jam or in a string band.
Every student moves at their own pace. Weekly lessons keep you progressing steadily, and a teacher can catch right-hand habits early, before they slow you down.
Meet Your Banjo Teachers
Both of our banjo teachers have played banjo in bluegrass bands, so your lessons sound like the music you came here to play. We’ll match you with the teacher who best fits your goals and schedule.
George Willis
Our banjo specialist. George plays banjo, mandolin, and fiddle in bluegrass bands and teaches both three-finger and clawhammer, from first roll to advanced breaks. He trained at the CU Boulder College of Music, plays as a substitute with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and has taught private lessons since 2018. Read George’s bio
Dan Swanagon
Dan has played banjo in a bluegrass band and has more than 25 years of performing behind him, much of it on contemporary and jazz guitar. He teaches beginning banjo, and guitar players adding banjo get a teacher who knows both instruments well. Read Dan’s bio
Book Your Free First Lesson
Tell us a little about the student, and we’ll email you within 24 hours to find a time. Prefer a call or text? Just let us know.
After your free lesson, private lessons start at $149 per month for a weekly 30-minute lesson, with no long-term contract. Rather talk? Call 719-722-0248
“Great place to learn and be around other musicians. The staff is super friendly and fun to be around, I highly recommend this Academy.”
Three-Finger and Clawhammer Banjo
Most students learn the five-string banjo, the instrument of bluegrass and old-time music. There are two main ways to play it. Three-finger style, also called Scruggs style, uses finger picks and fast, rolling patterns. It’s the sound of bluegrass. Clawhammer uses a downward strike with the back of your fingernail and your thumb on the short fifth string. It’s the relaxed, rhythmic sound of old-time music. George teaches both, and either is a great place to start.
A Little Banjo History
The banjo’s roots are in West Africa. Enslaved Africans brought the knowledge of gourd-bodied lutes to the Americas, and the early banjo was born from that tradition. By the 1800s, it had become one of America’s most popular instruments, and the four-string tenor banjo powered early jazz bands in the 1920s.
In 1945, Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, and his three-finger style became the defining sound of bluegrass. Since then, players like Béla Fleck have taken the banjo into jazz and classical music, and bands like Mumford & Sons brought it to rock and pop audiences around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need my own banjo?
Yes. You’ll need a banjo for lessons and for practice at home. If you don’t have one yet, tell us when you book, and we’ll help you choose between a resonator banjo for bluegrass and a lighter open-back banjo for clawhammer.
Should I learn three-finger or clawhammer?
Pick the style that matches the music you love. Three-finger is the sound of bluegrass; clawhammer fits old-time and folk. George teaches both, and many players eventually learn both.
Do I need to read music?
No. Most banjo players learn from tab, a simple system that shows you where to put your fingers, and by ear. Your teacher will show you both.
I play guitar. Can I learn banjo?
Yes. Your chord knowledge and rhythm will help, but the banjo is tuned differently and uses different right-hand techniques. Dan and George both play guitar too, so they can help you make the switch.
What age can my child start banjo lessons?
Many kids start around ages 8 to 10, once they can comfortably hold the instrument. Younger players often start on a lighter open-back banjo. Adults are welcome at any age, and many of our banjo students are adults.
Is the banjo hard to learn?
The banjo rewards beginners quickly. In open G tuning, rolls sound good even when you’re just starting. Speed and clean timing take practice, and that’s where a teacher helps most.
How long are lessons, and what do they cost?
Choose 30, 45, or 60-minute private lessons. Your first lesson is free, and lessons start at $149 per month for a weekly 30-minute lesson after that, with no long-term contract.
Schedule Your Free Banjo Lesson
Meet George or Dan, talk about your goals, and see if lessons are a good fit. Call us at 719-722-0248 or send us a message to book your free introductory banjo lesson.
Rocky Mountain Academy of Music · 5426 North Academy Blvd, Ste 101 · Colorado Springs, CO 80918