Banjo is a stringed musical instrument that has a round metal or wooden body and a long fretted (ridged) neck. The body is actually a small drum with a tightly stretched skin, called a head, on one side. Most banjos have five strings. These strings extend from the pegbox, at the top of the neck, to the tailpiece, on the far side of the head. The strings are supported by a low, flat bridge on the head. The player plucks the strings with the thumb and fingers of the right hand or with a plectrum (pick). The fingers of the left hand press down on the strings along the neck to create different notes.
The banjo may have originated in Africa or Asia. Black slaves from western Africa brought the instrument to the Western Hemisphere. During the early 1900’s, the banjo was used as a rhythm instrument in jazz bands. Today, it is used primarily to play folk and country music.
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