VIDEO: The Essential Canjo – Part 1 – Introduction

This is the first in a four-part video series introducing the Canjo. In this series Ben “C. B. Gitty” Baker will discuss and show you all aspects of the Canjo, from its history and importance, to its construction and makeup, to how to play it.

This video, Part 1, focuses on introducing the canjo and talking about how it is made, its historical origins, and what makes it special.

Part 2 covers more specifics on the anatomy of a canjo, and also discusses the special diatonic fretting method Gitty uses, as well as how to tune it. This part ends with a brief look at the American Canjo Company and its mission to revitalize the instrument.

Parts 3 and 4 cover How to Play the canjo, with Part 3 being more basic techniques, and part 4 showing you more advanced methods you can use to expand your playing.

VIDEO: The Essential Canjo – Part 2 – Anatomy of a Canjo

This is the second in a four-part video series introducing the Canjo. In this series Ben “C. B. Gitty” Baker will go over the various parts of the canjo, the special diatonic fretting method used on American Canjo Company canjos, the special “Blue Note” fret, and much more.

The next video in this series, Part 3, will cover tuning the canjo, reading canjo tablature, and finally show you how to play a could of basic songs.

The final video, part four, will show you more advanced methods you can use to expand your playing.

VIDEO: The Essential Canjo – Part 3 – How to Play, Tune & Read Tablature

In this third part of our four-part video series introducing the Canjo, Ben “C. B. Gitty” Baker will dig into the basics of how to play the instrumennt. He first discusses and shows you how to tune your canjo to the “standard” high D note (your canjo may be tuned to a different note depending on the string you used), then discusses how to read the American Canjo Company tab posted here at CigarBoxGuitar.com, and finally shows you how to play two well-known songs from the tab: Camptown Races and When the Saints Go Marching In. Numerous diagrams help illustrate the how-to concepts being presented.

The final video, part four, will show you more advanced methods you can use to expand your playing.

Video: Two Tenor Tunings for 4-string Cigar Box Guitars

In this excerpt from a Cigar Box Nation TV episode, A. J. Gaither and Ben “Gitty” Baker discuss two great tenor guitar tunings for 4-string cigar box guitars: “Arkansas Tenor” (low E, A, D, G) and “Chicago Tenor” (D, G, B, E). Both allow you to use partial 6-string guitar chords – Ben even shows you how to use 6-string chord forms with both of these tunings.

In this excerpt from a Cigar Box Nation TV episode, A. J. Gaither and Ben “Gitty” Baker discuss two great tenor guitar tunings for 4-string cigar box guitars: “Arkansas Tenor” (low E, A, D, G) and “Chicago Tenor” (D, G, B, E). Both allow you to use partial 6-string guitar chords – Ben even shows you how to use 6-string chord forms with both of these tunings.

Cigar Box Nation TV is a presentation of CigarBoxNation.com, the online home and rallying point of the cigar box guitar revolution. It is sponsored by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, the general store for all things cigar box guitar and homemade/handmade music – instruments, kits, parts and gear.

Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix – 3-string Open G GDG – Tablature for Cigar Box Guitars

Here is one of guitar god Jimi Hendrix’s best known recordings, Voodoo Child, as arranged and tabbed by Glenn Watt.

You can view the printable tablature sheet by clicking on the link or image below. You can also watch the video below where Glenn shows you how to play the song on his 3-string cigar box guitar tuned to Open G “GDG”.

Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix – Tablature for 3-string Cigar Box Guitars

Click the image above to view the printable tablature sheet.
Click the image above to view the printable tablature sheet.