I usually spike at B for the key of E, but never really liked the pingyness of spiking that high. I recently added a spike at g# for playing in E, and really like it. I could always just tune up, but my bandmates move too fast to be fiddling around with half step tuning between songs. I never even thought about tuning the high g down... I'm going to try that! Thanks!

Many recordings I hear on SiriusXM BG Junction nowadays seem to be pitched in F, probably some in E also. I seem to hear banjoists tuning the 5th string down to get the more normal 5th string "fit" in the rolls.

Go WAY back to the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers or Reno & Smiley to hear songs in F with banjo tuned down on all 5 strings! Of course, that takes a lot of time, or a second banjo, for a stage show.

John Hartford made the ultimate commitment to play Scruggs style open rolls in the key he was comfortable singing, which varied between E, E flat and D. Which led to the long scale Deering Hartford model intended for low open tuning.

I capo at A and play out of the D position.

Not at all “swampy”, but I capo 4, spike to B . Example …(shameless plug alert!). I'll try your method also...I like the "swampy" sound. Tony Trischka does a cool tune in G tuning called Bloozinee  https://youtu.be/y5HnZ_s88XA?si=CDw6W5VuuIqhYw4M

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Originally posted by Dean T

I usually spike at B for the key of E, but never really liked the pingyness of spiking that high. I recently added a spike at g# for playing in E, and really like it. I could always just tune up, but my bandmates move too fast to be fiddling around with half step tuning between songs. I never even thought about tuning the high g down... I'm going to try that! Thanks!

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I have a spike at g# and have never thought to use it for this. Great idea!

As one who's sometimes reasonably decent at 3,2,4,1/3,2,4,1/3,2,4,1/etc. as accompaniment/back-up/??  in the key of "G" [and bit less decent in A/C/D] when I hear "key of E," I get out my Newfie calculator* .... 1,4,5 = E,A,B .... and then figuratively roll my eyeballs, silently mutter "Give me a break!" and let my ears take over.  

* 

When Earl Scruggs played in E and had a break, he would nearly always tune his 5th string up one half tone to G#. Similarly in F he could us the 7th fret capo nail to make the 5th string an "A" note. This gave Earl his characteristic "sour note" when playing the 5th string on the IV chord. Sonny Osborne played this a lot in the 1950s.

Earl did not use a capo to play in E and F, he made full use of the fingerboard especially for low notes on the 4th string.

I very nearly take "offense" to rolling banjo breaks in E and F where the 5th string remains tuned to just G. G just don't work in those keys. Even worse, capoing all 5 strings on the 9th or 10th fret. ARRRGGGHH!

A note from clawhammer land: I use Minstrel Nylguts and tune the works down to eBEG#B. That fits the pitch of my vocal range for most songs while keeping the more familiar G tuning pattern. If and when I get arrested I'll let you know, so far so good. banjered

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Originally posted by pfalzgrass

I capo at A and play out of the D position.

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I was doing that for a while, but I found that I liked to play around with that seventh in the root, and it is so easy to bounce into and out of it playing the E chord, or part of the chord. But for some songs that still works well, and I will capo at the second fret and play out of the D if it sounds better, just not so much.

I still tune the fifth string down to an E, regardless. Which throws the other strings out of tune a bit, but over time I've gotten a lot faster at it. I've gotten a handle on how much twist it takes to get the other strings back in tune, going in either direction,  which helps speed it up. Also my ear is starting to distinguish between the E and the G well enough in combination to get me close on the fifth string.

I sure need to try your method. Lot of good songs out there in E. I never liked capo 4, as E needs to be a low tuning for my ear. What are songs in E you are playing?
My favourites are
- tell me baby why you‘ve been gone so long (Tony Rice)
- you ain‘t going nowhere (Bob Dylan)
Sonny Osborne also did some cool E tunings, eg up this hill and down

if you're just tuning the fifth string down to E, you're playing a G6 open chord which is also going to sound like E minor. Guitars and ukuleles use this too, the top string is the 6th of the most natural chord of the other strings (uke is C6, guitar is G6).

if you really want to play in E, try John Hartford tuning, which all strings are tuned down by 3 half steps. You'll want heavier strings, probably 12, 13 or 14, 17 or 18 plain or 20 wound, and 26 or 28 wound.

I use 12, 13, 18 plain, and 28 wound for F, which is a little tighter, but if you are used to light gauge it will work. My best sounding E set used 12.5, 14, 20w, and 28w. But I decided to stick to F so I backed off on the guages a little.

if you are playing with guitars and play in E a lot, it might make sense to switch, it is a very sweet sounding key for banjo.

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Originally posted by pfalzgrass

I sure need to try your method. Lot of good songs out there in E. I never liked capo 4, as E needs to be a low tuning for my ear. What are songs in E you are playing?
My favourites are
- tell me baby why you‘ve been gone so long (Tony Rice)
- you ain‘t going nowhere (Bob Dylan)
Sonny Osborne also did some cool E tunings, eg up this hill and down

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Deep River Blues, Shotgun Sally, King Bee, and Tulsa Time, just off the top of my head. There are others as well. We do You Ain't Going Nowhere in G. I shouldn't say "we", because I just play whatever anyone else wants to play in whatever key they want to play.

E can often sound good with the 5th string tuned down to F#. That 2nd degree of the scale can be surprisingly versatile and neutral. This is the same relationship as playing in uncapo'd F with unaltered G tuning.

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

E can often sound good with the 5th string tuned down to F#. That 2nd degree of the scale can be surprisingly versatile and neutral. This is the same relationship as playing in uncapo'd F with unaltered G tuning.

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I will try that and add it to my toolbox. The key of E is pretty versatile on the banjo once you accept it and start exploring the possibilities.

I keep one of my banjos with heavy strings permanently tuned low for Dflat to E songs. Very cool sound

I was at this jam awhile back and someone called "Rainy Day Women No.s 12 & 35" in the key of E. As usual I wasn't given time to spike my 5th string (it wasn't really a bluegrass jam) before they started so I just rolled with it playing the key of E with the 5th string left at the default G. It actually sounded pretty cool and was fun to play. Not saying it would work with most songs but with that particular one, it did.

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Originally posted by Mad Hornet

I was at this jam awhile back and someone called "Rainy Day Women No.s 12 & 35" in the key of E. As usual I wasn't given time to spike my 5th string (it wasn't really a bluegrass jam) before they started so I just rolled with it playing the key of E with the 5th string left at the default G. It actually sounded pretty cool and was fun to play. Not saying it would work with most songs but with that particular one, it did.

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I've done this on bluesy songs. You can even use many of your standard G licks with little or no modification--over an E chord in the backup.

anyone ever tune in open D and capo in A to play in E ?

its fun stuff you find there !

A lot of old country and western music is played in the key of E.I grew up with a steel,guitar and banjo playing Dad and piano playing Mom and we played a great many country and western songs in the key of E.
I found that treating all keys as if they were "G" allowed me to quickly understand what to do with all keys.
When playing in "E" I found that pretending the 4,5 and 6 E chord could be looked at as if it were the key of G playing the 7,8 and 9 "G" chord.

I like to play the chromatic/bluesy G lick (9 8 7 5th at 8/1st at 9) backed off 3 for the key of E open G tuning.
By treating the key of E as if it were G (minus 3) things are greatly simplified.
Another way I like is to spike the 5th at 7 and play the key of E as if it were "D".
I love the key of E all in the first 2 frets and the E7 in 0100.
Those glorious low notes!

Thumbfretting the 5th string carries over into all keys.