User:Jacqke/Frank B. Converse

Frank B. Converse (1837-1903) was a banjoist in both the minstrel and classic-style banjo traditions, who wrote several banjo-instruction methods. He was a banjo teacher in St Louis, Memphis, and New York, and proponent of notation for banjo music. He taught both the stroke (clawhammer) and guitar-style (classic-style). After retiring from performing, he continued to teach. One of his final performances was with George W. Gregory, with whom he performed after being off the stage for 15 years.

He acted as Gregory's manager for an unknown period.

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Converse settled in New York in mid-1862.(126) He focused on teaching and published Frank B. Converse's New and Complete Method for the Banjo With or Without a Master and Frank B. Converse's Banjo Instructor Without a Master. (126) His methods taught both stroke/clawhammer and "Guitar style". Stroke is derived from African-American methods of playing the banjo and uses the thumb and one finger to pick out a rhythm and melody. The sound of back and forth between lower thumb and higher finger notes allows a two part call and answer pattern in the music.

In guitar style the player used the thumb and 3 or 4 fingers; the style allowed runs of notes and taken to its extremes (like men such as Alfred A. Farland, William A Huntley and George Washington Gregory) lost its banjo-like rhythm as it played European classical, parlor music, marches. However, that required years of work to achieve. Converse wrote books allowing players to progress to simple melodies into more complex songs, reading sheet music to learn new songs.

His books let people play popular music, some of it minstrel themed.