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Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo
United Kingdom
Приєднався 1 лют 2022
This channel is all about teaching the clawhammer (also known as frailing) banjo. The lessons will take it slow and methodically, and explain every step of the way.
Looking at many banjo sites and UA-cam channels, and having taught clawhammer banjo to many students, I feel that most online resoures assume too much of new starters, and they can quite often end up feeling left behind or confuse by lessons that simply go too quickly. Hopefully this channel will not fall into that same mistake!
I'll also post videos of me playing music occasionally. Stay tuned!
Looking at many banjo sites and UA-cam channels, and having taught clawhammer banjo to many students, I feel that most online resoures assume too much of new starters, and they can quite often end up feeling left behind or confuse by lessons that simply go too quickly. Hopefully this channel will not fall into that same mistake!
I'll also post videos of me playing music occasionally. Stay tuned!
Fixing Your Dum Ditties - Three Big Mistakes
Are your clawhammer banjo dum ditties just not sounding right? Or are you just starting to learn how to play them?
Either way, this video should help you sort out your playing, and take it all to the next level! The three problems I talk about in this video are incredibly common, and pretty much all of my students need a bit of help sorting them out.
Either way, this video should help you sort out your playing, and take it all to the next level! The three problems I talk about in this video are incredibly common, and pretty much all of my students need a bit of help sorting them out.
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Відео
The Problem with Your Fretting Hand (Clawhammer Banjo)
Переглядів 26528 днів тому
Maybe a bit of a boring topic, but super important for any banjo player: this is all about how to hold your fretting hand! Hopefully you find this useful. If you have any questions, or anything isn't clear, just ask!
The Secret to Swinging With Clawhammer Banjo
Переглядів 413Місяць тому
If you want to know how to swing your dum ditties or just any clawhammer playing, this is the video for you! Just a straight forward explanation of what swing rhythm is, what it feels like, and how to play it! (As well as how NOT to play it, which is just as useful).
A Banjo Maritime Medley!
Переглядів 369Місяць тому
A bit of a clawhammer medley of maritime folk tunes - my arrangements of What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor, Sailor's Hornpipe and the theme to Captain Pugwash (which might only be known by British viewers!). Enjoy!
Rediscovering the Banjo After A Break
Переглядів 1722 місяці тому
I've not been playing as much for the last year, and my playing is very rusty! What are my tips for getting back to playing your instrument? How do I stay motivated and interested, and not too annoyed at feeling like I've stagnated? Watch this video to learn how to navigate taking a break from your instrument, and how to set youself up for success!
Dvorak's 9th symphony on clawhammer banjo. Does it work? 🤔
Переглядів 3,9 тис.10 місяців тому
Another arrangement of a classical piece for clawhammer banjo. It's pretty hard to play so has taken a while to get it down right. Still not sure how well it works! Hope you enjoy it
How to Play Cripple Creek For Absolute Beginners (Clawhammer Banjo)
Переглядів 23 тис.Рік тому
Are you an absolute beginner on clawhammer banjo? Are you sick of videos that don't go into enough detail, or go too fast? Well, this beginner 'how to play' lesson for Cripple Creek might just be for you! Tab: www.soundslice.com/slices/9gM4c #banjo #cripplecreek #musiclessons
The 10 Commandments of Clawhammer Banjo (How to Play Frailing for Beginners - Tips)
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Struggling to get your clawhammer playing up to speed? Confused about how to frail? This is the video for you - for beginners or intermediate banjo players, these 10 commandments (of clawhammer banjo) will help you massively with your practicing! These are the 10 commandments (but you should still watch the video): 1) sit up straight, with your banjo in your lap, between your legs, pointing sli...
Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Beginner Lesson 4 - Dum Ditty & More Chords!
Переглядів 313Рік тому
Welcome to lesson no. 4 for learning clawhammer (or frailing) banjo. These beginner lessons take it super slow, so in this video, I just take it one step further than the last one: we look at playing the 'dum ditty' rhythm, some chords, and just general tips The key thing for early players to remember is: to not worry about accuracy too much at first, and just try to get the general feeling of ...
Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 3 - Hitting One String at a Time & Chords
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Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 3 - Hitting One String at a Time & Chords
Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 2 - Dum Ditty and Basic Chords
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Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 2 - Dum Ditty and Basic Chords
Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 1 - The Right Hand
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Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo: Lesson 1 - The Right Hand
Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo - The Absolute Basics (Lesson 0)
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Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo - The Absolute Basics (Lesson 0)
Thank you. Great explanation, my friend.
I‘m an absolute beginner and your lessons a my salvation. Thank you very much. I love your way of talking and explaining. It feels like a real lesson.🪕🙏
@Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo Another question: At the end of part 1, you dont do 2 strums and 1 g string pluck like that tabs say. Whys that?
Great stuff! The best way for a beginner to understand a 'swing' rhythm is to think, "doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor."
I start by clawhammer, but end up as though strumming a guitar. The clawhammer does not seem to fit the tune.
Dumb ditty or bum ditty??
Either!
Some kitty, rum pity, yum city... It's all good!
Are you from Northern Ireland? You sound like Bear Grylls.
Nope! I'm from the North of England. I don't think I sound anything like Bear Grylls though! And he certainly doesn't sound like most people from Northern Ireland haha
Finally, someone highlights the importance of swing in old-time music! And emphasizes that simple accent patterns impart a dramatically enlivening effect via dynamic nuance. And advises the priority of timing and mechanics over note accuracy-brillIant advice! Notes are negotiable, sometimes negligible … and even mysteriously unimportant. (Timing is not.) A small side rant: I hear lots of instructors play their examples slow and straight, but when the exemplify the tune at faster speeds they fall into right their natural swing. The poor student dutifully learns everything as played, straight at slow tempos. Then when they put the pieces together and successfully add speed the result lacks the needed lilt, grace and swagger. Sad because it usually not any harder for a student to swing a tune at the outset, while learning it at slow tempos. And after all the hard work some students simple don’t realize that swing is the missing link.
Thanks for watching!
I would suggest that the biggest problem teachers have is that it is too easy to forget how poor a students understanding of rhythm sometimes (not always) is. For that reason, I recommend replacing the term "dum-diddy" with "dum-ah diddy". I see a lot of folks start out teaching themselves, and thinking there are just three things to attend to (and then assuming those three are roughly equal in time). They arrive at there first lesson with the idea that they are trying to play 123 with maybe a stress on the one. They will often say "ONE two three". That is wrong. They are actually wanting to learn to play 1234 with the "2" being silent "or quiet. This leads to the diddy being played too soon, because they don't realize there is an "ah" ( a 2). All this is just because of the misleading implication of there being THREE syllables in the term "bum-diddy". Bum-ah diddy as a revision immediately fixes this terminology problem. This is why, as suggested here, you gotta land the thumb on the fifth string on the 2, even if you don't pluck it. When you "unload" the thumb (without plucking it) on the 2, you get a very quiet note on the 2. But more importantly, now the 1 and 2 together are long enough to make the "correct" timing. I also say "1 ah 3 4" as opposed to "one two and" but that is just a personal preference.
Very well said! I say, Bum bah Chic ah.
@Tbowie13 yes!
You use your fingers more than your whole arm in the downstroke, from what I'm seeing here. Is that OK?
Using your arm and not your fingers prevents timing mishaps. Once your timing is solid, your fingers move to select particular strings to hit. With timing nailed down, you can use any combination of arm, wrist and fingers as needed. If you are starting out, stick to using your arm. Just my opinion, but I have been at clawhammer for quite a while and have taught a few people along the way.
How important is it to wear the banjo strap when practicing ?????
Any chance you could do a lesson breakdown of the Road to Sligo in E minor, that sounded amazing!!
This is an amazing video. I picked up a banjo recently, and the videos that you have made have really helped me make progress a lot quicker than I thought I would be able to. This may be the best among them. As someone who has done a fair bit of teaching in other areas, very good job boiling down as expansive a topic as playing an instrument to a concise beginner-friendly list with an actual organization structure (1 is prereq of 2 is prereq of ... to 10). Thanks for everything you've put out and I look forward to seeing what you make in the future.
As a violinist whos just picked up banjo and favorite composer is Dvorak, I love this, Amazing job!
Thankyou for the advice , will be paying attention now ! Cheers.
Thanks very much for this - the repetition is necessary for me!
No worries! Repetition is necessary for everyone! 😊
I think that Patrick Costello would love this video. Thanks for your channel. I can't find any clawhammer or any banjo teacher in Norfolk.
Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time! Thanks for watching. If you ever want online lessons, I can do them via zoom. But yes I imagine it is hard finding a teacher in Norfolk!
@ thank you 👍
So it’s not a habit then
Sorry, what isn't?
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but will this lesson negatively affect my progress if I want to play more bluegrass than clawhammer style? I love the slowness and clarity of it, and haven't found any bluegrass-style lessons for this tune as good as this one.
It's not a stupid question at all! The reality is that learning a bit of clawhammer won't negatively affect your progress in bluegrass style but it will also not do much good for it either. The styles are very different, so if you're not wanting ot play clawhammer, it may simply be a waste of time! hope that helps
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366 Thanks!
2minutes and 18 seconds of a black screen. I thought I'd died. Are you intoxicated?
I am not intoxicated - just a terrible video editor clearly! Fixed now
How is your banjo tuned? Mine doesn't sound the same
This has been the best explanation and it clicked as I worked through it - so many thanks 😎
You have no idea how helpful this lesson was! Thank you!!!!
Thanks so much for watching!
Great video! Could you do another song tutorial? The Cripple creek tutorial is one of the best of the internet
Thanks for watching! If you have any songs you'd like to learn, I'm open to suggestions. I'll do Sound of Silence soon!
@ thanks for the reply! I’d be happy with any but also I’m Irish so an Irish tune like wild mountain thyme would be great! Thanks again for the great videos
Captain Pugwash with Seaman Stains, Roger the cabin boy and Master Bates. It might not be true, but the myth is more popular than the truth. Brilliant. Thank you
I will always believe those dubious facts, and nothing can change my mind! 😂 Thanks for watching!
Fantastic! ⚓️
Thanks so much - glad you enjoyed it
To be clear, on the hammers you’re not hitting any string you’re just pressing down on the fret fast to carry the noise? And if so is there a technique to it because im not very good at carrying the noise. Thank you for the very helpful video!
That's correct - ideally you're hitting it hard enough to sound again, so it's a little bit more than just carrying the noise. Honestly, it's just practice! Try to get your fretting hand position right (look at mine and other players') and just do it on repeat lot! Thanks for watching :)
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366awesome thank you!!
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366I really appreciate your teaching strategies, I was having trouble with the hammering so I switched them out for slides doesn’t sound the exact same but whenever I get better with hammering i will switch them out then thank you! Just got to the point where I can play the entire song through and through just not as fast lol thank you again!
@@legacygravy1174 That's so kind, thank you! Stick around for more videos! They should all be useful for beginner to intermediate players
Breaking it down by phrase is known as woodchipping, or woodsheding... Important technique in learning any tune.
Thank you,absolutely spot on.
Thank you very much for this, working through it slowly and struggling with the hammer-ons, but I will get there!
@Clawhammer and Frailing Banjo Early on when you say to pluck, which string with what finger are you actually plucking?
The high G string (the short one)! Thanks for watching
Super stoked to have found your lessons 🔥🪕 Thank you brotha
Thanks so much! More will come out soon :)
Thank you for these - I’m definitely guilty of no 6, keeping my thumb on if not plucking 🙄
Thanks for watching! Just keep at the practicing and you'll get it soon enough. And don't worry about perfection - it's more about building the right habits over time than about getting everything perfect 👍
I bought a banjo, learned quickly that the style I love listening to is clawhammer, and this is pretty much the only tutorial series on UA-cam I could follow. Thank you! I come from a classical viola background and appreciate the time you spend on positioning--it makes a difference!
Very interesting. I have not played for a few years now and am struggling to get started again. I hope your words of advice will help. Thank you
Thanks for watching and good luck! Just keep at it :) hope my video proves helpful
I’ve been working thru this with you for a couple of weeks. Most helpful. Thank you. 1. Can you teach us the rest of the song? (I assume this is the main part?) 2. Teach us more songs, please. 🪕
I do think it's all included in the video! Check out the tab in the description as well if you want to see it all in front of you (the soundslice link) Thanks for watching
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366 I am sure you’re busy with the rest of life, but we appreciate your approach and patience; will you post something else similar soon? Thanks again, btw.
@@revgotchrist Yes, I will! Got a few video ideas. Might do instructional videos on a few tunes! Definitely going to pay more attention to this all soon :)
Thanks my friend. Like this banjo sound. Maybe i can play it one day. Take care and god bless.
You'll definitely get it down soon enough! Just keep on keeping on
This is great, do you post the tabs anywhere for your lessons?
Some tabs can be found on here! www.soundslice.com/users/BigYellowPraxis/ Cripple Creek specifically is here www.soundslice.com/slices/9gM4c/
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366 great thanks
Thank you! You are such a good teacher.
Thanks!
You do not talk too much! Your lessons are perfect! Thank you very much!
Thanks for watching! Glad to be of help
This is so good ugh thank you!!
Thanks for watching!
I just want to say that I love your videos! I could not grasp playing clawhammer until I finally stumbled across your videos. You are a wonderful teacher
Wow thanks so much glad to be of help. I'll be putting more videos out soon I hope
Sorry but you talk too much and teach too little
I accept your apology
I'm only about 10 minutes into the video but I can already tell you're my favorite UA-cam banjo teacher so far. Thank you for the the lesson. I'm gonna make it through this one.
Hi, thank you so much for your work! In all videos you explained it so good and slowly. For a really beginner it is very helpful and easy to follow. Please do more of this stuff!
Glad you found it useful. I'll do some more soon!
Hey man what type of pick do i need for clawhamer
Hey! You don't need a pick - you could just grow out your striking nail slightly. If you do want to use a pick (I do!) then most normal metal ginger picks will do. You just need to wear them back to front so that it acts as a fake nail. I have experimented with different fingerpicks and loads work equally well. I'd encourage you to buy a few types and see what works for you. I've only ever liked the metal ones (partly because I can bend them to the perfect shape and angle) but your mileage may vary!
@@clawhammerandfrailingbanjo6366 thank you so much man
No worries. Good luck!
This is perfect and exactly how i need to learn, i appreciate you breaking it down and explaining so well.
No worries. Thanks for watching! I'll do some more videos at some point!
What is the best banjo for a beginner and is claw Hamer the best method
Best banjo depends on your budget - I reckon buy the best you can afford. Most consumer reviews are fairly accurate I think. And there is no best method, they're all quite different with different strengths and weaknesses. Clawhammer is coolest though 😎