Well, I'm 96 years old next birthday and after finding my pappys old banjo out in the barn, I've decided to finally learn it like he always wanted me. These lessons are great as due to mobility issues, I only get to see him once a month.
I cannot get over the name of your channel. Makes giggle. I feel like I'm frailing with getting any better with this dang banjer! So frustrating. But thanks for the info.
Wow, great tutorial. I've watched about 30 first lesson tutorials, none except yours has inspired me to move onto lesson two. I just want to be able to play tune. Also love ya accent.
I really like your Vedios I been claw hammering a banjo for 7 years now but you’re teaching me some new things thank you so much and your pretty and I love your accent
Hello Banjo Jen from Sheffield. I'm Bobby Banjo from Kent. It's nice to see a Yorkshire Lass teaching frailing banjo. I struggled with a heavy Gibson resonator banjo for years, trying to master bluegrass. Eventually I had to give up and the banjo was lost in the loft for nigh on 18 years.. Quite by chance, I stumbled on Patrick Costello's lessons on You Tube during the summer last year. Then I found Deerings tutorials which prompted me to buy a Deering Goodtime banjo online from a shop in Huddersfield. I try to practice every day, but I'm never going to be a virtuoso! My weakness is that I do not have a strong sense of rythum, unlike my Dad who was a drummer in a marching band back in the 30's. Musical aptitude seems to have skipped my generation, but our son is an accomplished guitar player. Dear old dad here, has to really work hard to make a decent sound. I haven't yet looked at your other tutorials, but I'm sure I will enjoy them! l
Hi Bobby Banjo from Kent :) I believe the Huddersfield shop you mentioned is Eagle Music! I go there for all my banjo needs, they're a great company! Luckily I live within driving distance which is handy. Keep up the frailing, the rhythm will get better the more you practise. You could try using a metronome at a really slow pace to start with. Also play along to tunes / songs, just strumming the chords and not worrying about anything extra but focusing on keeping the rhythm even with the tune. Good luck!
@@frailingatlife7755 . Hello Jen. Yes indeed it was Eagle Music. I do try to kerep a steady rhythm with a metronome and I think I am getting a lot better. At least I don't look down at my right hand any more, and only rarely glance up at my fretting hand. i think I'm improving slowly. Thank you for your sound advice.
I've just inherited a banjo and this is a wonderful way to start the banjo journey. A a bass player, the whole thing is a mystery but watching this first video has really go me started well and I'm really looking forward to learning this brilliant intrument. Thanks for putting it on youtube.
Greetings to you from the San Francisco Bay Area. I, like many others out here in UA-cam Land, recently stumbled onto your channel quite coincidently. As it happens, I just purchased a well-worn banjo at an estate yard sale of all places, only a few days ago. So now, between my new banjo and your lovely series of tutorials, I'm primed and ready to go. Thanks so much for sharing your talent and enthusiasm.
just come across your tuition on the banjo ,i play Scruggs style and i, m defiantly going to have a go at the frailing you are teaching ----------based in rossington south yorkshire thanks for uploading brill!!
I really like your style of teaching Claw Hammer banjo! I will be watching your videos! I'm from Texas and I love your British accent! And you're happy!
Absolutely love your channel I'm undertaking my failing banjo journey like you I would be more into singing strumming than tunes . Started with Irish folk music picking rolls . However I haenow fell in love with old-time failing music and songs . Thanks so much for your help to us beginners keep them coming
I'm new to banjo and I'm wanting to learn clawhammer,I've been learning and practicing for around 8 month's and I'm loving it and just found your channel and just want to thank you, you are a breath of fresh air and the way you teach is brilliant for me so thanks 😁👍
Wow, thank you! I come from the bluegrass world, where claw hammer was an unfathomable mystery. My teachers told me I’d need to get a special teacher in order to learn clawhammer and it takes a long time, but you make it look so easy! Thank you so much for the clear explanation, so I can come on over to the frailing side! ❤️
Thank You Banjo Jen for doing learning videos. I like seeing lessons like this available because most places where people live have few if any people teaching Banjo, and people in all these places love the sound of a good ol Banjo. Between you and Patrick Costello I drift to learn because you both have a good way of explaining the joy off frailing . Keep up the good work, your doing a great thing.
Hi Jen greetings from Russia. I play guitar and mandolin and now have a banjo. I wasnt sure what banjo style to start one but your videos have convinced me to start with clawhammer. Keep up the good work many thanks. Dave.
Thank you so much for this video. Been playing for bout a year now but work gets in the way. Looking forward to watching the rest of your channel. Keep it up!!!
I just ran across her channel tonight. Looking forward to getting started. Like you I’ve never quite understood clawhamer. I hope this is the magic potion. Happy Playing!!
Just picked up your channel (excuse the pun!) and you break the bum ditty down beautifully. Very straightforward explanations which work! I’ve been playing off and for some time, with varying degrees of success, but keep coming back to the basics which doesn’t do any harm. I’ve heard it said that the left hand is what you know and the right hand is who you are. Getting the right hand “right” has always, to me anyway, been the difficult bit.
I'm beginning banjo at the very ripe age of 59 and I love it. Your videos are very clear and easy to follow and you've got a smashing personality for teaching. Oh and a cheeky sense of humour. I'm picking things up faster than I expected and it's good fun learning from you. I have watched some of your performances on UA-cam and you're an extremely astute song writer with the balls to say it how you see it. I admire that honestly and spirit. I hope with this covid ballocks out of the way that this year and future years will see you get the rewards and recognition you so rightly deserve. Right then what was I doing? Oh aye : bum ditty , bum ditty, bum ditty.......
Hi, your style of banjo is exactly what I am looking for. I have just ordered a 5string banjo. I'm a guitar player so I do expect some problems, but I'm sure you will get me through okay. Thanks
Thanks for these great lessons. I've been teaching myself since lockdown started where I live and found your channel because I was searching for tutorials on how to play the song Banjo Pickin' Girl. It's the song I most want to learn. You play it so nicely. I'd be ever so grateful if you'd make a video teaching how to play it! Thanks again, I'm having fun following along with your videos.
How great to see this, thank you so much, all you said resonated (scuse the pun) with me . Got a bit stuck with other styles over the years with v slow progress saw you at Kitchen gardens in kings Heath a while ago and have recently focused on claw hammer, I was looking to go back to Patrick and came across your vid! Serendipity indeed ....Cheers 👍
I’ve just started out I’ve bought a banjo with a resonator can this still be used for the claw hammer strumming. Brilliant explanation for someone just starting out 👍
Very informative and interesting 😌 I really enjoy all the practical tips. Super helpful. For those of you who are looking for someone else who has some banjo teaching and some instruction check out Dwight Diller. He’s from West Virginia and has taught clawhammer banjo for over 50 years. Pretty awesome dude!
definitely challenging to get down from having a guitarist background, also I keep naturally falling into instead of string, strum, thumb, going: string, strum, thumb, strum, more of a 2/4. Nonetheless I'll keep at it!
Saw a fellow frailing on UA-cam and his banjo was so low sounding it made me think he was playing on a hollow log. Great sound. I can't find the video again but do you have any idea what he might have been playing. Thanks for any help. I'm still working on your first lesson but I'm getting there.
Hiya Jen, great video and a big help. I bought a grafton resonator several years ago, and after many failed attempts at learning the Scruggs bluegrass style, it got left in its case, and I returned to the guitar. I could never get the hang of anchoring my fingers on the banjo head. Recently, I've watched a few videos, including yours, Patrick Costello's, and Lukas Pool. After some perseverance, I can now perform the clawhammer basics. However, another thing that put me off this banjo was the weight. It can be quite uncomfortable. After watching yours and many other clawhammer tutorials I’ve decided to have a go at taking the damn resonator off this afternoon. (I hope I don't break it) P.S. I saw you once play at the Dorothy Pax, and you were excellent.
Thanks for your lessons Jen , very informative , the one problem i seems to get is loosing volume on the drone string when i start getting up to speed is this normal , thanks again
OK, I'm a total beginner no musical training at and an engineer to boot. ie practical and without any artistic cells in my body. But I've always liked the banjo sound, so I've now got one. I've watched several instructors and they all assume some prior knowledge. You seem to be aimed at my zero knowledge level so her I am. Let's see how it goes. Oink.
Take This advice ;most songs are 4/4 timing i.e. 1 2 + 3 4+ start on the 3rd str . Listen to Ola Belle . Lily May langford . For good example, s . Learn a part slowly repeated. The ornaments play a big part = hammer ons pull offs slides . Stroke lightly.i have been at the banjo 10 years its not easy. It is the opposite of guitar tech.
I'm just starting out on banjo after years of playing guitar. I want to play this style but the hardest part is breaking the habit of finger picking so I always slip back in to the 3 finger style. Quite frustrating to be fair.
Part of "clawhammer" is also up-picking too! No need to give that up. For the banjo, it's a "two-finger" picking which used to be referred to as "fancy style." Then there's also drop-thumbing, etc. Basic "clawhammer/frailing/overhand/ho-down" is just the base of it all. Eventually, you can work in the regular finger picking as well. Look into Clifton Hicks on UA-cam. He regularly switches between clawhammer and two finger in his playing. Both methods were historically used. This song here, "Run, Jimmie, Run" he goes from down picking into two finger up picking halfway through the song: ua-cam.com/video/aHce4l5m58Q/v-deo.html
Thanks! Yes, there are lots of different types and brands and it can get a bit overwhelming to be honest! If you're planning on playing clawhammer style, most people use open back banjos which generally give what I call a 'softer' sound, whereas bluegrass players tend to use the ones with resonators on the back as those are louder and brighter. However, if you already have a banjo with a resonator you can have it removed if you want to. I don't have much experience with different brands, but I can definitely recommend Deering. They do a range called 'Goodtime' banjos which are great for beginners because they're good quality but more affordable. The one I use in these videos and for my gigs is their 'Americana' one, which has a larger banjo head (12" instead of the standard 11"). I love it!
I learned on a Sears Silvertone that I picked up for $40, but I've since upgraded to a Gold Tone CC-Carlin 12 that costs not much more than the Deering Goodtime. Deering is perfectly good, and that's probably what I would've gotten if I didn't get the Gold Tone. Though I did see a Vega in the shop but I missed getting that by a couple of weeks due to indecision, it was a couple hundred more than the Gold Tone.
Hi Banjo Jen! I am 43 years old and had a major stroke 11 years ago. I used to play the banjo and guitar pretty well. Since the stroke I have re-learned basic guitar... so, my left hand works LOL! My right hand, however has become quite frustrating! I cannot get the strum to sound like claw hammer. I know it takes time, but any tricks to get the bum ditty to sound like bum ditty? I do not think I made any sense :), sorry!!
Hey, gosh good on you for re-learning everything! If you're finding the right hand difficult I'd say just focus on the rhythm to get it sounding like the bum ditty - don't worry too much about being accurate with the initial strike. Ideally you want the first strike note to be one clear note on a single string but if that's difficult just catch whichever string you land on and don't worry if the finger hits a couple at the same time, then just do the strum and thumb as normal keeping the rhythm and it'll sound like the bum ditty. Then over time hopefully the hand will get better at hitting the strings clearly. Don't know if that helps! :)
Hi I’ve just got a left hand banjo from my lovely wife ❤due to nearly chopping my left hand of never played a banjo before any help would be great thank you 🙏
My husband left me bc after practicing this for a week, I still have 0 rhythm and sounds the same terrible, seriously h-w many weeks will this take me to get
Slap that thang till it’s under the house, ya slap that thang real good. I got pig at home in a pen, corn to feed him, All I needs a purdy lil gal to feed him when I’m gone!
Why the snide patronising comment, I came to put valuable resources online for free. Just a little tip, ‘dear’… if you can’t muster the patience to listen to some discussion of the style and instrument you intend to learn, you don’t stand much chance of having the patience to play well. But best of luck dear!
My comment was neither snide or patronising, it was based on the fact that you spent too much time talking, therefore causing me to lose interest. I will say that you know what you’re talking about & appear very efficient on your banjo & I never intended to upset you. My apologies!!
@@daytoneman calling a female you don’t know ‘dear’ is always going to be patronising, and we live in an age where people are very quick to put their opinion in a comment online without thinking about the need for it …I’ve always felt it’d be a much nicer place if we stuck to the idea of ‘if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say it’ and move on. But, thank you for the apologies and I do genuinely wish you well in your learning. There are loads of bite-size quicker style lessons on UA-cam so I’m sure you’ll find some good resources 👍🏼
Well, I'm 96 years old next birthday and after finding my pappys old banjo out in the barn, I've decided to finally learn it like he always wanted me. These lessons are great as due to mobility issues, I only get to see him once a month.
Thank you , for your lessons , 70 yr old beginner , from Florida, moe
Out of all the clawhammer lessons on UA-cam, yours is the only one I understood. I can do clawhammer now. Thank you 😊
I cannot get over the name of your channel. Makes giggle. I feel like I'm frailing with getting any better with this dang banjer! So frustrating. But thanks for the info.
nearly 80 and am going to learn ( I hope ) clawhammer banjo Very refreshing to hear and English girl tutoring
Wow, great tutorial. I've watched about 30 first lesson tutorials, none except yours has inspired me to move onto lesson two. I just want to be able to play tune. Also love ya accent.
I really like your Vedios I been claw hammering a banjo for 7 years now but you’re teaching me some new things thank you so much and your pretty and I love your accent
Hello Banjo Jen from Sheffield. I'm Bobby Banjo from Kent. It's nice to see a Yorkshire Lass teaching frailing banjo. I struggled with a heavy Gibson resonator banjo for years, trying to master bluegrass. Eventually I had to give up and the banjo was lost in the loft for nigh on 18 years.. Quite by chance, I stumbled on Patrick Costello's lessons on You Tube during the summer last year. Then I found Deerings tutorials which prompted me to buy a Deering Goodtime banjo online from a shop in Huddersfield. I try to practice every day, but I'm never going to be a virtuoso! My weakness is that I do not have a strong sense of rythum, unlike my Dad who was a drummer in a marching band back in the 30's. Musical aptitude seems to have skipped my generation, but our son is an accomplished guitar player. Dear old dad here, has to really work hard to make a decent sound. I haven't yet looked at your other tutorials, but I'm sure I will enjoy them! l
Hi Bobby Banjo from Kent :) I believe the Huddersfield shop you mentioned is Eagle Music! I go there for all my banjo needs, they're a great company! Luckily I live within driving distance which is handy. Keep up the frailing, the rhythm will get better the more you practise. You could try using a metronome at a really slow pace to start with. Also play along to tunes / songs, just strumming the chords and not worrying about anything extra but focusing on keeping the rhythm even with the tune. Good luck!
@@frailingatlife7755 . Hello Jen. Yes indeed it was Eagle Music. I do try to kerep a steady rhythm with a metronome and I think I am getting a lot better. At least I don't look down at my right hand any more, and only rarely glance up at my fretting hand. i think I'm improving slowly. Thank you for your sound advice.
I've just inherited a banjo and this is a wonderful way to start the banjo journey. A a bass player, the whole thing is a mystery but watching this first video has really go me started well and I'm really looking forward to learning this brilliant intrument. Thanks for putting it on youtube.
The key part is start slowly and ONLY DOWN STROKES!!!
Just bought a Banjo yesterday and now, like it or not, you are my new best freind! Love this channel and how you teach.
Thanks Jen Banjo!
Best beginner video on clawhammer. Thanks so much.
Just found your lessons just starting. You are a talented person .hope you never find teaching dull. Thanks for your patience. Here we go
Chapeau! You're the new Tracy Newman 0.2 ! Love it!
This is the clearest explanation I’ve found. Thank you!
thank you for the lesson. when I get it down, I'll be back for lesson two!
Greetings to you from the San Francisco Bay Area. I, like many others out here in UA-cam Land, recently stumbled onto your channel quite coincidently. As it happens, I just purchased a well-worn banjo at an estate yard sale of all places, only a few days ago. So now, between my new banjo and your lovely series of tutorials, I'm primed and ready to go. Thanks so much for sharing your talent and enthusiasm.
just come across your tuition on the banjo ,i play Scruggs style and i, m defiantly going to have a go at the frailing you are teaching ----------based in rossington south yorkshire thanks for uploading brill!!
I've been struggling so much as a new frailer and your tip about letting the heel of the palm rest on the banjo head helps so much! Thank you!
Agreed.
Thx for your Videos, i am com from Germany, 50years , i learning 1/2 jear. You are so good. Thx thx thx , LG Sven .... sorry my English..
I really like your style of teaching Claw Hammer banjo! I will be watching your videos! I'm from Texas and I love your British accent! And you're happy!
Thank you for making me feel as if I could play the banjo. Very newbie... Really liking the way you teach. Thanks again. Alan..
I've spent years following the Murphy method. Looking forward to watching your videos.
Absolutely love your channel I'm undertaking my failing banjo journey like you I would be more into singing strumming than tunes .
Started with Irish folk music picking rolls .
However I haenow fell in love with old-time failing music and songs .
Thanks so much for your help to us beginners keep them coming
I'm new to banjo and I'm wanting to learn clawhammer,I've been learning and practicing for around 8 month's and I'm loving it and just found your channel and just want to thank you, you are a breath of fresh air and the way you teach is brilliant for me so thanks 😁👍
Ah great - you're welcome! Glad the lessons help and that you're loving playing. Keep it up :)
Thank you for this video...
Just starting out...
Great advice here.
Banjo Mike in KY USA - Oh love to hear you saying “fiddle bits”. Enjoying your sharing of your banjo experience! Very encouraging!
Wow, thank you! I come from the bluegrass world, where claw hammer was an unfathomable mystery. My teachers told me I’d need to get a special teacher in order to learn clawhammer and it takes a long time, but you make it look so easy! Thank you so much for the clear explanation, so I can come on over to the frailing side! ❤️
Very good details and insight
Thank You Banjo Jen for doing learning videos. I like seeing lessons like this available because most places where people live have few if any people teaching Banjo, and people in all these places love the sound of a good ol Banjo. Between you and Patrick Costello I drift to learn because you both have a good way of explaining the joy off frailing . Keep up the good work, your doing a great thing.
Thanks John! Glad you're enjoying the videos. Happy playing :)
Hi Jen greetings from Russia. I play guitar and mandolin and now have a banjo. I wasnt sure what banjo style to start one but your videos have convinced me to start with clawhammer. Keep up the good work many thanks. Dave.
Ah great! Welcome to the dark side haha :)
Your an amazing player and teacher. Thank you
Just started working through lesson 1 and enjoying it so far. Thanks for taking the time and effort to make these videos, much appreciated.
Good news. Patrick is back with a new frailing tutorial.
Thank you so much for this video. Been playing for bout a year now but work gets in the way. Looking forward to watching the rest of your channel. Keep it up!!!
Fantastic! I’m glad I found your channel because I wasn’t quite understanding clawhammer, but you’ve explained it really well that I now ‘get it’ .
I just ran across her channel tonight. Looking forward to getting started. Like you I’ve never quite understood clawhamer. I hope this is the magic potion. Happy Playing!!
Splendid. Thanks for this.
Just picked up your channel (excuse the pun!) and you break the bum ditty down beautifully. Very straightforward explanations which work! I’ve been playing off and for some time, with varying degrees of success, but keep coming back to the basics which doesn’t do any harm. I’ve heard it said that the left hand is what you know and the right hand is who you are. Getting the right hand “right” has always, to me anyway, been the difficult bit.
These lessons are perfect for me, thanks 😊
I'm beginning banjo at the very ripe age of 59 and I love it. Your videos are very clear and easy to follow and you've got a smashing personality for teaching. Oh and a cheeky sense of humour. I'm picking things up faster than I expected and it's good fun learning from you. I have watched some of your performances on UA-cam and you're an extremely astute song writer with the balls to say it how you see it. I admire that honestly and spirit. I hope with this covid ballocks out of the way that this year and future years will see you get the rewards and recognition you so rightly deserve. Right then what was I doing? Oh aye : bum ditty , bum ditty, bum ditty.......
Thank you so much :)
Great lesson well done love it
Great technique.
Hi, your style of banjo is exactly what I am looking for. I have just ordered a 5string banjo. I'm a guitar player so I do expect some problems, but I'm sure you will get me through okay. Thanks
Beautiful. Thank you
Your videos are GREAT
Youuuuuu, you make learning fun!!!!
Thanks for these great lessons. I've been teaching myself since lockdown started where I live and found your channel because I was searching for tutorials on how to play the song Banjo Pickin' Girl. It's the song I most want to learn. You play it so nicely. I'd be ever so grateful if you'd make a video teaching how to play it!
Thanks again, I'm having fun following along with your videos.
Glad you're enjoying the tutorials! And yes, I can definitely do one for Banjo Pickin' Girl. It's one of my favourite things to play :)
How great to see this, thank you so much, all you said resonated (scuse the pun) with me . Got a bit stuck with other styles over the years with v slow progress saw you at Kitchen gardens in kings Heath a while ago and have recently focused on claw hammer, I was looking to go back to Patrick and came across your vid! Serendipity indeed ....Cheers 👍
Oh great! Hope these tutorials help. Ah, the lovely Kitchen Garden... can't wait until we can play proper gigs again!!
Just had my first banjo, never played before, however self tought on the uke. This will be a challenge, still, hopefully worth it
Thanks Jen ❤
Great lesson thanks.. now subscribed
love this channel and all the tutorials. i'm a blind mutli-instrumentalist who also got a lot of influence from patrick. keep up the good work :)
Hi, Have you ever given a lesson on I walk the line frailing or finger picking would love to learn this song from you as you
are a great teacher ☺
I’ve just started out I’ve bought a banjo with a resonator can this still be used for the claw hammer strumming.
Brilliant explanation for someone just starting out 👍
Dang I was totally not thinking you were in the UK. Before the video started I thought there's a banjo picking mama. 😊 Pretty too..
Very good videos!! Do you use picks? I have no nails so I'm going to have to get some help. Any recommendations?
Very informative and interesting 😌 I really enjoy all the practical tips. Super helpful. For those of you who are looking for someone else who has some banjo teaching and some instruction check out Dwight Diller. He’s from West Virginia and has taught clawhammer banjo for over 50 years. Pretty awesome dude!
definitely challenging to get down from having a guitarist background, also I keep naturally falling into instead of string, strum, thumb, going: string, strum, thumb, strum, more of a 2/4. Nonetheless I'll keep at it!
Great stuff🪕
Saw a fellow frailing on UA-cam and his banjo was so low sounding it made me think he was playing on a hollow log. Great sound. I can't find the video again but do you have any idea what he might have been playing. Thanks for any help. I'm still working on your first lesson but I'm getting there.
Excellent lesson, hope you get lots of views. I'm two yrs into it and trying to pick up speed.
Hiya Jen, great video and a big help. I bought a grafton resonator several years ago, and after many failed attempts at learning the Scruggs bluegrass style, it got left in its case, and I returned to the guitar. I could never get the hang of anchoring my fingers on the banjo head. Recently, I've watched a few videos, including yours, Patrick Costello's, and Lukas Pool. After some perseverance, I can now perform the clawhammer basics.
However, another thing that put me off this banjo was the weight. It can be quite uncomfortable. After watching yours and many other clawhammer tutorials I’ve decided to have a go at taking the damn resonator off this afternoon. (I hope I don't break it)
P.S. I saw you once play at the Dorothy Pax, and you were excellent.
Thanks for your lessons Jen , very informative , the one problem i seems to get is loosing volume on the drone string when i start getting up to speed is this normal , thanks again
Thank you ❤
Hello from Idaho , USA. Please tell us about your banjo.
Hi banjoJen, do you play other instruments too? I love your videos and your clear love for the banjo. Thanks
OK, I'm a total beginner no musical training at and an engineer to boot. ie practical and without any artistic cells in my body. But I've always liked the banjo sound, so I've now got one. I've watched several instructors and they all assume some prior knowledge. You seem to be aimed at my zero knowledge level so her I am. Let's see how it goes.
Oink.
Camt to learn banjo....wrote a song while i was waiting for the lesson to start😂😂😂
@10:00
what kind of pickup are you using? tnx
Take This advice ;most songs are 4/4 timing i.e. 1 2 + 3 4+ start on the 3rd str . Listen to Ola Belle . Lily May langford . For good example, s . Learn a part slowly repeated. The ornaments play a big part = hammer ons pull offs slides . Stroke lightly.i have been at the banjo 10 years its not easy. It is the opposite of guitar tech.
I'm just starting out on banjo after years of playing guitar. I want to play this style but the hardest part is breaking the habit of finger picking so I always slip back in to the 3 finger style. Quite frustrating to be fair.
Part of "clawhammer" is also up-picking too! No need to give that up. For the banjo, it's a "two-finger" picking which used to be referred to as "fancy style."
Then there's also drop-thumbing, etc. Basic "clawhammer/frailing/overhand/ho-down" is just the base of it all. Eventually, you can work in the regular finger picking as well.
Look into Clifton Hicks on UA-cam. He regularly switches between clawhammer and two finger in his playing. Both methods were historically used. This song here, "Run, Jimmie, Run" he goes from down picking into two finger up picking halfway through the song:
ua-cam.com/video/aHce4l5m58Q/v-deo.html
Brilliant video, are there different types of banjos and a recommended brand for beginners?
Thanks! Yes, there are lots of different types and brands and it can get a bit overwhelming to be honest! If you're planning on playing clawhammer style, most people use open back banjos which generally give what I call a 'softer' sound, whereas bluegrass players tend to use the ones with resonators on the back as those are louder and brighter. However, if you already have a banjo with a resonator you can have it removed if you want to. I don't have much experience with different brands, but I can definitely recommend Deering. They do a range called 'Goodtime' banjos which are great for beginners because they're good quality but more affordable. The one I use in these videos and for my gigs is their 'Americana' one, which has a larger banjo head (12" instead of the standard 11"). I love it!
I learned on a Sears Silvertone that I picked up for $40, but I've since upgraded to a Gold Tone CC-Carlin 12 that costs not much more than the Deering Goodtime. Deering is perfectly good, and that's probably what I would've gotten if I didn't get the Gold Tone. Though I did see a Vega in the shop but I missed getting that by a couple of weeks due to indecision, it was a couple hundred more than the Gold Tone.
merci du Québec, Canada north américa
Hi Banjo Jen! I am 43 years old and had a major stroke 11 years ago. I used to play the banjo and guitar pretty well. Since the stroke I have re-learned basic guitar... so, my left hand works LOL! My right hand, however has become quite frustrating! I cannot get the strum to sound like claw hammer. I know it takes time, but any tricks to get the bum ditty to sound like bum ditty? I do not think I made any sense :), sorry!!
Hey, gosh good on you for re-learning everything! If you're finding the right hand difficult I'd say just focus on the rhythm to get it sounding like the bum ditty - don't worry too much about being accurate with the initial strike. Ideally you want the first strike note to be one clear note on a single string but if that's difficult just catch whichever string you land on and don't worry if the finger hits a couple at the same time, then just do the strum and thumb as normal keeping the rhythm and it'll sound like the bum ditty. Then over time hopefully the hand will get better at hitting the strings clearly. Don't know if that helps! :)
@@frailingatlife7755 thank you so much! Really enjoying re-learning with you!
Hi I’ve just got a left hand banjo from my lovely wife ❤due to nearly chopping my left hand of never played a banjo before any help would be great thank you 🙏
Picks on your fingers or not ?
Are you strumming with all fingers or just one?
Love the accent!
So much easier to learn banjo from someone with an English accent :)
Not when she sings!
ha! yes! but now my banjo playing still stinks but my English accent has improved
My husband left me bc after practicing this for a week, I still have 0 rhythm and sounds the same terrible, seriously h-w many weeks will this take me to get
Do it very slowly for a while before you get it, after a while you can speed it up. But SLOW IS YOUR FRIEND!!!
What a shame that Patric Costello has removed all of his Banjo & Guitar videos from You Tube.
That’s definitely a shame :( Hopefully he’ll make them available again somewhere.
Iv been practicing for a while now, but finding it hard to speed up
70 and given a really bad banjo. Gonna be expensive I recon. Yeay sheffield!!
I want to have one banjo
My fingers hurt just looking at it.
8 thumbs down. Wonder what they hated?
Slap that thang till it’s under the house, ya slap that thang real good.
I got pig at home in a pen, corn to feed him,
All I needs a purdy lil gal to feed him when I’m gone!
I am 80 wish me luck
Why the continued talking, I came to learn how to do it & ran out of patience! Less chatter dear!
Why the snide patronising comment, I came to put valuable resources online for free. Just a little tip, ‘dear’… if you can’t muster the patience to listen to some discussion of the style and instrument you intend to learn, you don’t stand much chance of having the patience to play well. But best of luck dear!
My comment was neither snide or patronising, it was based on the fact that you spent too much time talking, therefore causing me to lose interest. I will say that you know what you’re talking about & appear very efficient on your banjo & I never intended to upset you. My apologies!!
@@daytoneman calling a female you don’t know ‘dear’ is always going to be patronising, and we live in an age where people are very quick to put their opinion in a comment online without thinking about the need for it …I’ve always felt it’d be a much nicer place if we stuck to the idea of ‘if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say it’ and move on. But, thank you for the apologies and I do genuinely wish you well in your learning. There are loads of bite-size quicker style lessons on UA-cam so I’m sure you’ll find some good resources 👍🏼
@@frailingatlife7755 Thank you!
Can you please tell me if you are looking for a Valentine ?
In America our banjo teachers don't look like this I would remember maybe you Brits are on to something
I'm a beginner and appreciate this video, but that failing note...really, you over-play it. We get it already. Awesome video otherwise.
fRailing
JTFC, yer pretty enough to be from N.E. Tennessee or S.W. Vaginny, we just have to teach ya how to talk like a mountain girl!
were you going to tell us which strings you are strumming at some point? without that detail the whole lesson is pretty much rubbish.
You have nice teeth
TOO much talking boring , info that dos`nt matter to a beginner , just teach the mechanics
As a complete beginner, I found it useful.