I like your technique. After two years of frustration with my banjo, now with the course I am starting to tidy my head and make music. Thanks for your videos!
Special thanks for this fantastic content you are putting out there, I have being trying to get to grips with Clawhammer for a couple of months & found your lessons invaluable in how I learn through practice. I tried picking style beforehand without much success but this lesson has encouraged me to give it another go! Please keep up the good work.
i have been trying to play for about a year , both 3 finger and clawhammer. Enjoy clawhammer more cause it comes easier, but this 2 finger style I think will help me quite a bit. I also appreciate the tip about what finger to use when fretting, that makes a lot of sense.
Thank you! I have been working thru your clawhammer couse and kinda stalled at drop thumb. I thought this style might teach my thumb to MOVE! This is fun!
Ive been messing with this for a while, just noodling around with it . Love this since were now on week 5 of sheltering in place and most home projects are done. I can devote my time to more important things....BANJO!!!!!
New to banjo and this has been such a helpful resource! Is there a full video of Pretty Polly? I watched videos 1-7 and never heard the song the whole way through. I'm moving on to 7 steps of clawhammer next and can't wait!
I'd like to offer that the right hand should float. Anchoring at all imparts tension in the RH. Lots of finger-style acoustic guitarists anchor the pinky. I'll not argue with people who do that well but, for me, things really began to open up when I took classical lessons where the RH floats and the hand is relaxed. The only rule is that there aren't any.
I can not anchor anything. Trying to put either finger into a fixed position will cause wrist pain in a few short minutes that will last hours or days. Can play claw hammer with no issues and two finger is fine if I let the hand relax and float.
Wow, this was so timely! I'm a beginner enrolled in the finger style course and was beginning to have leanings towards the 2 Finger Thumb Lead style after listening to a wide range of tunes and methods. Looking so forward to taking this course!
Totally up to you really. If you think you’ll want to play in a bluegrass jam sometime, you’ll want to at least learn to play with them on. Otherwise go with what sounds best to you.
Thanks for these videos Josh, I only have one problem this video always stops when using my iPhone. Do you have any answers or fixes for this problem? Thanks
Hi Josh thank you for another great video! may I ask, if your considerations about anchoring fingers do also apply to bluegrass-style? My pinky finger is also quite a bit shorter (~1inch) than my ringfinger and I find it very unconvenient to anchor both. I always lift one or the other and I regularly damp the 1st string with the side of the pinky.. Thanks. Stay healthy.
Yeah you can also mess up the finger tendons if a person tries to anchor both fingers with a hand not suited to it. I only anchor my pinky. Nice video.
You can get that note on other strings. For example, in standard G (gDGBD) tuning, the 5th fret of the 1st string, the 8th fret of the 2nd string and the 12th fret of the 3rd string are all the same not as the 5th string.
This is the first video I’m watching on this 2 finger style. Is the tuning always the same; is that a standard for two finger? I might be getting ahead of myself but is there a chord chart for this tuning?
Try www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_rb.html and adjust to the G sus 4 tuning used here. Just ignore the 6th string (low E on.guitar). Any chord or scale can easily be shown on the whole fretboard..
There’s a 2 finger style known as index lead, where you’re playing melody notes with the index - so the inverse of 2 finger. While you can certainly make great music with this approach, I recommend moving to 3 finger style after thumb lead (if you want to add more) - this is how the course is set up. The reason being 3 finger allows you to get all the same sounds that you can get with 2 finger index lead, but without the constraints of that style. In other words, if you move on to learning 3 finger, you’ll have the ability to play anything that would be played on 2 finger index lead, plus a whole lot more.
Great beginning. I have some limited clawhammer experience. The video is fine on my desktop mac, but degrades and stops when I try it on my iPad , either the app, or a browser. I would prefer to use the iPad, but if it’s not suitable, I understand.
Should work fine from any device - youTube is typically very fast. But usage is up right now since so many people are at home, so it may be slower than usual at certain times of day.
I have been trying to sign up to your web page but there seems to be a problem accepting my email address ?? I,m in Australia but i love bluegrass music, please let me in.
Hi Josh. Great video and I'm looking forward to the rest of the course. I play clawhammer by ear, and I find the timing much easier as there's always something going on and I can fill in any chord with something and never lose timing. It's a first impression, but is Two Finger a little bit trickier in terms of timing? When I think back to learning music years ago, the rest (on the stave) was always my downfall.
If I sign up for your banjo course, does the $21 per month give me access to BOTH the fingerstyle and clawhammer materials, or are they seperate subscriptions?
Awesome. Learning 2 finger thumb lead is the best way to build the foundation for Scruggs style (though you might decide 2 finger is equally great :) ).
@@fingerstylebanjolessons Your course appeals to me, but I don't want to learn anything but 3 finger scruggs style. Do you have a course that is dedicated to this. I dont want to have to work around clawhammer, old style, 2 finger, etc. i want to stay with scruggs style 3 finger only. All this other just muddles up the water for me. Im speaking for myself only, not a criticism of the course in general.
jesse james You of course can go about it however you’d like, but the fastest route to learning scruggs is to start with 2 finger. There are no techniques that you learn for 2 finger that you don’t learn for scruggs, so the difference is just semantics. You may just be overthinking it.
By far one of the best banjo instructors. You are making it too simple, man! Keep up the good work.
Thank you Mick!
I like your technique.
After two years of frustration with my banjo, now with the course I am starting to tidy my head and make music.
Thanks for your videos!
Awesome! And my pleasure.
Special thanks for this fantastic content you are putting out there, I have being trying to get to grips with Clawhammer for a couple of months & found your lessons invaluable in how I learn through practice. I tried picking style beforehand without much success but this lesson has encouraged me to give it another go! Please keep up the good work.
Really appreciate that, Andrew. Happy to be both a source of encouragement and distraction right now!
Great video. I don’t have a banjo yet but when I do I will definitely give this a go. Just ordered your book as well.
i have been trying to play for about a year , both 3 finger and clawhammer. Enjoy clawhammer more cause it comes easier, but this 2 finger style I think will help me quite a bit. I also appreciate the tip about what finger to use when fretting, that makes a lot of sense.
That's great, Michael. As I say in the video, learning 2 finger TL first will end up making 3 finger a whole lot easier.
this sounds like me, being 77yrs old makes me a bit slower but will not give up, love it.
Thank you! I have been working thru your clawhammer couse and kinda stalled at drop thumb. I thought this style might teach my thumb to MOVE! This is fun!
That’s an excellent point!
Thank you
Ive been messing with this for a while, just noodling around with it . Love this since were now on week 5 of sheltering in place and most home projects are done. I can devote my time to more important things....BANJO!!!!!
#priorities
With the banjo in modal tuning, what key should guitars play in?
I move my first steps on banjo(clawhammer) following your lessons. Maybe is time for 2fingers style...thank you Josh
Do it! :)
Thanks Josh, just what we needed.
My pleasure, Steve.
New to banjo and this has been such a helpful resource! Is there a full video of Pretty Polly? I watched videos 1-7 and never heard the song the whole way through. I'm moving on to 7 steps of clawhammer next and can't wait!
I found this on an in-video link of lesson 1. And he is right... the song *is* awesome! ua-cam.com/video/cyyYdzXTCa4/v-deo.html
I am having a 5 string open back banjo made, what frets should I put RR Spikes on, thank you
I'd like to offer that the right hand should float. Anchoring at all imparts tension in the RH.
Lots of finger-style acoustic guitarists anchor the pinky. I'll not argue with people who do that well but, for me, things really began to open up when I took classical lessons where the RH floats and the hand is relaxed.
The only rule is that there aren't any.
I can not anchor anything. Trying to put either finger into a fixed position will cause wrist pain in a few short minutes that will last hours or days. Can play claw hammer with no issues and two finger is fine if I let the hand relax and float.
Wow, this was so timely! I'm a beginner enrolled in the finger style course and was beginning to have leanings towards the 2 Finger Thumb Lead style after listening to a wide range of tunes and methods. Looking so forward to taking this course!
Okay, I found a broken banjo at a garage sale, got it fixed, and now I'm ready to be more than just an old junk keeper in the attic.
Do you have an opinion about wearing picks when playing 2 finger thumb lead? I don’t know if anyone does that
Totally up to you really. If you think you’ll want to play in a bluegrass jam sometime, you’ll want to at least learn to play with them on. Otherwise go with what sounds best to you.
Just what I needed while self-quarantining! Thank you for giving us a distraction.
Glad to hear that - that was certainly the intent!
Same
Yeah, same thing for me
Thanks dude
Thanks for these videos Josh, I only have one problem this video always stops when using my iPhone. Do you have any answers or fixes for this problem? Thanks
Hi Josh thank you for another great video!
may I ask, if your considerations about anchoring fingers do also apply to bluegrass-style? My pinky finger is also quite a bit shorter (~1inch) than my ringfinger and I find it very unconvenient to anchor both. I always lift one or the other and I regularly damp the 1st string with the side of the pinky.. Thanks. Stay healthy.
Yes, indeed. I anchor my pinky only for all fingerpicking.
@@fingerstylebanjolessons Thank you
I went to the site of 2 finger banjo course book and could not figure out how to buy it. The book is by you correct?
Yeah you can also mess up the finger tendons if a person tries to anchor both fingers with a hand not suited to it. I only anchor my pinky. Nice video.
What do we do when the melody is on the 5th string?
You can get that note on other strings. For example, in standard G (gDGBD) tuning, the 5th fret of the 1st string, the 8th fret of the 2nd string and the 12th fret of the 3rd string are all the same not as the 5th string.
Thanks
@@ClawhammerBanjo
i am a lefty do you think i should start to learn with a right handed banjo, i am a total beginner
How are you playing that intro song
It’s in 2 finger thumb lead.
This is the first video I’m watching on this 2 finger style. Is the tuning always the same; is that a standard for two finger? I might be getting ahead of myself but is there a chord chart for this tuning?
Try www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_rb.html
and adjust to the G sus 4 tuning used here. Just ignore the 6th string (low E on.guitar). Any chord or scale can easily be shown on the whole fretboard..
What is your opinion of 2 finger thumb lead where index finger handles first and second string? I have seen that done too. Any pluses or minuses?
There’s a 2 finger style known as index lead, where you’re playing melody notes with the index - so the inverse of 2 finger.
While you can certainly make great music with this approach, I recommend moving to 3 finger style after thumb lead (if you want to add more) - this is how the course is set up. The reason being 3 finger allows you to get all the same sounds that you can get with 2 finger index lead, but without the constraints of that style.
In other words, if you move on to learning 3 finger, you’ll have the ability to play anything that would be played on 2 finger index lead, plus a whole lot more.
@@fingerstylebanjolessons Thank you
Great beginning. I have some limited clawhammer experience. The video is fine on my desktop mac, but degrades and stops when I try it on my iPad , either the app, or a browser. I would prefer to use the iPad, but if it’s not suitable, I understand.
Should work fine from any device - youTube is typically very fast. But usage is up right now since so many people are at home, so it may be slower than usual at certain times of day.
@@fingerstylebanjolessons Works fine on my older laptop. Must be my iPad. I'll survive.😇
Just started your lessons first class teaching
I have been trying to sign up to your web page but there seems to be a problem accepting my email address ?? I,m in Australia but i love bluegrass music, please let me in.
I am able to access all of Josh's content in Australia using my Gmail account which, of course, does not have 'au' at the end. Try that Dess.
Hi Josh. Great video and I'm looking forward to the rest of the course. I play clawhammer by ear, and I find the timing much easier as there's always something going on and I can fill in any chord with something and never lose timing.
It's a first impression, but is Two Finger a little bit trickier in terms of timing? When I think back to learning music years ago, the rest (on the stave) was always my downfall.
If I sign up for your banjo course, does the $21 per month give me access to BOTH the fingerstyle and clawhammer materials, or are they seperate subscriptions?
Anyone else now have their banjo in modal tuning for the foreseeable future?
@@GeeBee135 Yes, it can sound wistful or eerie, depending on what you do with it
i dont want to pick 2 finger banjo. i want to pick 3 finger scruggs style.
Awesome. Learning 2 finger thumb lead is the best way to build the foundation for Scruggs style (though you might decide 2 finger is equally great :) ).
@@fingerstylebanjolessons Your course appeals to me, but I don't want to learn anything but 3 finger scruggs style. Do you have a course that is dedicated to this. I dont want to have to work around clawhammer, old style, 2 finger, etc. i want to stay with scruggs style 3 finger only. All this other just muddles up the water for me. Im speaking for myself only, not a criticism of the course in general.
jesse james You of course can go about it however you’d like, but the fastest route to learning scruggs is to start with 2 finger. There are no techniques that you learn for 2 finger that you don’t learn for scruggs, so the difference is just semantics.
You may just be overthinking it.
👍🇸🇪
I could not have fucked that up worse! My ears are terrible
Great teaching style though, super unique, ill be sticky with it to the end
I heard the first 6 notes but I failed at the second 6.
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