Hi, I am so glad to have found you on the internet. What a great lesson and thank you so much. I love my banjo and I am looking forward to more of your clawhammer lessons. it so gentle and less intimidating than Scruggs style which I play normally. Being from the UK I would love to meet up with other banjo players, I think we are a bit thin on the ground over here.
I've played 5 string for 30 years & have tried lately to learn clawhammer. Seems imposable so far, until I found you. This is the best lesson ever, because of the way you explain the actual 1/4 & 1/8th Notes! The BumDitty is clear now! Thank You Big Time
Hi Brad i have been trying for years to clawhammer but i can't seem to make a note when striking with my index finger , im not sure where im going wrong, i will appreciate any advice on this.
Lesson for beginners. Proceeds to waffle about 8th and quarter notes. Whats this? Money? Correspondence? Musical theory and terminology beginners dont know?
At last the camera is positioned so we can see the nail hitting the bottom string. It's had me beat for as long as I've had my banjo, 2 months. Thank you Brad!
I'v tried to frail for 55 years. I play pedal steel pretty good, all of the guitars, slide guitar, bass, Cajun accordion too. Played for good money for many years. But frailing eludes me because the way I see it and the way it is taught is that the finger goes up and then it goes down, similar to a piston in n engine. This makes the movement extremely stiff in my hands. I have a wonderful banjo -- yet again, probably the fourth or fifth "wonderful banjo" I've had. And I have made no more progress than I did in 1964. Depressing as hell cause I love the music. So back in the case it goes...
You’re fortunate to have the experience with all your other instruments! As a young musician aspiring to learn pedal steel, fiddle, banjo, accordion, along with mastering my guitar and bass, I can only aspire to be able to one day say I can play that many instruments with skill. Money would be an afterthought, but it sure seems like the icing on the cake
Hi Brad, My problem is that my fingernails are not that long and it seems like my middle finger does not produce a loud or clear enough sound when I strike the 3rd or 4th string. I have also seen where some use the index on some strings and the middle on the 1st string with a relaxed hand. Your fingernails appear short but you get a great sound. What would you recommend. I am new at the banjo. Is the banjo your primary instrument? By the way thanks for the video.
Your music notation is incorrect... you are playing an octave, but the first note is lower, the 2nd note is lower, the 3rd note is an octave higher... opposite of how you have the notes written out. It is harder for us with musical skill to 'read' the notation when it is 'opposite'.
NeuroConnecting - you are confusing a an exercise written in tablature (for 5 string banjo) as apposed to musical notation. Maybe you don't have the level of 'musical knowledge' you think you do?
That star is the symbol of the Five Star banjo head and of other quality instrument parts sold by Stewart MacDonald - has nothing to do with Satan! If you look closely you'l see the numeral 5 in the center of the star.
Thank you for the great lesson. I notice, however, that virtually all beginner lessons on frailing ignore the thumb and how to pick the fifth string. Looks easy but I cannot master it.
curl your fingers step 1...step 2 is to use 1 of the 2 sides of your nail. dont hook the sting and pluck it outward towards the open air. strum down and inwards brushing with the nail on the side where the cuticle is. the side you would paint if you're a girl or crossdresser.
Every star you see isn't a satanic symbol. In fact the 5 pointed star has been around long before man spoke of the Christian god or satin. some times man, a star is just a damn star. Thanks for the lesson Brad.
there are people around who are looking to be riled up about nothing. The star designates the instrument to be a "Vega" banjo. pretty expensive and excellent quality. Vega is spanish for star. and I am a guitar picker!!
