Only just saw this. My first banjo was a Silvertone I picked up used for $40. Lost it (stolen), then was given a crappy Kingston as a present, later bought another Silvertone. Then finally bought my "good" banjo, a Gold Tone CC-Carlin 12. Love it, gave away my other two banjos (one to son, other to nephew). Recently bought a cheap (not crappy) banger banjo, a Recording King Dirty 30's, love that one too. Have played Fenders in music shops, yes, they are crappy. I have an American Fender Stratocaster, they definitely can make some non-crappy instruments, don't know what their problem with banjos is 🙂
Thanks for a great video! I have a follow up question - hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides are other ways to fill out melodies where drone string thumbs otherwise would go. Could you talk more (or even make a video!) about how to choose between drop thumb and these other techniques? Sometimes only drop thumb works but often there are multiple ways to play the same melody, and after practicing the other methods a bunch as a beginner it can be hard to know when to reach for a drop thumb!
I didn't know there was a golden rule of banjos, and to find a video by a man with the same name as one of my favorite cocktails, I've never clicked on a video so quickly. I almost panicked. Problem solved. Now all I need is some gin.
I can never get my music to sound like the instructors. I’m pretty sure I’m in the right double C tuning but my second string is what’s off. Should it be a little loose for that double C sound
I needed this one. My index and middle finger on my right hand have been split tip to cuticle, and haven’t grown past several millimeters back from the tip of my finger, for over a year now and I’ve been so frustrated. I’ve been using top coats and polishes, and any trick and snake oil I can find. Been trying out fake nails lately and they’re great for a minute, but I have so little nail for them to adhere to and they just come off. All that to say, I’ve been feeling self-conscious about how much I think about my nails and I’m glad to see someone I respect talk about it.
It's a perennial problem for us banjo players....be not ashamed!! My daughter recently used UV gel on my banjo nail, and it was incredibly durable and long lasting (and a pain to get off, so there is a downside). If you need industrial intervention, and normal polishes don't work, you might research gel polish. She recommends not going to a shop, because they can really grind your existing nail down. I'm planning on doing a video of DIY gel polish for banjo players at some point! The struggle is real! Thanks for your great comment, Tom
Well, you win the award for unusual question! I was using "Grave Before Shave" beard cream (Bay Rum!) .... until I shaved my beard for the summer! Great stuff...nice and light, and smells super good!
I've been 'hammering' (high speed, sometimes at ~120 bpm) banjos (including all playing 'styles') for nearly 70+ years. THIS is one of your most important and well done presentations, ever !!! Much appreciated.
Too late! Been using that term for many years. Drop thumb and double thumb reference 8th note pairs. I’ve found it useful to name patterns larger than two notes, thus the clawhammer sweep was born! Feel free to not use it. I’m sticking with it as it’s been a wonderful shorthand for teaching. Good luck! Tom
Yes! I know it's strange, but clawhammer banjo uses the back of the fingernail to strike down on the strings (versus picking up). So, you hold your hand in a loose fist with the thumb up, and hit the strings with you nail as you strike down...like knocking on a door. I have tons of vids about it on my channel, so take a look for more info!
Thanks, STP! The first thing I'd do is talk to a hand specialist, which you've probably already done. Your comment made me think of a bass player who wears thin gloves due to focal dystonia (hand tremors): ru-vid.comreralegAWGU . The gloves trick his neurological system and calm his tremors. I have no idea if that is of any help, but I thought I'd mention it. I do think that one of the good things about clawhammer is that it really doesn't take intricate hand motions to get great sounds and rhythms. We're using gross motor movement a lot of the time, especially with the striking hand. I hope these thoughts help you and encourage you to keep on playing and enjoying the banjo in some small way! Best to you, Tom
Hmmm....a slippery nail is a good thing! You want that nail to slip right through the string while you strike. Does this make sense? If not, send more details!
It’s strange because on other recordings of the same tune, Fred plays it straight, only on the “High Atmopshere” recordings he adds some beats to the low part!
I know, right? Very strange! I wish I could talk to Fred about it! My take home: these tunes are extremely malleable, so we should feel free to explore and make changes that suit our tastes.
Great video! I finally got my banjo quest tshirts, love them! If I wanted to just produce more volume with an amp and microphone say if I’m outside, where would you put the mic? Center front of banjo 12” out?
Awesome! So glad you like the t shirts!! You'll have to experiment with live sound reinforcement. I'd probably put the mic off-axis to the right of the pot. The dead-on recording position can overwhelm mic/preamp pretty easily I've found. Also, amps add a tone of color to the signal, so you'll probably want to find an amp that is specifically geared towards amplifying acoustic signals (vs pickup). Let me know how it turns out!
Love the recording process and the further I go down the rabbit hole I am getting less frustrated and far more fascinated and dedicated to improvement in technique , ear training , arrangement, etc . Creating good recordings takes a lot of skill sets . Far more than I ever had considered even just a couple years ago 🤯🤯🤯
Thanks so much for this comment! Yeah, I just am totally obsessed with the recording arts and still feel like I have so much to learn. I love experimenting with sounds and recording techniques! It's a lifetime of discovery. Cheers to you!
Ahhh you shaved your mountain main beard. Looking great (not that I did t like the beard but I know that’s a winter thing and I’m happy it’s almost summer!) Exciting video. Awesome !!!
