3 MISTAKES Clawhammer Banjo Players Make With The Thumb Pluck 

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Yeah man! I’ve been playing for a while with a monkey-see-monkey-do song based approach. Also playing by ear and not reliant on tab which is great, but I realized I rushed through some of the basics doing this. So glad I found your channel man, with videos like this one you’re gonna set me right back on track, thank you!

Respect the claw!!! Thanks for these tips! I've been playing for about a year, and I think I've already fallen pray to a few of these (probably all). I promise from now on to respect the integrity of the claw.😆🤣😆 Subscribing!

Floating thumb vs planted thumb is a personal choice, lots of people float it and it doesn't affect their rhythm at all. I plant myself but it's not required.

Is there a wrong way to play a folk instrument with many variants?

This is the video that I’ve been waiting for since I started 3 months ago. Thank you so much for concentrating on this one subject which seems to be under emphasised elsewhere.

this is legit a great vid for clawhammer. i wasn't digging in on the fifth string i just learned and thats why the volume wasnt there. thanks for this.

Really valuable information well presented. Thanks!

Brilliant, had to sub , cheers from New Zealand

Thanks. Really useful. Have always struggled to get clawhammer even half right until I saw your vid. Best Wishes, Black Jake of Norwich, England.

Thank you! I was making all three mistakes, especially the last one. I’m slowly breaking them now…

Thank you for these tips. I have just found your channel and subscribed. I would love to learn "I am the man Thomas". 😊

Great tips. I hope I’ve caught myself early enough.

Thank you man ! Great lesson !! Dude be so awesome if you could do a rocky island cover from Ralph Stanley ! There’s not a good one out there ! Been wanting to learn that for a while

The problem with digging in is if or when you play nylon strings you will push the above string into the below string and mute the latter. You have to develop both ways. Also ones playing will sound the same without different attack skills. The only thing I caution against is flicking on any string. Also if you roll your thumb out as you end the ditty it sounds the string automatically.

Man I think it all sounds good no matter how you pick it with a thumb or without the thumb when you strap on a banjo it just sounds good 👍

Its funny you say play the 5th string loud. I can't tell you how many times Ive heard fiddle players complain about too much 5th string. Well, one in particular, but shes a fiddle instructor in Mountain View AR, so many of the fiddle players in the pickin park are or were her students, so I guess thry in turn end up with her sentiment about the 5th string. This woman is the mother of a fairly accomplished banjo player who works for the GO Opry along with many other things, so I kinda took her yapping to heart.

That was very helpful.Thank you . Off to unlearn a bunch of stuff.

Now I never had a proper lesson I just picked it up. Never had I ever had these problems or mistakes.

Could you do a tutorial for Wildflower Perfume by The Dead Tongues? It's a really nice tune but there isn't any kind of tab or tutorial for it anywhere.

What's a good banjo to start off with? I'm wanting to learn this so bad I've played the mandolin for years

Can you claw hammer with the lowest bridge.. say 1/2,inch ? Can you you sufficiently get your thumb under the fifth string?

"Dig-in with the THUMB" !!!!! I HAVE to THANK YOU !!!! Ive been 'clawhammering' a radically 'different' clawhammer style - note-for-note 'melodic', heavily arpeggioed (triplets, etc.). LOTS of bare-naked open string and alternate string pulloffs), highly 'ornamented' CELTIC music (Cape Breton and "Quebecois/Bretonic" style usually played at 100-115 bpm) for well over 50+years (~20 yrs. prior to that on 3 finger, etc.) .... I avoid 'bumpity strum' at all costs and 'substitute' with heavily accented downbeat strokes .... VERY DIFFERENT from the typical 'clawhammer''. I have to tell you that after watching your video ... a BELL WENT OFF in my brain ...; and, instantly my music RETURNED to more 'clear' , less 'muddy' and with more consistent volume and without distortion .... all because I somehow over the years somehow lessened the ''*digging-in with my thumb*' (used on all FIVE strings !!!). Because of my developed style, I only use the tip of my thumb, due to the quite HIGH BPM speed I normally play. However, THE RETURN TO 'Diggiing in With The Thumb' has indeed changed my 'style and output sound' back to what I WANT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!!!!! Very best regards. :-))

What if my big fat thumb does not quite fit under or between the strings?

it might should all change with every song and style you do. somtimes the 5th should be silent. and the way you were making the ''plucking motion'' with your thumb is perfect for double shuffle and changing angles can be very important.

I noticed you aren't wearing finger picks in this video. Was that just for the sake of demonstration, or do you not use finger picks? I've been trying to get used to them but am still adjusting.

Can you whiskey in the jar please

I think you needed to spend more time demonstrating what you mean rather than talking about it, yes explaining, but them demonstrating over and over a few times would be good. Your videos are very good.