Mirek Patek - Posted - 06/10/2009:  13:14:44

I have a question to Chip or other two-finger up-picking players:

In case of longer passages of ITITITIT alternating on the same pair of strings (index lead), is the motion going strictly from fingers, or they may get little bit "fixed" to the distance between those two strings and the movement may go also from the rotation of the forearm?

Here is my example on my tenor banjo:

  G                               C
g-----0-0-----0-0|----0-0---0---0|----0-0-----0-0|-
d-----0-------0--|----0----------|----2-------2--|-
G-0--------------|0-------2---4--|5--------------|-etc.
D---------0------|---------------|--------5------|-
  |   |_| |   |_| |   |_| |_|_|_| |   |_| |   |_|
  T   R I T   R I T   R I T I T I T   R I T   R I

  G                               C
g-----0-0---0-0--|0-0---0---0---0|----0-0-----0-0|-
d-----0-----0----|0--------------|----2-------2--|-
G-0-------------0|----0---2---4--|5--------------|-etc.
D---------0------|---------------|--------5------|-
  |   |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| |   |_| |   |_|
  T   R I T R I T R I T I T I T I T   R I T   R I

chip arnold - Posted - 06/10/2009:  15:33:58

I really don't understand what you're asking. The examples you give look like thumb lead to me. And you say 2-finger but you're using thumb, index and ring?

In any case, I play index lead, 2-finger and I don't use any other fingers. Just index and thumb. My trailing fingers are resting on the banjo head and all the movement is from my fingers and maybe some contracting of the palm. Any brushing that I do is with my index (picking) finger. I mostly brush upwards but also down at times. Have a listen to the "2-finger explanation" on my music page and that'll tell you what it is that I do.



**********************
Take what is given
Give what is taken

Chip Arnold

chip arnold - Posted - 06/10/2009:  15:41:58

I re-read your post and I think maybe I understand better now. I seldom do a prolonged ITIT pattern on the same two strings. I lile to get that 5th string ringing in there so it sounds like a banjo. But yet there are times when I might stay on the same two strings for a whole measure. When I do, the movement is still all in my fingers. This took longer to get used to than alternating my thumb between inside strings and the 5th string. My style is pretty straight forward and simple. I don't have much interest in getting any new fingers involved or learning other styles. Lots of folks play several instruments and several styles. I'm really just a 2-finger banjo picker :-)

**********************
Take what is given
Give what is taken

Chip Arnold