Matthias - Posted - 11/21/2009:  02:15:51

Hi folks,
my Banjoteacher (he is a professional classic guitar teacher and plays Banjo) say:
slide on the forth string from the forth fret to the fifth fret with the pinky finger.
This was when we learn “Hot Corn Cold Corn" after the “Intro” on the forth string.
Open G (0-2-4 and then the slide to 5) Left hand fingerings 2-4.
After learning I show it to my other Banjoteacher (he plays in the German group “Grass Unlimited”) and he is laughing and says: No Banjoplayer would slide with the pinky finger on the fourth string…right or wrong or what works is good?

Matthias

Edited by - Matthias on 11/21/2009 03:16:11

Banjov1 - Posted - 11/21/2009:  02:45:25

I think most banjo players would you use their ring finger or possibly even their middle finger to do 4th string slides.

maurice minger - Posted - 11/21/2009:  05:17:31

I use my ring finger for the slide works better for me.

Maurice Minger

Texasbanjo - Posted - 11/21/2009:  06:00:21

The middle or ring finger are usually much stronger, but I guess it would depend on where those fingers are going to be picking next whether you'd use them for the slide or not.

Edited by - Texasbanjo on 11/21/2009 13:31:46

Oalbrets - Posted - 11/21/2009:  06:01:00

What ever works.

eagleisland - Posted - 11/21/2009:  15:52:43

I'm with TB. Whatever finger works, right or left hand, that leaves you in good position for the next move.

waystation - Posted - 11/22/2009:  12:44:12

I try to avoid pinky slides where possible but sometimes they're necessary to get to the correct left hand position in time. Pinky strength is important for good banjo playing so developing pinky slides can only improve your playing.

I just started teaching a 10 year old who has been learning 5-string from a classical guitar player for about a year. There are lots of aspects of classical guitar technique that don't work for bluegrass banjo. For example, he was taught to rest his (bare) fingers on the strings between notes. Clearly that's not going to work for bluegrass banjo. So be careful before trying to play bluegrass banjo as if it was classical guitar. There are lots of things BG players do that could be improved with a little CG technique, but there are also some things that just don't make the transition.

Rich Stillman
Skype - banjoteacher
Follow me on Twitter - banjoteacher

hitchcock - Posted - 11/22/2009:  15:50:33

I use both the ring finger and the middle finger but never the little finger on the fourth. I can't even imagine using that one.

10gauge - Posted - 11/23/2009:  09:09:53

I think you can play your banjo however you want. If someone is saying however that one way or another is "correct". Judge for yourself. You can see him do the slide at the 2:10 mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nov127Ta_EgI think it is done with his ring finger. You can see that sets up his pinky for the next series of notes.