I'm making this a sticky so's to cover some of the newbie questions that recur again and again. This is the place to input your say on such questions as

* index or middle?
* What is OT as as opposed to BG? Classic? Jazz?
* What other kinds of OT besides CH are there?
* Why do OT players use so many different tunings?
* What's Seeger-style?
* What, if anything, is the difference between frailing and clawhammer?

That's for starters. Feel free to contribute your own and/or reject some of the above if they don't seem especially appropriate. Also feel free to disagree, politely, with someone else's advice. We want all legitimate points of view represented here.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

Posted - 04/12/2008 :  16:56:19            

Different Banjo Tunings
Head Tension Technique
Finger Planting
BEGINNER BANJOS

____________________________________
Pick till yer fingers bleed!!

Gold Star GF-200/Hatfield

Posted - 04/12/2008 :  17:25:40        

Don't forget "stroke style."

-Joel

The greater the emergency, or the greater the stakes, the greater the nerve required.

-S. W. Erdnase 21:13

Posted - 04/12/2008 :  18:00:44        

"What, if anything, is the difference between frailing and clawhammer?"
=============================================================
I think this is another one that has as many answers as there are OT pickers. Today I've been re-reading John Burke's book. In describing Hobart Smith's playing of Chinkapin Pie he says: "You should notice that notes which would be 'pull off' notes in the frailing style are gotten here by combinations of the middle finger and thumb. This tendency to get note runs with 'double thumbing' instead of 'pulling off' is the essential difference between clawhammer style and frailing".
So that's what John Burke thought in the 60's anyway.



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

Chip Arnold

Edited by - chip arnold on 04/12/2008 18:49:18

Posted - 04/12/2008 :  19:00:25        

"What other kinds of OT besides CH are there?"
===========================================
So called Seeger style. (I say "so called" because it was around long before Seeger).
2-finger index lead.
2-finger thumb lead.
3-finger.
Classical.
Stroke.
Countless eveolutionary stop offs and varients of each of the above.

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

Chip Arnold

Posted - 04/12/2008 :  20:18:24      

* Is double-thumbing the same as drop-thumbing?

Some people use it that way--Pete Seeger did in his book--but others use double-thumbing to mean hitting the fifth string twice as often as usual and drop-thumb to mean playing with the thumb notes on strings other than the fifth.

* What about frailing and clawhammer? Are they the same?

Some people--most, in fact--use the terms interchangeably, while a few understand clawhammer to mean"drop-thumb." (See Chip Arnold's answer two posts above.)

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

Edited by - brokenstrings on 04/14/2008 15:52:04

Posted - 04/15/2008 :  15:19:31    

Perhaps what this idea needs is a link to each of the preveous topics instead of trying to deal with each of the topice here. Just link to each subject, there may be several threads per subject, and those threads can come back from the lost subject graveyard and live again You could even have a link to the what CDs to buy thread

Will play Banjo for food, will stop playing banjo for money.

John Switzer
Beulah, Colorado
www.blackbearforge.com

Posted - 04/15/2008 :  16:48:17      

Yeah, but some of those previous topics may be archived &/or hard to find.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

Posted - 04/19/2008 :  17:27:40          

quote:

---

Originally posted by switzforge

Perhaps what this idea needs is a link to each of the preveous topics instead of trying to deal with each of the topice here. Just link to each subject, there may be several threads per subject, and those threads can come back from the lost subject graveyard and live again You could even have a link to the what CDs to buy thread

---

Edited by - RedZinger on 04/19/2008 17:28:53

Posted - 04/20/2008 :  14:22:54    

please be reminded that newbies are newbies and that in my opinion we should not be sending them to the archives before they have had a chance to have their questions answered personally. I never get tired of the questions or the answers that are given. just my cent and a half worth that's all

Posted - 05/20/2008 :  07:10:39        

index or middle?

Short answer: yes!

Slightly more useful answer: opinion seems to be fairly evenly divided as to whether to use the index finger or the middle finger for clawhammer, with perhaps a few more proponents of the middle finger. Essentially it comes down to a matter of personal preference - some people even use both fingers in the course of the same tune (switching between them, not playing both at once) although many people recommend against that practice.

Personal answer: I tend to use my index finger most of the time but if I break the nail I often use my middle finger instead.

- Magnus

Edited by - magnuscanis on 05/20/2008 07:18:10

Posted - 07/07/2008 :  21:27:09    

quote:

---

Originally posted by brokenstrings

I'm making this a sticky so's to cover some of the newbie questions that recur again and again. This is the place to input your say on such questions as

* index or middle?
* What is OT as as opposed to BG? Classic? Jazz?
* What other kinds of OT besides CH are there?
* Why do OT players use so many different tunings?
* What's Seeger-style?
* What, if anything, is the difference between frailing and clawhammer?

That's for starters. Feel free to contribute your own and/or reject some of the above if they don't seem especially appropriate. Also feel free to disagree, politely, with someone else's advice. We want all legitimate points of view represented here.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

---

Posted - 07/18/2008 :  07:29:01        

I know this is probably been mentioned a million times -
How about new strings, types of strings, which are good for which style, does it really matter, etc.
I just about got guitar strings down - as a banjo newbi, I dread the first string change!

Nice site by the way!

*****************************************************************************************
Sometimes you''re the windshield, sometimes you''re the bug. - Dire Straits

Posted - 07/18/2008 :  14:30:07    

"as a banjo newbi, I dread the first string change! "

First secret: One At A Time!

After that, it's just as easy as changing strings on a guitar, only one less to worry about! And don't forget to lubricate the nut and bridge slots with a little graphite (#2 pencil does nicely) on each string change.

Brad
------------------
www.PricklyPearMusic.net
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/5/ My ezFolk page
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3371/ Tucson Old Time Music Circle page on ezFolk
http://www.totmc.org Tucson Old Time Music Circle Homepage

Posted - 07/19/2008 :  04:45:06      

"What about frailing and clawhammer? Are they the same?"

It's hard to generalize, but here goes: I consider my playing frailing, though I use lots of drop-thumb as well. To my ears, much of the clawhammer I hear emphasizes single string work, whereas frailing seems to use more chords (like Wade Ward's playing). It seems to have a more rhythmic, percussive pulse...

"Index finger or middle...?"

On Pete Seeger's advice, I started with the middle finger, but after awhile found that I got a crisper sound using the index finger (probably from the angle of attack). After having used the middle finger for a number of years, it was easy to switch fingers...Beginners probably should start with one and then experiment with the other after they get the rhythm down.

Tom

Posted - 07/19/2008 :  09:48:39  

Hi BrokenStrings,

Another useful topic might be repairing broken fingernails and maintaing nails. I know I've seen a number of threads on this.

Alan
www.alanfriendmusic.com
------------------------
CD "Had a Dog" available at www.cdbaby.com

Posted - 07/19/2008 :  12:33:08    

quote:

---

Originally posted by brokenstrings

I'm making this a sticky so's to cover some of the newbie questions that recur again and again. This is the place to input your say on such questions as

* index or middle?
* What is OT as as opposed to BG? Classic? Jazz?
* What other kinds of OT besides CH are there?
* Why do OT players use so many different tunings?
* What's Seeger-style?
* What, if anything, is the difference between frailing and clawhammer?

That's for starters. Feel free to contribute your own and/or reject some of the above if they don't seem especially appropriate. Also feel free to disagree, politely, with someone else's advice. We want all legitimate points of view represented here.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

---

Edited by - jbgruver on 07/21/2008 10:44:13

Posted - 07/21/2008 :  07:28:41        

[quote]Originally posted by banjo_brad

"as a banjo newbi, I dread the first string change! "

First secret: One At A Time!

Thanks Banjop Brad - I thought so - any brand you find best through experience?

********************************************************************************************
Sometimes you''re the windshield, sometimes you''re the bug. - Dire Straits

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  12:43:12        

INDEX OR MIDDLE..?

i actually use mostly the index, but will throw a hand at the banjo sometimes hitting it with some combination of index, middle, and/or ring to get a sort of what i imagine to be double stop kinda thing. that way it has tones hit simultaneously (6 sylables-dig it)rather than the rake the nail over the strings sorta thing (which is also useful ) it works for my ear, but gets me the squinty eye from the traditional players on occasion. just a thought.

As it was presented to me, thi

Edited by - GShannon on 08/15/2008 12:44:18

Posted - 08/26/2008 :  22:38:39      

Index or Middle?

Same here, more or less. Predominantly index finger. Also use the thumb more than the average player, at least when nobody's looking.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

Posted - 08/29/2008 :  22:56:30  

Nice site.Same here, more or less. Predominantly index finger.Thanks for any problem to search Google.


[url=http://www.yishanteashop.com]Green Tea[/url]
[url=http://www.yishanteashop.com]Oolong Tea[/url]
[url=http://www.yishanteashop.com]White Tea[/url]

Posted - 09/04/2008 :  09:19:09  

Hi Guys
This debate could go on for ever ! Myself, I always use the middle finger, sometimes with a pick but mostly without. However when all is said and done, does it really matter how you do it ? Surely the important thing is to play your banjo and to get the best sound and rhythm you can...........doesn't really matter how you achieve it, just enjoy yourself.
Peter

All the world is a banjo......play it.

Pickin happy !

Posted - 09/04/2008 :  15:40:17        

quote:

---

Originally posted by brokenstrings

I
* What other kinds of OT besides CH are there?

---

Edited by - KI4PRK on 09/04/2008 15:44:00

Posted - 12/01/2008 :  19:03:14  

quote:

---

Originally posted by TonyS

I know this is probably been mentioned a million times -
How about new strings, types of strings, which are good for which style, does it really matter, etc.
I just about got guitar strings down - as a banjo newbi, I dread the first string change!

Nice site by the way!

*****************************************************************************************
Sometimes you''re the windshield, sometimes you''re the bug. - Dire Straits

---

Posted - 12/03/2008 :  18:44:11        

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shook Barley

quote:

---

Originally posted by TonyS

I know this is probably been mentioned a million times -
How about new strings, types of strings, which are good for which style, does it really matter, etc.
I just about got guitar strings down - as a banjo newbi, I dread the first string change!

Nice site by the way!

*****************************************************************************************
Sometimes you''re the windshield, sometimes you''re the bug. - Dire Straits

---

Agree completely about the site! Who knew?!
So, which string gauge do you prefer for clawhammer style playing? My old bluegrass teacher said to use light gauge. When I bought my open-back, and asked for light gauge, the shop proprietor talked me into medium.

Thought I heard a chicken sneeze....

---

Posted - 12/15/2008 :  14:21:08  

KI4PRK,

do you work CW?

N0XY