trapdoor2 - Posted - 01/10/2011:  14:38:03

Ok, here's a link to some ongoing discussion I've been having about switching from playing using my fingernails to playing with my fingertips. Also, there's a bit of show 'n' tell featuring my Clifford Essex "CE Special" and then a demo tune at the end. I hope y'all enjoy!

youtube.com/v/u3_iHHtOLGo

===Marc

scooter46 - Posted - 01/10/2011:  16:31:59

Mark those bare fingers sounded pretty good and that good lookin Essex sure didn't hurt any. What impressed me thou was seeing how easy you coulod paly with your stout fingers. I'm just starting to play and have a heck of a time fretting, now I know you've been playing for a long time and I'm about 11 years older then you it still gives me hope.. Larry

JDsbanjo - Posted - 01/10/2011:  18:13:14

What an informative video. Swell playing!

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 01/10/2011:  18:22:57

I really enjoyed this video. Interesting and entertaining!

I WAS wondering what your eyeglasses were doing up on the top of your head...but then I looked at your avatar and my question was answered!

Grumpy1 - Posted - 01/10/2011:  20:45:09

Good vid and I really enjoyed your playing. Finger tips can give an expression to picking that is not the same as pics. At least for certain types of music.

banjarwires - Posted - 01/11/2011:  18:16:42

I once had a Clifford Essex, they are great banjos. I enjoyed hearing you use your fingertips rather than picks.

banjarwires - Posted - 01/11/2011:  18:16:57

I once had a Clifford Essex, they are great banjos. I enjoyed hearing you use your fingertips rather than picks.

dfwest - Posted - 01/12/2011:  18:59:23

What fun! I enjoyed both the banjo (what a beaut) and your playing. Thanks for posting.

Dave

michael6 - Posted - 01/12/2011:  19:23:51

Great video, thanks for the post!

Emiel - Posted - 01/21/2011:  13:13:28

Nice C.E. Special. Different from mine, I have a very early one, it's not spun-over, thicker rim and ornate neck. I showed it in this thread:
banjohangout.org/topic/197201

Mine sounds great too, with gut, nylgut or steel strings...

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 01/22/2011:  00:09:44

Great video, Marc. Finally found your banjo and your technique - no holding you back now!

bobf - Posted - 01/23/2011:  12:20:09

Nice playing. Have you tried playing any of the Scott Joplin rags? Your technique and sound would go well with those.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 01/24/2011:  08:05:31

Thanks y'all!

Yes, I have worked thru some Joplin...but am trying to decide on which one to learn. Many rags sit quite well on the banjo and were arranged for it 'back in the day'. I have a manuscript copy of Van Eps arrangement of "Maple Leaf" and I have "Heliotrope Bouquet" and "Stoptime Rag" tabbed out (and I'm working on tab for "Solace"). Too many rags, not enough time (or brain cells)!

I also finished tabbing out "Peaceful Henry" (a rag by E.H. Kelly, ca. 1901) last night. One of my favorites...I'll learn it eventually.

David M - Posted - 01/25/2011:  02:43:40

Hi Marc, thanks for posting your informative video, a pretty tune well played too..!

I'm interested in your bare finger experience as I only play that style, prefering a more muted sound and soft brushed chords. You 'dig in' the strings more than me and seem (from the video) to produce a fair volume. I've had issues playing away from my front room that a lack of volume has had a detrimental effect on hearing myself above even a strummed guitar..

Proof comes from the marks you have already on your picking fingertips, mine have remained normal, I even still have all my prints intack for the cops...

I've tried an Emmerson power bridge to little effect but a great detachable hard wood plate resonator has a remarkable difference to projected sound. Simply fixed by a centre bracket and held from the back of the pot by 3/16" felt pads to let the sound out. I'm still shopping around for the exact plate shape (11" diameter with a flat 1" rim) but make do's work fine.

As I've hit middle age, I have grown in certain areas that push onto my tension rods muting the sound even further... so something was needed...

I include a file so you can hear my effect with bare fingers.....Best wishes.....David.....

Edited by - David M on 01/25/2011 02:52:36

Swanee River

trapdoor2 - Posted - 01/25/2011:  09:19:59

Wow, David, that is excellent work...well done!

My 'bare finger' attack is strongly based on my bluegrass 'metal finger-pick' attack (which I learned first). When I first started playing this "classic" style, I used my fingernails to do the job (as metal picks are frowned upon for the style). So I muddled along for years in that fashion; many players back in the day used fingernails, so I didn't worry much about it...and they allow a loud/sharp attack.

As I delved into the history of the style, I found that there was a split of opinion regarding the use of "nails" vs "bare fingers"; with good and bad aspects in both. I think it was when Rob MacKillop decided he would become a banjoist that I started to hear things I could not replicate with my fingernail style attack. Rob has a very light touch and even better, an ear for extracting all the emotion out of a piece of music (and the instrument). It's not his dynamic range that is exceptional; it is his use of it that tickles my ears.

So, I decided to launch an experiment back in Sept. of 2010. I cut off my fingernails and went completely over to the ‘bare finger’ camp. Surprisingly, it didn’t really take all that long for me to adapt. My attack has always been almost directly with the end of the finger (rather than sweeping the string with the end). All I really needed to do was to work on getting ‘out of the way’ of each string as it was sounded. The grooves in my fingers do indeed help a lot with volume; they give a ‘snap’ to the string when needed. I took that recommendation from Ian “thereallyniceman” (on BHO and the ning Classic Banjo forum), who has fingertips of cast-iron and permanent grooves. He studied under some of the great Brit classic-style players and really makes the banjo jump.

The result of all this: before, I had a dynamic range of, say mf-sF. Now I’m getting a broader range of ppp-FF and have no doubt that I’ll get a solid ppp-Fz in time.

Thanks for posting your mp3! I do play with a weekly "jam" group and even with bare fingers, I have to be careful not to overwhelm the other players. God forbid I start using steel strings again...

Jody Hughes - Posted - 01/25/2011:  09:58:48

Sounded really nice. I'm a noob to the classic banjo repertoire but I've found I like using bare fingers more than nails as well. Gives a nice dynamic range.