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Hunter Robertson - Posted - 01/27/2011: 17:05:55
Hi all,
I've mentioned recently a DVD on clawhammer banjo I've been working on. Well, it's ready to deliver! The DVD is called Unfortunate Puppy and Other Fine Tunes: Lessons in Intermediate & Advanced Clawhammer Banjo and is out with Mel Bay Publications (Mel Bay 22208DVD).
First, a description of the DVD and then I'll tell you the deal we've got going for the next week.
Unfortunate Puppy and Other Fine Tunes: Lessons in Intermediate & Advanced Clawhammer Banjo teaches ten classic fiddle tunes arranged for clawhammer banjo, as well as tools and techniques to help you create your own arrangements. 133 minutes, over two hours of lessons.
Hunter Robertson (excuse my talking about myself in the 3rd person!) begins each tune with a brief introduction and then presents each one in four different stages to help you learn it easily. First, Hunter plays the tune at full speed. Next, he breaks it down, with verbal instruction. The tune is then slowed to half speed so that you can easily follow the right and left hand finger positions, which are shown with a split screen throughout. Finally, the tune is played at a medium tempo for you to practice along with.
The DVD also includes a video of Hunter demonstrating right and left hand techniques and a detailed 26 page PDF booklet with notes on the tunes, general technical information, and thoughts on learning, playing, and arranging for the banjo.
THE TUNES:
• Lonesome John from John Salyer
• Candy Girl from Uncle Bunt Stephens
• Boatin’ Up Sandy from Wilson Douglas
• Cripple Creek from Hobart Smith
• Unfortunate Puppy from Elmo Newcomer
• Ducks on the Millpond from Emmett Lundy
• Raleigh & Spencer from Tommy Jarrell
• Bonaparte’s Retreat from William Stepp
• Leather Britches from John Salyer
• Ft. Smith Breakdown from Luke Highnight’s Ozark Strutters
EXTRA FEATURES:
• A brief look at 2 and 3-finger picking.
• A full-length performance video of the song “Raleigh & Spencer”.
The deal is that for the next week, ending the night of Feb. 4th we'll be selling the DVD at 10% off and those who buy it in that time will also get a free download of a music video, "I Truly Understand" which we recorded at the same time as the DVD.
To see the video full size and to order, go here: hunterrobertson.com/unpupframe.html
Let me know in your order that you came from the BHO.
Yours,
Hunter
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 01/27/2011: 17:12:05
Hi Eric, I hadn't heard about Leaping Brain (what a great name!) but it will be available through their On Demand software very soon I believe. I'll check with them on Leaping Brain!
Hunter
schlange - Posted - 01/27/2011: 17:23:11
On Demand=Leaping Brain. Let me know when it's available there, which means I could then have it in my catalog! Drop me an email if you want: eric@banjohangout.org
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 01/28/2011: 03:15:57
Will do Eric.
Here's a shot of the cover:
NickC - Posted - 01/28/2011: 13:19:22
This looks like a great package Hunter. Just have to get past that beginner stage first then i'll be up for it!
derwood400 - Posted - 01/28/2011: 15:14:38
Looks great Hunter. Placing my order this weekend.
BRUNO25 - Posted - 01/29/2011: 04:47:15
I've been looking forward to this Hunter. A couple of months ago I learned your William Stepp version of Bonaparte's Retreat.
I love the split screen and half time additions to your lesson style. You do a great job of breaking down the tunes and this will make it that much easier for me to learn.
I love your playing style and you've really got some great licks.
You talk about a part in the dvd to help us come up with our own arrangements. I'm curious about that.
Thanks so much for you great playin' and puttin' this kind of stuff out there.
John
P.S.
Very reasonable pricing!
Edited by - BRUNO25 on 01/29/2011 04:48:06
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 01/29/2011: 15:53:49
Nick and Darren – thanks!
John - that's great you got "Bonaparte's Retreat" down from that earlier video. Doing those videos, and the feedback from them, made a big difference in being able to do a good job on this (and of course having someone else who knew what he was doing running the camera and doing the editing!). "Bonaparte's Retreat" is in the DVD as well, but of course a new video of it with the whole split-screen, slow-motion treatment.
The price is, I must admit, very reasonable! It's right in there for the cost of most instructional DVDs (the list price is $24.95), but at 133 minutes the DVD is stuffed to the gills. We considered making it into 2 separate volumes for a little while and in the end we actually had to leave a few extras out, like the video of "I Truly Understand" that I'm giving away this first week – we would have had to reduce the video quality too much to be able to fit those last few things onto the one DVD.
On making your own arrangements: The PDF notes that are on the DVD include a lot of information on learning and setting tunes on the banjo: determining the key of a tune and how to tune to an old funky fiddle recording, various banjo tunings and their relationship to different fiddle tunings and keys; ways of learning and practicing that I've found successful when working on a tune, lots of practical and theoretical stuff, plus some philosophizing. The videos often cover different ways of getting a line or of approaching a part of a tune, say using drop-thumb or left hand moves for different effects and for most of the tunes I also usually play 2 or 3 variations to show different approaches. An important part of this overall idea of helping you create your own arrangements is listening to the original fiddle recordings (most of which can be found on the internet, a few you might have to buy. There are links in the notes). The arrangements on the DVD stay quite close to the original fiddle recordings and by studying them and comparing them with my banjo settings, along with the technique overview video and the notes, I think you'll come out much more able to set tunes yourself on the banjo. So there isn't a specific part on the DVD about it – it's the background idea to the whole project. Besides that and the 10 tunes themselves, what I hope that people will get out of this are all the little details that are hard to tab but which make a tune great. How to suck the marrow out of a fiddle tune!
Hunter
Edited by - Hunter Robertson on 01/29/2011 16:00:13
maxmax - Posted - 01/29/2011: 16:07:40
Looks like a great production Hunter! I see you've been keeping busy with tearing off the frets from yet another Harmony banjo. Awesome!
Max
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 01/29/2011: 16:26:48
Thanks Max! Yes, though on this one I contented myself with filing them flush... There's a whole explanation on why I used a fretless for the video in the accompanying notes – basically it was perfect for showing the finger positions but not being constrained by the tempered scale. If someone using the video is playing a fretted banjo it shouldn't cause any trouble, the occasional "between" note might have to be shoehorned into one of the fretted options.
That banjo is in Sweden now by the way, I traded it with a guy I met when I played near Gothenburg last summer, for a harp-guitar.
Hunter
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/01/2011: 14:57:46
Well, thanks to all of you who've ordered the DVD so far! There are now just over 3 days left to get this deal we're running (or to put it succinctly: Bump.)
Hunter
Scanbran - Posted - 02/01/2011: 15:35:04
Just placed my order, Hunter. Looking forward to this! 
How would I download the bonus music video?
Martin
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/01/2011: 15:55:54
Cheers Martin! I just emailed you the link for the bonus video through your HO page. The DVD will go out tomorrow.
Hunter
Tackhead - Posted - 02/03/2011: 06:39:53
Thanks for doing this on FRETLESS That clinched the sale for me. I'm looking forward to it.
~John
Ron Ortegel - Posted - 02/03/2011: 07:34:23
Hunter,
I don't know how I missed this announcement when first posted, but now that I have seen it I placed my order!
Really looking forward to it.
Thanks for working on this.
Ron
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/03/2011: 16:12:13
Thanks a lot John and Ron, hope you find it useful!
Hunter
u k sandra - Posted - 02/04/2011: 01:49:24
I`ve just ordered it Hunter. I can`t wait. It sounds great.
Sandra
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/04/2011: 03:37:29
Great Sandra, thanks! I'll email you.
For anyone on the fence, the little deal we're running ends tonight. If you know anyone that might be interested, please let them know. If you're interested in it as a download, that should be available from Mel Bay towards the end of the month.
Hunter
handsup8 - Posted - 02/04/2011: 05:04:26
Diggin' it, Hunter. Great set of tunes, fine versions of them, and I like this form of instruction. The package is packed (!) so I haven't gotten through it all, but I recommend it highly (and will pitch it to my students as well).
I hope you're getting opportunities to expose more Europeans to the virtues of old-time banjo. Found a fiddler yet?
ramjo - Posted - 02/04/2011: 05:28:47
I'll add my commendations too, Hunter. It's a great set--videos and notes (information, that is; a 28-page booklet with background on the tunes and techniques that's a great read.) The lessons are wonderfully presented. The half-speed videos are great because they provide a more realistic view of the fingers in motion than when one simply plays deliberately slow. I hope many people take advantage of this most enlightening project. There's much to learn.
Gadaya - Posted - 02/04/2011: 07:20:22
Hi Hunter, I just ordered the dvd when I saw the special offer ends today... From what i know of your playing and the selections of tunes, it seems a great lesson....
majikgator - Posted - 02/04/2011: 07:53:15
Good luck on what looks like a great package, wish i had the nickels to get all the things out there but in reality i barely dive into what i have, still it's on my list, i really enjoy your playing and the youtube instructional stuff was well done so i am sure this will be a valuable asset to many.
cmic - Posted - 02/04/2011: 14:21:38
Hi
I see the video sample of Hunter Robertson. As a beginner in CH, I was a bit surprised with his right hand technique. I've a problem with my flying/dangling thumb, but this videos shows that even Hunter
does that. I feel more confident to the way my hand moves now ! And of course, I do like the playing of Hunter. Thanks to him (maybe I'll buy the DVD..)
let the music be.
--
cmic, one year of CH
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/04/2011: 15:44:04
Ted and Robert – thanks a lot. It's great to hear back on this and how it's working for you.
Robert, That was exactly what I was thinking on the half-speed shots, you can slow yourself down to a certain point, but things do change, even if you're being very careful. I did train myself to slow certain things down, say for some of the spoken instructional stuff, and that takes nearly as long as it does to learn it in the first place!
Ted, yes indeedy! I've gotten around quite a bit since we left Vermont, like a banjo-toten Johnny Appleseed – played in England a good few times (Casey came over for one festival there and we shared the bill for the weekend with Tom Paley and his band, now that was fun!), France, Holland, Sweden, Italy... No old-time fiddlers close by here though for regular playing, some good ones in England and I know one right over the other side of the Alps, around where Bonyparte crossed while he was training up for taking on the Rockies!
Gael, I appreciate it! If you ever come out east, let me know.
Jim, thanks.
Michel, glad to help! I never heard of flying thumbs and so on for the first 20 odd years I played. If it works then it's ok in my book. I guess it's kind of like grammar rules, they're a good thing to know about but they come after the fact and the natives trample all over them anyway.
Hunter
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/05/2011: 04:26:50
So, thanks to all the people who've gotten a copy of this in its first week of release! As you can imagine, it's been quite an involved project and it's been really exciting getting it out and hearing back from people on it. The DVD of course is still available and shortly you should be able to get it in your local music store too.
Hunter
tomberghan - Posted - 02/05/2011: 11:17:58
It looks fantastic Hunter! I admit I have never seen any instructional clawhammer videos before, but I suspect you just raised the bar and that "The Unfortunate Puppy" is at the very top of the list!
Well done friend!
Best Wishes,
Tom
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/07/2011: 16:05:17
I just got my copy today and havent done more than look the materials over briefly. I can say that those who have used Hunters lesson material on his site will find the DVD is to the same high standards.
It will probably take me a week or more but I intend to do a full review of the DVD. I doubt it will get less than 4.5 (out of 5) drop thumbs in my brand new scoring system. (just thought it up right now and it has nothing to do with Roger Ebert. Totally my idea, dudes).
This is not a beginner's set of lessons. You should ber completely comfortable with basic strokes and know a fair number of tunes in Simple arrangements before tackling this material - but it is just the sort of thing the vast majority of players could use. More later.
BRUNO25 - Posted - 02/08/2011: 06:02:33
Hunter,
Got my dvd the other day. Couldn't view it until this morning. Computer was down for a couple of days.
What an awesome job you did on this project! This is by far the best instructional material I have seen. Just Awesome!
Thanks for putting this together.
I also wanted to ask you about the PDF file. I am having trouble accessing it. The icon isn't showing up on my desktop. Do I need something different than Adobe? If you can offer any ideas that would be great.
Thanks again,
John
Tackhead - Posted - 02/08/2011: 06:41:04
quote:
Originally posted by BRUNO25
I also wanted to ask you about the PDF file. I am having trouble accessing it. The icon isn't showing up on my desktop. Do I need something different than Adobe? If you can offer any ideas that would be great.
Thanks again,
John
If you're using a PC, use Windows Explorer (or Mac equivalent) to view the contents of the disc. That is, don't actually play the DVD, but look at the files. You'll see the pdf you're looking for. I just printed it out. I can email you the file an attachment if you have problems opening it.
~John
BRUNO25 - Posted - 02/08/2011: 13:12:42
quote:
Originally posted by Tackhead
quote:
Originally posted by BRUNO25
I also wanted to ask you about the PDF file. I am having trouble accessing it. The icon isn't showing up on my desktop. Do I need something different than Adobe? If you can offer any ideas that would be great.
Thanks again,
John
If you're using a PC, use Windows Explorer (or Mac equivalent) to view the contents of the disc. That is, don't actually play the DVD, but look at the files. You'll see the pdf you're looking for. I just printed it out. I can email you the file an attachment if you have problems opening it.
~John
Thanks John. Found it. I appreciate your help.
John
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/08/2011: 15:19:56
Well today I watched the "Techniques" video and the 2 and 3 finger portions. This is extremely good stuff. Hunter goes over all the major techniques and demonstrates a few different styles of up picking. Everyone knows I think of video as "supplemental" to books, but this DVD covers the subject extremely well, showing both hands in a well composed split screen. I think anyone who is serious about the Banjo would do well to add this to their stable of instructional material.
I'm viewing it on my 15 inch portable (in fact I watched it while out at lunch this afternoon) and the split screen of the hands it is plenty big enough to see on a screen that size.
More to come
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/08/2011: 16:36:43
John, glad you like it! Sorry about the trouble with finding the PDF file, but thanks to John for helping you get at it while I was out.
Tony, thanks for the great comments. I look forward to hearing how you find the tunes.
Hunter
BRUNO25 - Posted - 02/09/2011: 05:01:31
Hunter, one more thing. I seem to have lost the email you sent that had the link to the video for, "I Truly Understand." Would you be able to send that out one more time, please?
Thanks Again,
John
riverstein - Posted - 02/09/2011: 05:18:29
Got the DVD yesterday and spent some hours with it. May well be the best old time banjo instructional film since Mike Seeger's Southern Banjo Styles series. Hunter's playing is inspiring, the presentation is very clear, the choice of material is good, and I appreciate the way in which he continually refers the viewer back to the original recordings of the versions he's playing.
Overall: strongly recommended. I'll be watching this one often.
Now a companion DVD would be welcome, to go into greater detail about the two and three finger styles touched on briefly here.
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/09/2011: 14:54:55
Just sent it to you John.
Riverstein, thanks a lot. I'm really pleased to hear you like it so well. I've got a couple of ideas for future DVDs but 2 and 3-finger, hm. I've gotten quite a few requests for something on them, that's why there's that extras section on the DVD in fact, but the thing is that unlike clawhammer I haven't dissected fingerpicking much. I use it a lot but most of the time I couldn't tell you what I'm doing! Maybe I should bone up on it...
Hunter
BRUNO25 - Posted - 02/10/2011: 06:53:59
Thanks Hunter. I enjoyed the video.
John
Scanbran - Posted - 02/10/2011: 13:09:55
I received my DVD today, Hunter, and have watched most of it.
It's really well presented, professionally made and very entertaining.
Most importantly, the tunes are excellent, and even the ones I know have enough variation and interest to make me want to learn them again.
Great stuff, thanks! 
fesso - Posted - 02/10/2011: 14:53:23
Well i missed the special offer by a couple of days but hell, i think it's a bargain price anyway so i just placed my order. i am still pretty much a beginner but i play a lot...A LOT! i also learned Bonaparte's Retreat from your youtube video a while back and really enjoy your style! i look forward to receiving my dvd!
Cheers!
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/11/2011: 05:02:02
No problem John, glad you enjoyed it.
Martin, thank you!
Fesso, if you got Bonaparte's Retreat down from that earlier lesson, I think you'll do fine with the DVD. Enjoy! And let me know how you get on with it once you receive it.
Hunter
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/11/2011: 16:11:17
I am finding it harder to review the video the further I get into it, but I feel it is important to note that intermediate does not mean being almost ready to take your act onto the Grand Old Opry (which might still be waterlogged anyway).
I have known beginners who could have used this video almost from day one. I have also known teachers who couldn't have used it. This is the "unknown factor" in all teaching. I think Hunter's technique video alone is worth the price of the DVD. Everyone has to make their own decision as to when they are ready for this DVD but I think that most people will get their money's worth, and that over time it will prove more than just useful to anyone willing to put in some time. This is the best instructional video I've ever seen. It is worth your money and more importantly, it is worth your time.
I want to have more than this to put in my final review but you can bet your bottom dollar the Unfortunate Puppy is a 5 star special, and sooner or later thousands of banjo players are going to benefit from this video.
I actually knew from Hunter's website material that this was going to be a great video, but I only realized as I watched it that it is going to become the gold standard for teaching videos too. Hunter's split screen is as perfect a method as I have seen for getting the information across. I've seen the videos with an inset of the left hand etc, and this beats them hands (no pun intended) down.
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/11/2011: 16:21:01
What I never got around to saying in that post is that I think the video is useful even for "relative" beginners - like fesso. This is always a hard call but I truly think most players (myself included) can learn a lot from the video. Hunter is a great teacher - and a great player.
Mirek Patek - Posted - 02/12/2011: 00:28:19
Hunter, I see (at hunterrobertson.com/banjoframe.html ) that the frailing hand camera is mounted to the banjo (rim?) - could you please share how did you do it and what was your gear?
Thanks
Mirek
u k sandra - Posted - 02/12/2011: 01:34:15
I can`t wait for it to come. The postman thinks I`m stalking him.
Scanbran - Posted - 02/12/2011: 02:48:08
quote:
Originally posted by u k sandra
I can`t wait for it to come. The postman thinks I`m stalking him.
You'll love it!
Hunter Robertson - Posted - 02/12/2011: 13:41:24
Tony, well! "Gold standard"! I like that. Thanks too for pointing out that intermediate doesn't mean semi-pro or something lofty like that. I think most beginners would get something from the DVD too.
Let me deflect some of this praise towards Jonathan Vanballenberghe of Open Lens Productions ( openlensproductions.com/ ) who filmed and edited the DVD and who deserves credit for things like how the split screen is done and other features that make the presentation so clear and the DVD easy to use. He is of course a top-notch videographer but almost as important is that he's a banjo player, so he had a good understanding of what a banjo DVD could use.
Mirek – good eye! That is of course another nice touch from Jonathan. It's a GoPro Hero HD, mounted with one of the standard adhesive mounts that comes with the camera.
Sandra – hope it gets there soon!
Hunter
trick420 - Posted - 02/13/2011: 01:18:06
I'll be ordering my copy hopefully next week - if I ever get back from Israel. I'm banjoless and sad at the moment! Two weeks with no access to a banjo is no way to live.
I think it is noteworthy that Hunter is playing what many people would consider an unsatisfactory banjo barely suitable for beginners. He can really make that Harmony talk though huh? Just goes to show that a high end banjo does not an artist make. I would bet he can play just the same with a banjo made from a broomstick, tomato can and barbed wire...
Jeff
fesso - Posted - 02/13/2011: 08:02:21
i had a feeling you were using a GoPro mounted to the rim.... Awesome little cameras, you can do so much with them!
Edited by - fesso on 02/13/2011 08:03:14
neillconnor - Posted - 02/13/2011: 09:21:36
Got my copy earlier in the week and have spent the weekend trying a few tunes. I`ve only been playing 15 months but found i could follow it easily. Its by far the best video tutor ive come across, really clear camera views and great collection of tunes. 1st class!
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