Owen - Posted - 06/04/2024:  20:31:11

From my v-e-r-y limited understanding, one of the basic picking (?) patterns is Thumb on 2 or 3 or 4 >> Thumb on 5  >> Index on 1.

I've seen/read where: 1) the timing of those three parts/plucks should be equally spaced and also 2) where it should be slow - fast - fast.  

a) Is one preferable over the other? 

b) Is it best to learn both? 

c) IF it's best to learn both is there a preferred order?

janolov - Posted - 06/04/2024:  23:11:41

If you play T-T-I the first T shall be twice as long as the second T and the I. Count: 1 - 2& or slow-fast-fast.
The T-T-I equally spaced will be a triplet or and is rather rare, but can be used in slow blues or slow jigs or waltzes.

banjered - Posted - 06/05/2024:  06:27:29

The classic bum-dit-ty of clawhammer is actually 4 parts – bum-pause-dit-ty. To achieve the same in thumb lead the pattern is T-pause-T-F. That's the most often recommended pattern but some get by with T-pause-F-T.



I enjoy playing/singing folk songs and use a 4/4 timing – T-F-T-F. Here the T primarily plays strings 5, 4,3,and 2 and the F on string 1. Slow songs like Pretty Saro, My Old Kentucky Home, Give Yourself to Love, etc. work very well with the TFTF pattern. For some songs with quick sequences I will often use the F on string #2.



I don't bother using the Thumb lead for the clawhammer pattern above, I just use basic clawhammer. But if your preference is for Thumb lead clawhammer pattern, learn both at the same time, no big deal but it may take some time to get the clawhammer pattern down same as basic clawhammer. Enjoy the learning process! banjered

Edited by - banjered on 06/05/2024 06:30:35

banjered - Posted - 06/05/2024:  07:04:57

The above can be converted to 3/4/ waltz time too. banjered

Owen - Posted - 06/05/2024:  07:21:22

Thanks, guys.

[Tom, my preference is for the simplest thing/technique/style/?? in banjoland .... other than a straightforward strum-strum-strum which sounds gawdawful, IMNSHumbleO.  ]

JSB88 - Posted - 06/05/2024:  07:56:29

Believe me, T, I , T, I (or T, F, if you prefer) is about as simple as it gets in 4/4 time. It's how I learned having no stringed instrument experience. I added other patterns and index lead afterwards

thisoldman - Posted - 06/05/2024:  11:02:05

When I started 3FTL all I recall having was Chris Berry's video and Sean Barth's site.  I think I found Jan later.   When I looked at Sean's site, I was thinking of the picking patterns, but not necessarily the rhythm/note duration going forward.   The picking patterns rhythm(s) used depended on the way the tune was arranged.     Since I started with clawhammer, and used my middle finger for some reason, I carried that over to 2FTL.   Like Banjered, I sometimes used another finger (in my case the index) if it made sense on the 2nd string.  Index lead would have been good to learn, but alas I switched over to Scruggs and 3 finger. 

banjered - Posted - 06/05/2024:  12:23:51

I use my middle finger with TF because sometimes (Four Strong Winds) I play 3 finger and the middle finger becomes the primary "bum" note. Sort of a left over from my guitar picking days. Good for occasional pinch notes too. banjered

Owen - Posted - 06/05/2024:  13:20:02

Tom: "The classic bum-dit-ty of clawhammer is actually 4 parts – bum-pause-dit-ty."

Which leads to another pre-beginner question.... or two:

1) Is ^^ an example of [to arbitrarily pick numbers for illustration] ... an eighth note [i.e. the "bum"] followed by two 16th. notes [i.e. the "dit" and the "ty"?   

2) Or is note designation/duration/beat/?? a whole other kettle of fish? 

banjered - Posted - 06/05/2024:  13:48:55

I don't know music notation very well but I think the bum-pause is a quarter note and the ditty two 8th notes. In a 4/4 clawhammer measure I'd tap my foot on the two bums within the measure. banjered

Paul R - Posted - 06/06/2024:  09:07:21

Perhaps this video from Tom Collins will help with the timing issue.