henk - Posted - 09/06/2025:  03:58:00

Hi all,
I give up. I’ve been trying to replicate his righthand technique on and off for some weeks now but i keep having this bum diddy kinda touch creeping in over and over again.

youtu.be/xPuTPyEHPcY?feature=shared

Is there anyone who could type out a progression for me (or at least close with the same “rock” drive in it.

Lew H - Posted - 09/06/2025:  09:40:57

Have you tried slowing down the YouTube video to better see what his picking hand is doing? If not, click on the cogwheel icon to get a menu of options, one of which is to slow the video by different amounts. The 75% of base usually does it.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 09/06/2025:  09:46:54

It’s straight-ahead drop-thumb clawhammer; nothing tricky. If you can play drop-thumb, it’s just a matter of working out the left hand. If you want to really learn how too play, you need to tackle it on your won; it’s all pretty clear on the video. You’ll figure out when and where to use your thumb once you have the basic technique down.

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 09/06/2025:  09:52:40

Since the technique is fairly basic, maybe what you're missing is the rhythm - the "drive". That is just something that you feel.

henk - Posted - 09/06/2025:  11:28:55

I think you are all right. And of course trying will eventually lead to it. But i hoped that someone could at least point me the way a bit saving me some frustration. I agree without hesitation i got the basics down but i miss a lot of tools for alternatives.
Funny thing in this: i notice more often that for an advanced player a lot will fall into “basic goes without saying”technique as for the beginner one will differ in sound so much from the other it is like something entirely else and overwhelmes.

Thanks for your reply’s all.

I tried to slow the video down even till 40% but under it deforms the sound so much in comparison to the vid that its not very helpfull. At 75 or 100 i hear exactly what the rhythm is but like i said i miss converting it to my right hand. Left i’m good i see and hear his slides chords and hammerons.

I’ll keep on trying anyways.

Mister Lucky - Posted - 09/11/2025:  10:52:34

Henk: Yes, he is doing clawhammer drop thumb. Simple as that, and yet not so simple. Many people teach drop thumb as a beginning technique, and others teach it as an advanced technique. As for myself, I never drop thumb. I use hammer on and pull off to add the syncopation that drop thumb provides. To each his (or her) own.

henk - Posted - 09/11/2025:  13:11:59

Hi thanks for weighing in.
Yes i see the dropthumb part. But when i do the dropthumb it sounds more like the original bumditty. He plays it getting to sound more like a bluegrassroll like he has a extra note in it and can give it a extra variation. He does something which gives it that bit extra. I can not explain it better. If i could i probably got it ??.

So yes i can play dropthumb. I play it in different songs in different ways. But i can‘t get it to sound like his.

Sorry as English isn‘t my first language and i‘m self taught on the banjo i might not explain myself very well.

Mister Lucky - Posted - 09/11/2025:  17:15:52

Your English is quite good and you are explaining yourself quite well. From my perspective, it is very difficult to sound exactly like another banjo player. Many have tried and come up short. This mans sound is his sound, and even if you emulate his technique exactly, you may never sound exactly like him. Maybe the sound you have is even better.

dbrooks - Posted - 09/12/2025:  08:50:31

Since you're primarily interested in the right-hand movement, maybe this exercise will help.  I have ignored the slides and other elements to focus on the right hand.

David

Syncopated Drop Thumb Exercise

 

henk - Posted - 09/12/2025:  08:56:04

Thank you so much. Going to try it out and let you know.

Thanks for putting the time in it to even make a tab!

henk - Posted - 09/12/2025:  08:58:14

quote:

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Originally posted by Mister Lucky

Your English is quite good and you are explaining yourself quite well. From my perspective, it is very difficult to sound exactly like another banjo player. Many have tried and come up short. This mans sound is his sound, and even if you emulate his technique exactly, you may never sound exactly like him. Maybe the sound you have is even better.

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I agree. Its not only a goal to sound perse like him but i would like to at least have a close soundalike in my toolbox. Its more for the skill as the need to play this song. Thanks for your reply sir!