RWJones1970 - Posted - 02/02/2007:  20:31:24

I was listening to Doc Watson's version of Country Blues and decided I want to play it like he does? First, what is the tuning that Doc uses for that tune? Second, How do I imitate his style of clawhammer? I love that style and Doc's is identical to none that I have heard play. I have instructional DVD material by David Holt, Southern Banjo Styles DVD by Mike Seeger with Doc Watson on it and I still cant figure out how he gets his sound. Doc says he does not drop thumb, only hammer on's and pull off's. Can anyone give me some helpful advice?

RCCOOK - Posted - 02/02/2007:  22:49:21

Hi RW:
I have the pleasure of knowing Jerry Green of Lodi, Ohio. Jerry's father owned the store(in S Caro) where Doc Watson traded before he became famous. He taught Jerry to play(guitar) and Jerry was still visiting him at his home after Merle's death some years ago. Jerry said that Doc always invited him in and offered a cup of coffee. He used to play Eagles(not the group but the aerie), Moose Hall 's and VFW's. His style is just basic mountain style as I know, I believe you are correct about hammers and pull offs.

He did a piece with a melodic CH player on one of the CD's. I am sorry the name of the piece escapes me and the name of the other CH player. I believe it was on the 1960's-1980's CD(but I can't remember for sure either). My own opinion is that he is one of the best CH players and I enjoyed each time he picked up the 5 string. Jerry tells me that Merle actually played much of the clawhammer but I can't say one way or the other. Jerry insists though ,and who am I to doubt one of his jammin' buddies.

Maybe one of the other folks here could give you particulars....Rod

XXXris - Posted - 02/03/2007:  01:02:20

mike seeger's banjo styles dvd has doc playing a few tunes, and some of them are tabbed out in the book. that should give you a good start. seems like he uses more pulloffs than the average player, but otherwise very standard. except for his own magic touch of course.

banjoman.com - Posted - 02/03/2007:  07:58:08

You are right, Doc doesn't drop thumb...and he gets all his added notes by pulling off and hammering on. This makes for a very percussive sound. I have watched his right hand closely and in general he does the basic bumditty lick (not the bumaditty Round Peak lick). He hits the string hard and very accurately. Moreover, he has strong fingernails which give the clear, loud tone. Most importantly he plays with unswerving confidence and he really listens to every note and his timing is near perfect. He knows what he's after and he goes and gets it.

David Holt

ZEPP - Posted - 02/03/2007:  09:00:26

Hi, David, Welcome aboard!

Cheers,
ZEPP


* zepp@zeppmusic.com website: http://zeppmusic.com/ Skype us at zeppmusic *

gailg64 - Posted - 02/04/2007:  12:39:55

Hi David!
Welcome!
I have a question you might be the perfect person to answer, with your close collaboration with Doc Watson both in performance & on the wonderful recordings you've done with him--is Doc's playing clawhammer? A friend visited Doc's relative Arnold Watson in the 1970s & learned banjo from him & says that Arnold up-picked in a 2-finger style. Gaither Carlton, Doc's father in law played down-stroke/clawhammer, so maybe Doc does both?

One time about 15 years ago, Doc asked to play my fretless banjo backstage at Merlfefest---he was playing in an incredible driving, brushless style. I leaned over his shoulder & got pretty close to his right hand & it appeared he was was using a 2 finger up picking style, probably index lead because the banjo was fretless & he wasn't going up high to get his notes or breaking it up with reverse rolls off the first string. But maybe he was reverting to a style that worked on the fretless, so who knows?

G

quote:

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Originally posted by banjoman.com

You are right, Doc doesn't drop thumb...and he gets all his added notes by pulling off and hammering on. This makes for a very percussive sound. I have watched his right hand closely and in general he does the basic bumditty lick (not the bumaditty Round Peak lick). He hits the string hard and very accurately. Moreover, he has strong fingernails which give the clear, loud tone. Most importantly he plays with unswerving confidence and he really listens to every note and his timing is near perfect. He knows what he's after and he goes and gets it.

David Holt

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chip arnold - Posted - 02/04/2007:  12:48:14

I also had thought that Doc used 2-finger, index lead. No drop thumb. Similar to but more percussive than Marvin Gaster who also doesn't drop his thumb. (Except on 3/4 time stuff.) Does he do both clawhammer and finger style?

Play with a plan
Chip

janolov - Posted - 02/04/2007:  13:10:54

On the video/DVD Old-Time Mountain Styles by Mike Seeger Doc Watson makes Reuben in three different ways:
1. Clawhammer
2. Twofinger thumb lead (thumb and index fingers are used)
3. Twofinger with middle finger and thumb, He uses a bum-pa-dit-ty pattern and the hand is not anchored to the head: middle hits melody not, hammer on or pull off, middle finger hits first string and thumb hits fifth string. It looks a little strange but it sounds like clawhammer.


Janolov

banjoman.com - Posted - 02/04/2007:  14:21:31

Most of the time Doc is playing clawhammer. He is a great guitar fingerpicker (using only two fingers like Merle Travis). So,he can easily tranfer that to banjo. Listen to something like his playing Mole in the Ground...that is classic, kick butt frailing. Of course, Merle played good clawhammer as well...but like everything Doc does, his style is very defined and strong and right on top of the beat.

You know, a lot of the old pickers in NC played in the two finger up pick style...they said the clawhammer style was the way their fathers and grandfathers played...it was old fashioned to them.

David

www.banjoman.com
www.myspace/davidholtmusic

Pangle - Posted - 02/04/2007:  14:33:02

Great thread, Doc's playing is amazing. Other than the Mike Seeger DVD, does anyone have recommendations on other video recordings with Doc playing CH, especially with closeups on his hands? I learned that Frosty Morning tune off Seeger's DVD, and it's my favorite tune to play so far. I've been listening to a DVD from 1963 of Doc Watson with Jean Ritchie at a club in NY, and it has four or five excellent CH tracks.

-Dave