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olderisbetter - Posted - 03/10/2007: 21:03:31
ok, i know this topic has probably been discussed here. i found this video on youtube of steve martin playing sally ann claw style but there is a part in the song where he
playes a chord and it sounds to me like he is doing an up stroke of some sort. it adds a lot to the song whatever it is. ive heard other tunes where something like this is used but this is the only one i can think of off the top of my head.
i just want to know whats going on here and if anybody has a good practice to get this skill down. i love the sound of it.
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 03/11/2007: 05:11:24
A lot of clawhammer players used to catch occasional notes on an upswing of the frail finger.
It can be done on the "&"of the beat where the thumb would normally play - in fact you can pretty much get a "pinch" doing it. This was the only place I ever did it but I knew a couple players who could get it as a sixteenth note between "Did" and "Dy".
No one I know currently does it - including me. It thows my hand off rhythm nowadays.
There is supposedly a Kentucky style that uses upstrokes in this manner, but I have never found an example of the sound.
The Whiskey Before Breakfast variations and a few tunes in "F" tuning are now available on the web at:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html
olderisbetter - Posted - 03/12/2007: 10:06:11
it seems so odd and unnatural to me to up stroke.
RCCOOK - Posted - 03/12/2007: 10:59:57
I have seen this done too. Carolina style uses an upstroke for the BUM and downstoke and thumb for the Ditty but that is not what you are describing. It is just done for an accent I think.....Rod
The Banjo is a Happy Instrument so pay as you are able , enjoy it and stop worrying ...........have fun.
chip arnold - Posted - 03/12/2007: 12:03:30
Steve Martin, being a bluegrasser, is familiar with right hand patterns not commonly used in clawhammer style. He's probably just transferring some of that knowledge to downpicking. There are "rolls" that are easily done in clawhammer style.
For instance:
I 1, T 3, I 2, T 5, I 1, T 2, I3, T 5
Or:
I3, left hand pluck 2, I 1, T 5, I 1, T 2, I 3, T 5
And combinations of those on other strings.
Have a listen to Mark Johnson: http://www.clawgrass.com/
Play with a plan
Chip
