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Tarn - Posted - 03/11/2007: 12:05:59
I was wondering if anyone has the tab of a song that is a good practice for drop thumbing or even double thumbing.
Rob
RCCOOK - Posted - 03/11/2007: 12:28:12
I sent you an email...........Rod
The Banjo is a Happy Instrument so pay as you are able , enjoy it and stop worrying ...........have fun.
Tarn - Posted - 03/11/2007: 13:34:40
Hi Rod, Thanks, I responded. Did you get it?
Rob
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 03/11/2007: 14:49:26
I recommend practicing drop thumb without any tunes until you have the rhythm and technique.
Wrap your left hand over the strings so you don't drive yourself and everyone else crazy and do "Frail, Thumb, Frail, Thumb" over and over preferably on the 2nd and 3rd string, but if that is too hard do it on the 1st and 2nd until you have it and then move it to the 2nd and 3rd.
Do it slowly and exactingly, planting the thumb for each stroke. Watch you hand. It should move as a unit with the pressure on the thumb sounding the second note. Don't let your frailing finger flick out - the hand is a unit - nothing moves except the elbow (or wrist if you play from there).
When you think you have it perfectly, move the thumb to the 4th string.
When you have that try alternating the thumb on the 3rd and 4th
Now try reversing the rhythm to 4th, 3rd.
Keep the thumb on the 4th and move the finger around among the strings - patterns can be fun 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2, etc
I tend to watch tv while doing mindless stuff like this. You will have to pay full attention for a while but then you can devote half you mind to an old movie or Animal Planet.
Since every finger stroke is followed by a thumb stroke you are doing double thumb as well.
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
Tarn - Posted - 03/11/2007: 19:00:22
Oldwoodchuckb, did you know Paul Hawthorne? He taught to play the banjo, not just the tunes and that sounds just like what you're saying. This sounds like good practice to me. I'll start workin on it, thanks
Rob
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 03/11/2007: 19:11:19
Tarn
Never met a Paul Hawthorne but it sounds like he has the right idea. My teaching methods are derived mostly from flamenco guitar where teachers normally break all complex motions down to the simplest form for practice, and then from classical guitar lessons I took from a graduate of Aaron Shirer's guitar program at Peabody in Baltimore. Here again the stress was on making right hand techniques so ingrained you don't have to think about them before putting them to work.
The idea is to be able to do drop thumb perfectly and automatically so that all you have to do is think you would like a drop thumb here and it simply happens. This can either be as you are reading your way through a piece of music or as you are playing a tune, or accompanying a song - basically anywhere.
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
wormpicker - Posted - 03/11/2007: 21:52:25
Rob,
For learning and practicing drop-thumb, I highly recommend Dan Levenson's "Clawhammer Banjo from Scratch" book/CD instruction materials. Lots of people around here have also given high praise to the 2-volume DVD series that accompanies the book, although I don't have that so I can't comment. But if the DVD is presented the way Dan presents his workshops, I'm sure it's great.
Paul
Obsession is a great substitute for talent. -Steve Martin
Stev187 - Posted - 03/11/2007: 22:01:51
quote:
Originally posted by wormpicker
Lots of people around here have also given high praise to the 2-volume DVD series that accompanies the book
Dan's 2nd video has some excellent drop-thumb exercises that break down the motion to alternate pairs of strings. Very helpful.
Steve
